ABSTRACT
There is a growing concern about the quality and safety of foods (Di Stefano et al. 2012; Lopez 2008). Food authentication and traceability enable food quality and safety control. Authentication of food products is of primary importance for regulatory agencies, food processors, retailers, and consumers, at all levels of the production process from raw materials to nished products. Authentication may be associated with botanical or geographical origin, year of production, food processing methodology, or the content of specic compounds (Kvasnicka 2005). In addition, traceability involves the control of the entire chain of food production and marketing, allowing the food to be traced through
every step of its production back to its origin (Montealegre et al. 2010). European food legislation is particularly strict and traceability systems have become mandatory in all European countries (Dalvit et al. 2007). Although the implementation of these systems does not totally ensure consumers protection against fraud, food authenticity and traceability will help to quickly locate them. There are different agencies that control and regulate food quality and safety in the world. The European Union (EU) has a central agency for formulating food regulations and related directives, the European Food Safety Authority, with enforcement responsibility at country and local levels. In the United States, there are national food regulatory systems operated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). State governments and
12.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................233 12.2 Common Types of Food Adulterations ......................................................................................................................................234
