ISSUE 03 | JULY 2016 Food Quality Magazine
Figure 4 . Vulnerability Characterization Matrix ( from the USP Food Fraud Mitigation Guidance ) 19
• Economic anomalies : Are there supply pressures , pricing discrepancies , or other economic factors that may increase the incentive for fraud in the ingredient ? A sharp increase in vanilla prices occurred in the early 2000s due to low production because of extreme droughts in vanilla-producing regions 17 . Evidence of vanilla adulteration soon followed , with one example involving the injection of vanilla beans with elemental mercury to increase the weight 18 . While this may be an extreme example , economic factors ( and general market intelligence ) are important for understanding potential food fraud risk .
Following the identification of vulnerable ingredients , the FFMG advises that an evaluation of the potential impacts of a fraud event should be conducted . While impacts to public health are the primary concern , economic impacts may also be evaluated . The contributing factors to fraud vulnerability and impact assessment can then be used together to prioritize the implementation of food fraud control measures as part of a food fraud mitigation strategy ( see Figure 4 .)
The evaluation of food fraud contributing factors and potential impacts need to be periodically updated to reflect the current environment . Therefore , maintenance of a food fraud management system is a continuous process ( as shown in Figure 5 , left ).
Market Intelligence
In today ’ s global economy , market intelligence is vital . Let ’ s look at a simple example : the 2014 / 2015
Figure 5 . Lifecycle for a food fraud management system
tory , and legal reports are great sources of information on food fraud incidents because they often include contextual information about motive , perpetrators , and fraud methods . An investigation of scientific literature for analytical detection methods can be used to broaden the scope of a vulnerability assessment to include adulterants with the potential to be used for fraud , or those for which industry has knowledge of adulteration without corresponding public reports . The USP Food Fraud
Database version 2.0 , scheduled to launch this summer , was designed to collect , categorize , and allow rapid and targeted searching of the four types of food fraud records that can inform vulnerability assessments .
16
Bisaz , R ., Kummer , A . 1983 . Determination of 2,4,6-Triamino- 1,3,5-triazine ( Melamine ) in potatoe proteins . Mitt . Gebiete Lebesnm . Hyg . 74 : 74-79 .
17
McGregor , A . 2005 . Diversification into high-value export products : Case study of the Papua New Guinea vanilla industry . Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations .
18
International Flavors and Fragrances ( IFF ), Inc . v . Day Pitney LLP and Robert G . Rose . 2005 . Docket Number L-4486-09 . Superior Court of New Jersey Law Division : Middlesex County . Available at : http :// amlawdaily . typepad . com / files / iff-complaint . pdf
19
Available at www . foodfraud . org
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