{"id":13207,"date":"2024-05-24T23:37:27","date_gmt":"2024-05-25T03:37:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/?p=13207"},"modified":"2024-05-24T23:37:27","modified_gmt":"2024-05-25T03:37:27","slug":"food-fraud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/food-fraud\/","title":{"rendered":"Food Fraud"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written by: Michelle Tran<\/span><\/p>\n

Edited by: Anonymous\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Designed by: Sargam<\/span><\/p>\n

Published by: Maryam Khan<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What is Food Fraud?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Food fraud is essentially misrepresenting food, causing consumers to be misled into purchasing a deceptive product.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Types of Food Fraud <\/b>(Government of Canada, 2022)<\/span>\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Substituting<\/span> – <\/span><\/i>Replacing an ingredient or product with something of a different attribute, then claiming that there was no replacement.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/span><\/i> Horsemeat as a substitution for beef without being disclosed.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adulterating or Diluting<\/span> – Adding ingredients\/elements and not disclosing them on a label.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/span><\/i> Organic fruit juice sold as dissolved water with artificial flavouring.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mislabeling<\/span> – Labelling a product that causes it to be misrepresented<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/span><\/i> Fruits that are labelled as organic, however, they are not organic.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

False Claims\/Statements<\/span> – claiming\/making statements that make a product represent something it is not.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example: <\/span><\/i>Sodium-free products that still contain sodium.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Why is Food Fraud Important?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"It is important to recognize food fraud as it can pose a safety concern to consumers as unnotified allergens and toxins may not be disclosed during an incident of food fraud. Food fraud can also lead to a loss of trust between a consumer and marketer, impacting the economic status of the buyer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ensuring that consumers feel comfortable while shopping requires trust. If a business is committing food fraud, not only is it prohibited, but makes the consumer uncomfortable and hesitant to purchase from the brand.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Food fraud costs the global food industry around $10 and 15 billion dollars per year (Government of Canada, 2022). According to the U.S. Grocery Manufacturers Association, this affects about 10% of all commercially sold food products.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

How Can Food Fraud Be Prevented?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Food Fraud is mostly reported in:<\/span><\/p>\n