Food Fraud
Many kinds of food fraud exist, the most common form being economically motivated adulteration (EMA). In every case, the intention is to deceive customers and increase profit. Food fraud can be difficult to detect and can pose serious health risks for consumers who may unknowingly ingest allergens that were not listed in the ingredients.
Sources to Courses aims to eradicate the food fraud issue, providing transparent food tracking with undeniable proof of origin. The S2C platform introduces accountability to the historically vague food industry, allowing consumers to independently verify food origin and ingredients, as well as assisting in the enforcement of regulatory food safety protocols and certification standards.
Adulteration
Adulteration involves the intentional adding, omitting, or substituting of ingredients. Examples can be found in sugar being added to honey or cheap oils being substituted for “100%” olive oil. Often times the ingredient changeup is undetectable, leaving consumers unaware that they have been victims of food fraud, paying more than they should. Other times, consumers are met with more than just a hit to their wallets, but a real threat to their health from undeclared allergens in the food.
Tampering and Mislabelling
Incorrect labels mislead customers to believe that a product contains a certain level of quality that is not actually present. Examples include produce falsely labeled as ‘organic’ or regular beef sold as Wagyu beef. But it can also involve expiration dates being tampered with or fraudulent claims about the food’s origin and the way it was produced. This kind of deception can also affect the health of consumers in that it misrepresents the nutritional value they are receiving.
Counterfeit
Counterfeit goods are knock-offs or replicas of an authentic food product. They may appear legitimate with the same packaging and labeling, but the they are not at all the same. Any safety, nutritional, or quality claims are false, exposing consumers to the same risks as with other types of food fraud, but with perhaps even less guarantee that any component of the food is legitimate.
