ABSTRACT
Despite its seriousness, food fraud has not received the necessary attention in Ghana’s discourse on food safety. Food fraud is generally considered as the intentional misrepresentation of the contents or identity of food for economic gain. The study was aimed at assessing the food fraud awareness level of participants as well as the foods most likely to be implicated in food fraud cases in Tamale, Ghana. Data was collected from 385 participants, including food business operators and consumers, via a simple random sampling technique using a structured questionnaire. Most participants (54%) were not aware of food fraud and its related activities before the study. Beverages and juices, fruits and vegetables, spices, oils, meat and fish, baked foods, honey, milk, and semi-processed local foods such as groundnut paste, "Dawadawa," “Kulikuli zim,” and “Agushi powder” were all revealed to be implicated in food fraud by respondents. Adulteration was the most common food fraud action, but tampering, substitution, and mislabeling were also identified as ongoing in the study area. “Moora” (Bixa orellana seeds) was revealed as the key adulterant used in most foods. Food fraud, which is a threat to consumer health and well-being, is active in the region and is predicted to increase without strict regulation and increased sensitization about its dangers. The fight against food fraud should be refocused on making food defense systems like vulnerability analysis and critical control points (VACCP) a key aspect of food safety systems to tackle food fraud.
ABSTRACT
La adulteración y el fraude de productos alimenticios son tan antiguos como los sistemas de procesamiento y producción de alimentos, sin embargo, en la actualidad son cada vez más frecuentes. Con la globalización y los sistemas de producción y distribución de alimentos cada día más complejos, la adulteración puede ocurrir en distintos puntos de la cadena alimentaria y tener un impacto de gran alcance, e incluso, consecuencias adversas para la salud de las personas. Los enfoques regulatorios de la comunidad internacional para enfrentar y resolver el fraude alimentario están dispersos y en constantes ajustes. Se necesita un enfoque colectivo y coordinado para identificar a todos los interesados en la cadena de suministro de alimentos, calificarlos y certificarlos, excluir a aquellos que no cumplan con los estándares adecuados y rastrear los alimentos en tiempo real. Este artículo de actualización revisará conceptos claves asociados a la integridad alimentaria, historia del fraude alimentario y episodios de fraude alimentario de connotación pública en el mundo y en Chile, herramientas analíticas y alimentos más vulnerables al fraude, reglamentos y nuevas acciones en el mundo y en Chile para enfrentar la inocuidad y el riesgo de fraude alimentario.
Food adulteration and food fraud is as old as food production and processing however, it is increasingly prevalent today. With globalization and increasingly complex food production and distribution systems, adulteration can occur at different points in the food chain and may have far-reaching impacts and even adverse consequences for human health. The international community's regulatory approaches to confronting and resolving food fraud are scattered and in constant adjustment. A collective and coordinated approach is needed to identify all stakeholders in the food supply chain, certify and qualify them, exclude those who do not meet applicable standards, and trace food in real time. This update provides definitions and background on key concepts associated with food integrity, episodes of food fraud in Chile and the world, main foods vulnerable to food fraud, common fraud practices and analytical techniques, regulations and new actions in Chile and the world to face food safety and the risk of food fraud.
ABSTRACT
En Venezuela se distribuyen productos lácteos en polvo a través de los Comité Locales de Abastecimiento y Producción (CLAP). Con el objetivo de evaluar la composición nutricional de catorce marcas de productos lácteos provenientes de industrias mexicanas y distribuidos en Venezuela, se realizó un estudio descriptivo y transversal, con muestreo a conveniencia de 14 marcas de lácteos obtenidas en hogares beneficiados del área metropolitana de Caracas-Venezuela. Se cotejó la información presentada en el rotulado del producto y se efectuó un análisis químico de la composición nutricional. Los valores obtenidos se compararon utilizando como referencia a la norma COVENIN. En el etiquetado se encontró que sólo 2 marcas se denominan producto lácteo y el 43% de las marcas expresan el mismo contenido nutricional en el rótulo. En la analítica química se encontró inexactitud con la información presentada en el etiquetado nutricional. El análisis de componentes principales seguido de un conglomerado jerárquico permitió diferenciar 4 clúster o grupos: 2 reales y 2 ideales. La mayoría de los productos analizados son significativamente más altos en carbohidratos y sodio (p<0,05), además de bajos en proteínas y calcio (p<0,05). En conclusión, todas las muestras evaluadas incumplen la normativa correspondiente, al presentar irregularidades en la denominación del producto e informar valores que no se corresponden con el contenido nutricional resultante de los análisis químicos(AU)
In Venezuela, powdered milk products are distributed through the Local Supply and Production Committee (CLAP). The objective was to evaluate the nutritional composition of fourteen brands of dairy products from Mexican industries distributed in Venezuela, a descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted, with convenience sampling of 14 brands of dairy products obtained in households benefiting from the Caracas Metropolitan area - Venezuela. The information presented in the product labeling was checked and a chemical analysis of the nutritional composition was performed. The values obtained were compared using the COVENIN standard as a reference. In the labeling, it was found that only 2 brands are called dairy products and 43% of the brands express the same nutritional content on the label. The chemical analysis showed inaccuracy with the information presented in the nutritional labeling. The analysis of principal components followed by a hierarchical conglomerate allowed us to differentiate 4 clusters or groups: 2 real and 2 ideal. Most of the products analyzed are significantly higher in carbohydrates and sodium (p <0.05), as well as low in protein and calcium (p <0.05). In conclusion, all the samples evaluated fail to comply with the corresponding regulations, presenting irregularities in the product name and reporting values that do not correspond to the nutritional content resulting from chemical analyzes(AU)