Experts are increasingly concerned about our food and its adulteration. The FDA (US Food Regulatory Agency) estimates that one percent of all food produced in the world involves some form of fraud or adulteration, resulting in losses of approximately US$40 billion each year.
These products also pose a major threat to public health, but which foods are most susceptible to this fraud?
A survey published in 2024 by experts in production chain certification analyzed more than 15,000 public records on the subject, identified between 1980 and 2022.
Top 10 Most Adulterated Foods
Statistics show that the 10 most adulterated foods in the world are:
- Cow’s Milk
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Honey
- Beef
- Chili Powder
- Olive Oil Without Quality Specification
- Turmeric Powder
- Powdered Milk
- Vodka
- Ghee
A total of 20 foods were identified in the survey. These included orange juice, goat’s milk, wine, chicken, ground beef, whiskey, other alcoholic beverages, saffron, virgin olive oil, and sesame oil.
The findings, compiled by researchers from the US companies Food Chain ID, Henry Chen & Associates and More Food Tech, and the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA), were published in the scientific journal Journal of Food Protection in March 2024.
The data shows that 46% of adulteration incidents pose some potential health risks to those using these products.
Countries with the Most Food Fraud Cases
India, China, the United States, Italy, and the United Kingdom are the countries where the highest number of fraud cases have been reported.
Read Also:
Is Eating Kidney, Heart, and Liver Beneficial for Health?
Economically Motivated Adulteration (Food Fraud)
What is Food Fraud?
Fraud is ‘the adulteration or deception of food products by a person or industry whose main objective is economic gain,’ explains Alain Silva Melo Cesar, professor and researcher at the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of São Paulo.
This adulteration reduces or modifies certain products to increase the profits of those who manufacture or sell them.
The foods most targeted are those with high added value, such as honey, olive oil, and beef. In these cases, fraudsters may add corn syrup to honey, other types of vegetable oils to olive oil, or different types of meat, such as pork and poultry, to beef.
“The most common fraud we know of is adulteration, in which the manufacturer adds water and starch to dilute the original material to obtain a higher yield. Obviously, this information is not given on the label or packaging,” explains Cesar.
In a scientific article analyzing the most deceptive foods in the world, the authors also mentioned:
Using artificial substances to change the color and appearance of food, for example, applying gel to shrimp to make them look bigger.
The use of biocides (such as pesticides and antibiotics) in some places
Nutritional Misrepresentation
When the label says it contains specific ingredients but does not mention the presence of genetically modified food.
For example, there are lies about the purity of the product or claims of miraculous health effects.
- Removing the original substances and properties of that food, such as the flavor compounds of some peppers.
- A combination of all the above techniques.
Cesar added that selling stolen goods is also a form of fraud because the person doing so is not authorized to sell the goods.
Possible Harms of Food Adulteration
In addition to economic issues, experts are also concerned about the practical adverse health effects of these food additives.
“Food fraud has very serious health consequences,” says a professor at the University of Sao Paulo.
Let’s imagine a person who is allergic to cow’s milk and buys cheese made from goat’s milk, but if it is made with cow’s ingredients, it can cause a severe allergy that can even lead to his death.
The same goes for foods that are supposed to be gluten-free. If this compound is present in the diet of a person who is allergic to gluten, it can have very harmful or even serious consequences for their health.
Cesar cites an incident that occurred in China in 2008 when manufacturers of a brand of powdered milk added melamine to the formula with the aim of increasing the protein content of the drink.
Melamine is a toxic substance that is not safe for humans but is used in the production of plastics and fertilizers. Six children died and three became seriously ill in this illegal process.
“We must also take into account ethical and religious issues, such as some people not eating pork because they follow a particular faith,” says Cesar.
For example, there have been cases of pork adulteration even in 100 percent beef burgers.
There are also examples of the inclusion of animal ingredients in vegetarian or vegan products, even those that claim to be pure but have no certificate of excellence in this agricultural specialty.
Researchers say that ‘these users are being deceived and it affects their lives.’
How to Identify Food Fraud?
Illegal changes during the manufacturing of most food items are made so subtly that it is almost impossible to see anything different in the appearance of the final product.
Therefore, it is important to trust the scientists and institutions responsible for testing, but Cesar admits that agencies and researchers themselves often fall behind in quickly detecting food adulteration.
“Every day there is a new fraud or a way to bypass the analytical methods we have in place to detect these problems,” he says. However, the researcher believes it is possible to use new technologies to reduce this advantage for fraudsters.
As science advances, new doors of awareness open, but there are some basic tips that every consumer can follow to avoid fraud.
“The first of these is that their prices are much lower than the market,” says Cesar.
For example, if you know that 500 ml of extra virgin olive oil costs between seven and nine US dollars, you should be wary of advertisements that sell the same product for 3.50 US dollars.
He adds that ‘it is also important to look for inspection or control stamps on the labels of many of these foods.’ If a person is accustomed to buying a particular food and notices a significant change in its taste, texture, aroma, or other aspects, they should contact the company’s customer service or a government health agency.
According to Cesar, “This type of interaction with government agencies is very helpful in detecting fraud, which is usually beyond the scope of suspicion.”