News

Two men and one woman accused of being at the basis of Belgium’s biggest-ever food fraud have been sentenced by a court in Antwerp.

The three were among seven accused and four companies charged with using the insecticide Fipronil (flea control products for pets) in the cleaning of poultry farms. The pollution that was caused as a result led to the destruction of two million hens and 77 million eggs that were polluted with the chemical.

The court heard, that one of the accused failed to inform the poultry farmers of the contents of the product he was using, which was indeed effective in controlling pests, were it not for the small problem of contamination with a banned product. According to witnesses, he told prospective customers the product his company used was reinforced with menthol and eucalyptus.

Read full article here.

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) has published its May 2021 Food Fraud Monthly Summary reporting food fraud incidents and investigations from around the world.

Food fraud cases reported in May:

• Honey
• Royal jelly
• Herbs
• Spices
• Fish
• Fish products
• Bivalve molluscs and products thereof
• Fats
• Oils
• Meat
• Meat products
• Alcoholic beverages
• Fish
• Fish products
• Fruit
• Vegetables, and other.

Thanks again to our Member Bruno Séchet for creating this infographic and allowing us to share it with the rest of the Network.

You can download the April 2021 Summary here

This assay was developed to have a cheaper, simpler and more rapid assay to detect meat species substitution. A novel direct lysis (DL) method was used to extract DNA directly from meat tissue, and to obtain a sample of DNA for multiplex PCR within 15 min, which is more rapid than using a commercial lysis kit.  Four pairs of high-specificity primers for the mitochondrial D-loop region of beef, pork, chicken and duck were designed. When optimised, the assay could detect pork, chicken and duck down to 0.1% (w/w) in meat mixtures even when the meat sample had undergone freezing, heating and autoclaving. The assay was evaluated by testing 79 commercial beef products collected in local markets, and found that nearly 28% of these contained pork or chicken to varying degrees. The accuracy of the results was verified by repeating the analysis using a standard real-time PCR. 

Read the abstract here

This paper reviews the existing methods for determining the authenticity of turmeric. It also presents the results of DNA analysis of samples purchased in Russia, showing that levels of wheat flour were found up to 15%. In order to compensate for the change in colour of adulterated turmeric, the authors looked at the use of sodium and potasium chromates to correct the natural colour of the spice.

Read the abstract here, but the full open access paper in only available in Russian

This report identifies the trends and associated risks likely to impact global supply chains in the year ahead. BSI predicts the following trends will likely dominate the global supply chain:

• Ongoing challenges from COVID-19 creates new threats for organisations in the coming months
• Economic hardship increases the risk of labor exploitation, human rights violations, and stowaway smuggling
• Drug smuggling trends remain consistent, however, means and methods will continue to change and evolve due to COVID-19
• Food fraud and safety will continue to challenge supply chain resilience
• Regulatory changes will test organisational adaptability

Read the article here or register for the full report here

Milk fat is widely used in food products especially fat spreads and chocolate products. The usual method to determined milk fat is by fatty acid profile analysis by gas chromatography, where butyric acid is regarded as the principle marker of authenticity. However, this method is quite laborious to carry out, and  more recently analysts have turned to proton NMR as a more rapid method. Romanian researchers have evaluated the published NMR method, and have discovered that the triplet used in the NMR spectra for butyric acid and milk fat authentication is also produced by n-3 fatty acids such as linolenic acid (C18:3), and therefore may not be suitable for distinguishing milk fat from adulterated or non-dairy fat blends. They verified this by determining the fatty acid composition of 3 synthetic non-dairy fat blends, and obtained fatty acid compositions similar to milk fat, allowing for its misclassification as genuine milk fat.

The ¹H-NMR method was revised by using 3 new NMR fat descriptors based on various integral ratios of signals associated with the CH₂ moiety versus signals associated with butyric and n-3 fatty acids. This combined with chemometric analysis allowed the correct classification of both butter fat samples and simulated butter fat compositions, as well as, other vegetable (linseed, coconut, palm stearin, palm kernel oil, Lallemantia iberica seed oil) and animal fats (beef and sheep tallow). 

