The horsemeat scandal in 2013 highlighted the significance of having transparency within our food supply networks.
‘Food fraud’ is committed when products are placed on the market for financial gain with the intention of deceiving the consumer. There are various kinds of food fraud, like:
- the sale of food which is ‘unfit and potentially harmful’, such as a) recycling of animal by-products back into the food chain, b) packing and selling of beef and poultry with an unknown origin, c) knowingly selling goods which are past their 'use by' date
- the ‘deliberate misdescription’ of food, such as: a) products substituted with a cheaper alternative, for example, farmed salmon sold as wild, and Basmati rice adulterated with cheaper varieties,
- making false statements about the source of ingredients, i.e. their geographic, plant or animal origin, the sale of meat from animals that have been stolen and/or illegally slaughtered, as well as wild game animals like deer that may have been poached.
Against this background and in order to ensure that food safety and food crime are prioritised in the UK food industry, in June 2013, Professor Chris Elliott was asked by the Government to carry out an independent review of Britain’s food system. The final report (September 2014) addressed the current weaknesses of the UK’s food supply networks and suggested measures to tackle them. In this review, he examined ways to:
- prevent further food fraud incidents
- change the culture within the food chain to take effective responsibility for the ‘traceability’ of the products
- support local authorities target enforcement activity based on risk
- ensure consumers have information for the authenticity of their food
In response, the Environment Secretary responded to the Elliott Review, highlighting significant action already being taken to tackle food crime via setting up a new Food Crime Unit (FCU) to be hosted by the Food Safety Authority (FSA), ensuring there is a resilient network of food analytical laboratories to test food and improving coordination across government to protect food integrity.
This special symposium provides an invaluable opportunity for local authorities, Government agencies, the food industry and other key stakeholders to discuss the latest policy thinking and explore the safeguards required to re-establish the integrity and assurance of our food supply, protect consumers and improve the reputation of our food industry.
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