Food Fraud- What is it and How to Avoid It?

Food is an essential part of life. For most people, three square meals a day is the norm, but unfortunately, what you are eating may not be true food. Although consumable, certain products in the food industry are simply fraudulent. Food fraud may seem like a buzz word to some, but rest assured, it is a major issue throughout the food industry. If you have ever wondered about food fraud and how to avoid it, we have the answers for you.

What is Food Fraud?

Essentially, the average consumer is tricked on a daily basis into believing that their consumables are exactly what they are reading on the label, but manufacturers are very tricky. Food fraud happens generally when the ingredient is altered for the means of making it cheaper to manufacture or to alleviate stress on an ingredient that may be in short supply. To explain food fraud easily, we can look at Olive Oil.

Cold pressed olive oil is the purest form of olive oil. This is where no heat has been applied and the oil is produced primarily out of pressure. It is a slower process, therefore, this form of the oil is more expensive. Those that are in the know understand to look for the cold pressed variety for the best tasting olive oil. However, food fraud in this instance happens when companies become greedy and want to provide an oil without the expense of the cold pressed process. They will actually add in other oils to the mix and as long as a certain percentage of the oil remains as olive oil, it passes general labeling laws. They will also remove the cold pressed label. It seems like a small thing, but if you are paying a premium price for cold pressed olive oil, you had better be getting pure cold pressed olive oil.

Pre Ground Products

It is likely that you will never completely avoid food fraud, but certain products do carry the potential for more fraud than others. Like olive oil, products that are pre-ground, such as coffee and certain meats, can be easy targets for food fraud. These items can be mixed with lower quality ingredients to bulk up their weight giving the manufacturer the ability to sell a sub-par product for the premium price. To avoid this, try purchasing items that are not pre-ground. Buy the pure product and grind it yourself. Spice mixes, coffees, meats, and many other items are easy to grind at home to ensure you get exactly what your are paying for and if the price seems a bit too cheap for a premium product, that is a red flag.

Know Where Your Products Come From

Do a little research before choosing your food products. Just because a food says organic does not mean it is actually better for you. Healthy foods come from the correct processing measures. If you want to truly be safe and avoid as much food fraud as possible, choose products processed with, Gentle Processing™. Our processing method ensures that the nutritional integrity of the food remains intact giving you a top quality ingredient every time. Have you been the victim of food fraud?