Read the full open access paper

Northern-Ireland researchers have compared the performance of 3 NIRS (near-infrared spectroscopy) instruments in the authentication of coriander seed. The iS50 NIRS benchtop instrument, the portable Flame-NIR and the handheld SCiO device were assessed in conjunction with chemometric analysis in order to determine their predictive capabilities and use as quantitative tools. Two hundred authentic coriander seed samples and 90 adulterated samples were analysed on each device. All instruments correctly predicted 100% of the adulterated samples. The best models resulted in correct predictions of 100%, 98.5% and 95.6% for authentic coriander samples using spectra from the iS50, Flame-NIR and SCiO, respectively. The development of regression models highlighted the limitations of the Flame-NIR and SCiO for quantitative analysis, compared to the iS50. However, in terms of sensitivity, robustness and cost, the Flame-NIR and SCiO instruments can be considered as excellent on-site screening tools when combined with confirmatory testing.

Read the full open-access paper

The virtual Food Integrity 2021 Conference on 19-23 April was great success with almost 2000 participants from over 85 countries. Prof Chris Elliott discusses the very important take home messages particularly on food fraud. In this article, he summarise them, firstly as an aide memoire and secondly, so progress in tackling food fraud can be addressed in about a year’s time at the 2022 Food Integrity Conference.

Read the article here

The report gives evidence of the illegal trade of wild caught sturgeon in the lower region of the Danube specifically in Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Ukraine. Because sturgeon is an endangered species, the trade in both wild and aquaculture fish and its products (primarily caviar) is regulated through CITES (Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species). The project looked at official data of enforcement on illegal fishing activities. It also carried out a market survey from October 2016 to July 2020, and collected 145 samples of fresh and processed sturgeon, as well as caviar, from the retail and catering sectors in the four countries. During this period all fishing and trade in wild sturgeon was prohibited in Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine. Serbia was permitted to have a restrictive catch of wild sterlet sturgeon above 40cm in length, but even this was only until the end of 2018, after which it became illegal as well.

All the samples were analysed by 3 DNA methods (mitochondrial DNA sequencing for species, microsatellites for identification of species and hybrids, and SNPs (single nucloeotide polymorphism) for hybrid and species identification). In addition, stable isotopes analysis (SIRA) was carried out to give information on whether the fish was wild or farmed based on feedstuffs, and geographic origin. The results indicated that 30% of the samples tested were illegal, 27 samples were from illegally caught wild sturgeon, 17 samples of caviar were in violation of CITES Regulations.

Download the full report here

Europol supported the Spanish authorities in uncovering an organised crime group laundering millions of euros of illegal profits coming from the trafficking of adulterated saffron. The criminal network mixed real saffron with herbs and chemicals to increase their margins before exporting it. More than 500 shipments of this adulterated saffron have been identified, worth an estimated amount of €10 million.

The criminal network laundered their proceeds through multiple bank transfers emanating from a Spanish company to different companies across the EU pretending to having bought this saffron. The network also used carriers to transport large amount of cash derived from the criminal business. Money, luxury items and machines to adulterate saffron have been seized, and 17 arrests made.

Read Europol's Press Release here

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) has published its April 2021 Food Fraud Monthly Summary reporting food fraud incidents and investigations from around the world.

In addition to the above, there are four interesting reports/review referenced in the Summary. There is an overview of frauds in the olive oil sector. The Italian Government has issued a report on the controls against fraud in 2020 leading to the seizure of 22 million kg of products worth Euros 21 million. The US International Trade Commission estimates that in 2019, the US imported seafood caught via illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing estimated to be worth Euros 2 billion. Europol has published its EU Serious Organised Crime 2021 Report analysing the infiltration of organised crime in the food sector. 

Thanks again to our Member Bruno Séchet for creating this infographic and allowing us to share it with the rest of the Network.

You can download the April 2021 Summary here

This paper develops a conceptual framework to decide when to implement analytical testing programmes for fraud, and a framework to consider the economic costs of fraud and the benefits of its early detection. Factors associated with statistical sampling for fraud detection were considered. Choice of sampling location on the overall food-chain may influence the likelihood of fraud detection.

The paper is the final Scientific Opinion (SO) paper in a series of 6 SO papers developed in the EU Project FoodIntegrity.

The full open access paper is available here. Access to the other 5 Scientific Opinion papers is in the publications section of the FoodIntegrity website.

US Beekeepers have taken a class action in California against 4 US major honey importers and packers along with True Source Honey, an organisation set up by the importers and packers to operate a honey-certification scheme. The Beekeepers claim that the certification scheme relies on outdated methodology to detect adulteration of honey, which fails to detect C3 sugar sources (sugar beet, rice, wheat and cassava). The class action aims to clear supermarket shelves of the alleged adulterated honey in jars and cereal packets, and seeks millions of dollars in damages for lost sales and profits over the past decade.

