FSM 284: What is Food Adulteration

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Episode Transcription

From Washington State University Extension, welcome to Food Safety in a Minute.

What is food adulteration? Defined by the Food and Drug Administration,

  • Refers to a product containing any substance injurious to health.
  • May involve a food product where a valuable component has been omitted or
    substituted with a less costly ingredient, or
  • If damage or product inferiority has been concealed in any manner.

Food adulteration may be unintentional. It’s often economically motivated, however, and referred to as food fraud. For example, when a shopper thinks they’re buying expensive olive oil, but some of the olive oil has been replaced with less expensive oil and not noted on the label.

Worldwide estimates of food fraud may be as high as $40B a year and is regulated by the FDA in the United States.

This is Susie Craig, thanks for listening.

Resources

Food Safety Tech Newsletter. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Data Finds 3% of Imported Honed
Adulterated. Accessed online 4/10/24.

United States Food and Drug Administration. FDA Releases Report on Economically Motivated
Adulteration in Honey (8/4/2024). Assessed online 4/11/24.