Food Business News - March 12, 2013 - 9

Editorial
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor-in-chief
Morton I. Sosland
Executive editor, markets
Neil N. Sosland
Editor
L. Joshua Sosland
Executive editor
Keith Nunes
Senior editor, markets
Jay S. Sjerven

KEITH NUNES

knunes@sosland.com

Food fraud is a
food safety issue

Managing editor
Eric J. Schroeder
Associate editor
Jeﬀ Gelski
Associate editor
Ron Sterk
Assistant editor, markets
Laura Lloyd
Internet editors
Allison Gibeson
Erica Shaﬀer
Monica Watrous
Graphic designer, market
graphics, data
Christina Sullivan
PUBLISHING STAFF
Chairman
Charles S. Sosland
Vice-chairman
L. Joshua Sosland
President and publisher
Mark Sabo
Associate publisher
G. Michael Gude
David DePaul
Bruce Webster
Vice-president, chief ﬁnancial ofﬁcer
Melanie Hepperly
Audience development director
Don Keating
Advertising manager
Nora Wages
Director of design services
Sadowna Conarroe
Circulation manager
Judith Arnone
Digital systems analyst
Marj Potts
Manager of advertising design
Becky White
Director of e-Business
Jon Hall
Director of on-line advertising
and promotions
Carrie Fluegge
Promotions manager
Taré Torres
WE’RE EAGER TO RECEIVE
YOUR FEEDBACK:
E-mail editor@sosland.com
or write to us at
Food Business News,
4800 Main Street, Suite 100,
Kansas City, Mo, 64112

March 12, 2013

s the scandal involving the sale of beef cooking oil and clouding agents, which are
containing horse meat and labeled as used in beverages to improve their appearance.
100% beef spreads throughout EuResearch into the incidences of food fraud
rope, government officials and industry ex- is relatively new, and it is impossible to assess
ecutives there have been quick to contend whether the problem is growing. As groups
the issue is not food safety related. They are like the U.S.P. continue their work, the issue
wrong, because the scandal exposes poten- will come into greater focus and food comtial flaws in the food supply chain. Horse panies as well as the appropriate regulatory
meat mixed with beef may be benign in and agencies will have a better idea of how to reof itself, but is anyone reassured the compa- spond. In the meantime, it is critical for food
nies caught up in the scandal would be able and beverage companies to reassess the conto detect any contaminant in their supply trol they have over their supply chains.
chain that poses a public health threat beOn Jan. 4, the F.D.A. issued a proposal
fore it reaches the public?
that would require every manufacturer of
The horse meat problem also
should not be viewed as a regional
As the scandal in Europe unfolds and as researchers
issue. While the scope of the problem in Europe is widespread and
continue to uncover new cases of fraud it is imperative
has garnered significant media attention, the United States and othfood and beverage processors take the necessary steps
er industrialized countries outside
of Europe have had their share of
to not only protect public health but also ensure public
issues. Most recently, the non-profit group Oceana conducted a study
trust in the products they produce.
in the United States in which 1,215
samples of seafood were collected
in 21 states. The group found onefood sold in the United States to develop and
third of the samples were mislabeled.
The Oceana investigation focused on re- implement a written plan for preventing their
gionally significant fish as well as commonly food products from causing foodborne illmislabeled seafood, such as red snapper, ness. The proposal would require companies
cod, tuna and wild salmon. Snapper and tuna to have a written food safety plan that inhad the highest mislabeling rates, at 87% cludes a hazard analysis, preventive controls,
and 59%, respectively. Only 7 of the 120 red monitoring procedures, corrective actions,
snapper samples collected were correctly verification procedures and a recall plan.
Each facility’s written hazard analysis
labeled. More disturbing is fish on the Food
and Drug Administration’s “do not eat” list must identify and evaluate known or reafor pregnant women and children, includ- sonably foreseeable hazards for each type
ing tilefish and king mackerel, were sold in of food manufactured, packed or held at
instances as safer species like red snapper, the facility to determine whether there are
hazards that are reasonably likely to occur,
halibut and grouper.
It is easy to characterize the seafood sup- including biological, chemical, physical and
ply chain, which is specialized based on how radiological. The analysis must include an
the raw material is harvested in the wild, evaluation of each identified hazard, includprocessed and distributed, as unique. But re- ing an assessment of the severity of illness
search of food fraud incidents conducted by or injury to humans if it were to occur.
There are parallels between the processes
the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention, a Maryland-based scientific body that sets stan- necessary to ensure food safety and prevent
dards for food ingredients, pharmaceuticals food fraud. As the scandal in Europe unfolds
and dietary supplements, shows the prob- and as researchers continue to uncover new
lem to be broader. Products highlighted in cases of fraud it is imperative food and bevthe U.S.P.’s research include foodstuffs such erage processors take the necessary steps to
as olive oil, milk, saffron, honey, coffee, not only protect public health but also ensure
tea, black pepper, turmeric, chili powder, public trust in the products they produce. FBN

FOODBUSINESS NEWS

Food Business News - March 12, 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Food Business News - March 12, 2013