Food Fraud Explained: Risks, Cases & Affected Foods

What Is Food Fraud?

Food fraud is the deliberate act of defrauding buyers for economic gain by misrepresenting food or food ingredients. This includes substitution, dilution, mislabeling, or misrepresentation. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines Economically Motivated Adulteration (EMA) as the intentional substitution or addition of substances to increase a product’s apparent value or reduce its cost.

So, I wrote this blog post is written by me, Matthew Baron. There is a deep connection that I have to topic because I run a food business. The responsibility for the customer’s health falls to me. They expect no unidentified chemicals and no cross-contamination. This business, which sells nuts, dried fruit, seeds, and mushrooms, is the reason that this website exists. My partners and I have ethics at our core. That means when customers order, we deliver pure, fresh, healthy food. Even though there is a strong financial incentive to cut corners and increase per-sale profits, doing so would be unethical and malicious.

A History Of High-Profile Food Fraud Cases

Melamine In Milk And Animal Feed

In 2007, China faced a public health crisis when melamine was added to milk to falsely boost its protein content. This led to widespread illness and fatalities among infants. Similar cases were reported in the U.S. due to contaminated pet food.

The 2009 Peanut Corporation Of America Case

Contaminated peanut products caused a Salmonella outbreak that killed 9 and sickened 700. The case led to one of the largest product recalls in U.S. history.

The 2009 Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) scandal stands as one of the most egregious examples of corporate greed and food fraud in modern U.S. history. Unlike many other food fraud cases that primarily exploit consumers financially, this case involved a deliberate, criminal decision to prioritize profit over public health, resulting in fatal consequences.

The Nationwide Oceana Studies (2010–2013)

This is the most famous large-scale investigation into seafood fraud in the United States. Between 2010 and 2012, the marine conservation organization Oceana conducted a massive investigation using DNA testing on over 1,200 seafood samples across 21 states.

When they released their full landmark report in February 2013, it shocked consumers: 33% (one-third) of all the fish samples they tested were mislabeled. This study famously reveals that sushi venues had the highest mislabeling rate at 74%. Certain fish, such as red snapper and “white tuna,” were almost always substituted with cheaper fish (such as escolar or tilapia).

Because of the massive public outcry from the 2011–2013 findings, the U.S. government took action, eventually leading to the creation of the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP), which went into effect in 2018 to enforce stricter “boat-to-plate” traceability on vulnerable imported fish species.

The “Honeygate” Sting (2013)

This remains the largest food fraud case in U.S. history. Federal prosecutors indicted executives from two major domestic honey packers (including Groeb Farms) and several individuals for conspiring to smuggle 80 million pounds of cheap, adulterated Chinese honey into the United States.

These two packing companies were avoiding steep anti-dumping tariffs on Chinese imports. The honey was laundered through other countries, including Malaysia, India, and Taiwan. Therefore, Chinese adulterated honey was mislabeled as non-Chinese.

Leading Food Categories Affected by Food Fraud

Olive Oil: Often diluted with cheaper oils or mislabeled in origin.
Fish and Seafood: Commonly mislabeled species for profit.
Milk and Dairy: Adulterated with water, melamine, or other non-milk substances.
Honey and Syrups: Contaminated with sugar syrups or unapproved additives.
Fruit Juices: Watered down or substituted with low-quality alternatives.
Coffee and Tea: Mixed with leaves, twigs, or fillers like roasted barley.
Spices: Diluted or colored using banned dyes like Sudan Red.
Organic Foods: Falsely labeled as organic without certification.

Public Health Risks And Safety Impacts

While many food fraud cases are economically driven, some pose real health threats. Adulterated products can lead to poisoning and allergic reactions. Specifically, the U.S. lacks a single law addressing food fraud; agencies like the FDA and the USDA apply existing food safety and import laws. The FDA is charged with the responsibility in finding fraudulent, intentional substitution, or addition of a substance in a product for the purpose of increasing the monetary value of the product

Conclusion: Why Combating Food Fraud Matters

To summarize, food fraud damages public trust, poses health risks, and disrupts global trade. As supply chains become more complex, the need for stricter monitoring and prevention grows. Combating food fraud is crucial for ensuring consumer safety, business integrity, and food industry credibility.