All Food fraud & authenticity articles
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ArticleFrom blind spots to real time insight: the importance of NMR based screening on tackling food fraud
Food fraud quietly erodes margins, undermines consumer trust and distorts fair competition. This article unpacks why traditional controls might miss key signals of adulteration and mislabeling – and how high reproducibility NMR screening, coupled with large, continuously validated databases, has established itself as a novel rapid method for authenticity across ...
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NewsIllegal ‘smokies’ trader pleads guilty in major NFCU case
An NFCU investigation has led to a guilty plea in a major illegal smokies case involving unsafe meat entering the UK food supply chain.
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NewsCounterfeit wine and prosecco worth £500k seized in NFCU alcohol fraud investigation
FSA’s National Food Crime Unit seizes 67,000 counterfeit bottles and arrests suspect in major operation targeting fraudulent wine imports.
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NewsEuropean Commission launches AI TraceMap tool to combat food fraud and outbreaks
The AI-powered TraceMap platform aims to speed detection of food fraud, contamination and outbreaks across EU agri-food supply chains.
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ArticleUnpacking the evolving science of pathogen persistence in food processing environments
Even the most robust sanitation programmes cannot fully eliminate pathogen persistence. As biofilms, harbourage sites and genomic surveillance reshape what manufacturers know about contamination risk, persistence is emerging as one of the defining tests of modern food safety.
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NewsBia Analytical launches Cocoa Consortium to strengthen fraud detection and transparency
New initiative aims to improve cocoa supply chain transparency amid sustained market volatility and authenticity risks.
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NewsFAO report exposes scale of fish fraud in global seafood supply chains
New FAO report reveals widespread fish fraud, warning of risks to health, sustainability and markets while highlighting advances in detection and prevention.
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NewsFSA’s NFCU warns food businesses for vigilance against fraud after £500k poultry theft jailing
The FSA’s National Food Crime Unit urges food businesses to strengthen fraud checks after a man from Wigan was jailed over £500,000 stolen poultry.
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OpinionFrom South America to the Irish border: how the EU–Mercosur deal could reshape UK food risk
New trade deals bring new opportunities – for the scrupulous and the not-so scrupulous. Here Professor Chris Elliott highlights where vigilance will be needed to head off potential deceptions from opportunistic trade exploiters.
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NewsFour people charged by CPS after NFCU smoked salmon fraud investigation
Four people have been charged by the Crown Prosecution Service following an FSA National Food Crime Unit investigation into alleged misrepresentation of Scottish smoked salmon.
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OpinionNext-level combat: involving the police in the fight against organised food crime
Relegated to the margins of responsibility outside police control, illegal fishing has largely evaded impactful sanctions. Colleagues from the Norwegian food research institute Nofima report here on the impact that increased police cooperation can have on bringing perpetrators of organised crime to justice.
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OpinionFood fraud 2026 and beyond: new targets, tactics and risks
Drawing on his extensive insight and all the data he can lay his hands on, Professor Chris Elliott reveals the areas most at risk of exploitation in our food system, highlighting the questionable benevolence of AI as both friend and foe.
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ArticleA Food Safety Carol: the reckoning of CD Screege
Inspired by A Christmas Carol, this fictional narrative follows a global food executive forced to confront the human cost of his decisions. Drawing on real world failures and insights from Dr Darin Detwiler and international food safety leaders, the story explores how culture, leadership and risk shape outcomes across the ...
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NewsNFCU seizes illegal bushmeat in London as one man arrested
Frozen bushmeat including pangolin and cane rat was seized in Deptford as the NFCU intensifies action against illegal food crime in the UK.
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OpinionNew powers and a new era: reshaping the fight against food crime
The NFCU has earned its stripes and is now equipped with much needed long-awaited powers to intercept food crime. Commenting on the Unit’s recent annual report, Professor Chris Elliott divulges the scope of its new capabilities – vital to help combat the pervasive murky threat of food fraud.
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ArticleThe tomato shockwave: how one Panorama story is causing massive shifts in a global supply chain
Food industry shockwaves generated by the Xinjiang-region tomato exposé last year have been significant; but Professor Chris Elliott has wider concerns that no one is talking about…
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News
Defra’s slow response on illegal meat imports sparks UK biosecurity warning from MPs
MPs warn Defra’s slow action on illegal meat imports leaves Britain’s food and farming sectors exposed to major biosecurity and supply chain risks.
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ArticleThe spicy truth: uncovering cinnamon fraud in the EU market
When you dust a little cinnamon over your cappuccino, the last thing on your mind is fraud. However, scientists at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) have uncovered cases of mislabelling that could lead to potential health risks, as Project Coordinator Anastasia Vlachou reveals.
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ArticleOperation OPSON: the world’s annual stress-test for food crime is sending a louder alarm than ever
The results of last year’s food criminality are in. Here, Professor Chris Elliott shares his biggest concerns about the trends he’s noticed, including the increase in organisation and direct threat to public health.