ABSTRACT
Food fraud occurs when the integrity of food is deliberately compromised in some way. The intentional nature of the compromise and its concealment means that the traditional approaches to food control have limited value. Food inspection is generally aimed at identifying hazards that arise through poor understanding or accidental contamination. The food industry is open to fraud for two reasons. The first is because, in the modern world, most consumers acquire food as the result of a series of commercial transactions. The food industry is based on a complex, global supply chain which separates consumers from producers. This is the second aspect which provides potential for fraudulent transactions. The motivation to commit fraud is enhanced economic gain. Individual food businesses can demonstrate weak controls which create fraud in an otherwise compliant sector. The control of food fraud and food crime cannot be left to the enforcement authorities.
