Food Fraud and Economically Motivated Adulteration of Food and Food Ingredient

Food fraud, or the act of defrauding buyers of food or ingredients for economic gain-whether they be consumers or food manufacturers, retailers, and importers-has vexed the food industry throughout history. Some of the earliest reported cases of food fraud, dating back thousands of years, involved olive oil, tea, wine, and spices. These products continue to be associated with fraud, along with some other foods. Although the vast majority of fraud incidents do not pose a public health risk, some cases have resulted in actual or potential public health risks.