Fraud prevention in food business

Although cases of food fraud are as old as the food trade itself, the media coverage of certain crises in recent years has severely tested consumer confidence.

Aware of the vulnerability of the food chain to fraud, back in 2014 the European Parliament highlighted Europe's weak points in this respect. Since then, the various players in the sector have mobilized to implement measures to combat fraud and thus guarantee compliance with the requirements of the hygiene package regulations.

Various categories of fraud exist, including substitution, concealment, dilution and fraudulent labelling. Although they do not all present a health risk, they are all intentional and linked to a desire for economic gain.

The position of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) on the subject, as well as the requirements of the various private FSMS (Food Safety Management System) standards (IFS and BRC), require manufacturers to carry out an analysis of their vulnerability to fraud, and to implement control measures to reduce this vulnerability.

This article describes the context and the steps taken by agri-food companies to design and implement their anti-fraud plans.

At the end of the article, readers will find a glossary and a table of acronyms.