Food safety, traceability and sustainability blog

Intentional Food Adulteration of Supply Chain Plagues the Industry

Food fraud is on the rise due in part to a complex and fragmented global food supply chain. Learn about the factors that contribute to food adulteration and what the industry can do to implement safeguards against bad actors.

Consumers have become leery of where their food comes from and the kinds of raw materials they may be exposed to. With recurring news coverage of fraud or negligence within the supply chain, blind trust in food brands is at an all time low. A recent article in the Triangle Business Journal tells the story of a North Carolina-based seafood company being hit with a $500,000 fine for falsely labeling millions of dollars worth of crab meat as being a “Product of the USA.”

Everything You Need to Know About Food Adulteration and FSMA

Food adulteration is a serious threat to consumers, and its impact ranges from relatively harmless to fatal, depending on the severity of the infraction and who ends up consuming the adulterated food. But what exactly is food adulteration, and what is FSMA doing to help prevent it?

Defining Food Adulteration

Food adulteration is a broad category of mishandled or misrepresented foods, so it helps to understand it by breaking it down into four main categories.