Read the article here

MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry has been the technique of choice in many applications of food authentication because of requiring simple pretreatments even with complex samples, its ease of use, and speed in giving results. This review discusses the advantages of using MALDI-TOF, and examines its published application to authenticating milk and dairy products, oils, meat, fish and seafood, fruits and vegetables, truffles, and even insect proteins. 

Read the full open access paper here

Malayasian researchers have developed an assay to simultaneously determine 7 meat species (beef, buffalo, chicken, duck, sheep, goat and pork) in processed meat products. Species specific primers to the 7 species were designed, which target the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 (ND5) genes, to amplify short DNA fragments (73-263 bp) by PCR (polymerase chain reaction). These were then treated with 3 restriction enzymes ( FatI, BfaI, and HPY188I) to cut the amplicons down into smaller fragments, which were separated by gel electrophoresis. The bp (base pair) length and number of these fragments are unique to each of the species. The assay was tested against 25 non-target species to ensure specificity to the 7 target species, and the limit of detection was determined as 0.5% (w/w) in different matrices. The assay worked on heat treated meat products. A survey of local market meat products detected  buffalo DNA in 84% of commercial beef burgers and frankfurter products tested.

Read the abstract here

Your business’s culture is its ‘DNA’. It represents the unique way it operates; ‘How we do things around here’. It’s what diff erentiates your business and defines its values. Leaders set the tone for this culture and, in this sense, leadership is the dynamic way that each organisation is led by either an individual or group (eg, board or management).

Dishonesty within any business, be it internal or external, can result from many factors. One factor that is often overlooked is leadership – not in the sense of governance but as a key dynamic impacting culture and therefore engagement. Engagement is key. Failing to instil the right culture can lead to heightened risk of employee disenchantment, which can present itself in many ways – from simple acts of ignorance through to dishonest activity. It is often cited that pressure initiates symptoms that lead to dishonest behaviour. Pressure can encourage employees to act dishonestly as they use it to rationalise their conduct. That is the traditional fraud triangle.¹

However, in all sectors, we overlook how pressure is associated with fraud and is directly attributable to leadership.

Read full article.

This review is a chapter in a recently published book -"Biosensors in Agriculture - Recent Trends and Future Perspectives". Lateral flow assays (strips) can play an important role in food authentication, They can be applied on-site, give rapid results, inexpensive, and simple to use. This review examines all the DNA and protein-based lateral flow assays that have been constructed so far for food adulteration detection.

Read the abstract here

As pineaple has a CAM (crassulacean acid) metabolism, the carbon 12/13 ratios for pineaple lie between those for C3 and C4 plants making the use of carbon isotope ratio detection of exogenous sugars very challenging. The detection of beet (C3) and (C4) cane and maize based sugar adulteration of pineapple juice has not even been possible using site specific deuterium/hydrogen ratios (2H/1H) by quantitative deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance (SNIF-NMR) of the ethanol fermented from the pineapple juice sugars because of changes during the fermentation. IAEA scientists have developed a new GC-IRMS-based stable hydrogen isotope method, which utilises the trifluoroacetate derivative of sucrose to allow direct measurement of the carbon-bound non-exchangeable hydrogen. This provides advantages over alternative isotopic methods in terms of analysis time and sensitivity. This feasibility study has demonstrated the potential to reliably differentiate between authentic pineapple juices and those adulterated with commercial beet and cane sucrose.

Read the full open access paper here

A Ph.D thesis from the University of Milan-Bicocca in English is publicly available. The thesis gives a good overview of DNA barcoding, NGS (Next Generation Sequencing) and metabarcoding, and isothermal nucleic acid amplification. The research carried out looked at applying DNA barcoding to processed foods, which required smaller DNA fragments. However, the approach is not suitable for mixed species samples, and NGS and metabarcoding approaches were more successful. Finally, an isothermal amplification assay was applied to authenticate truffles.

You can read the 253 page thesis here   

This book highlights the use of specific physicochemical parameters, such as sugar content, moisture content, electrical conductivity, acidity, colour, and attributes in the production of honey. It also discusses the use of honey micro-constituents, including volatile compounds, polyphenols, minerals, organic acids, free amino acids and isotopic data, in the determination of the botanical and geographical origins of honey, in combination with chemometrics. It represents the ultimate research guide and reference manual for the determination of honey uniqueness. 

More information on the content here