Jackie Healing, director of consulting and technical services at NSF International, notes that while there haven’t been significant cases of fraud recently—as was the case with horsemeat a few years ago—there is still concern about food fraud globally.
“We know that low-level substitution or cross-contamination continues to happen particularly in the case of comminuted meat products,” she says. “In the majority of cases, this occurs due to poor manufacturing practices such as inadequate clean downs, poor segregation, or labeling in processing plants, not deliberate ‘food fraud’ necessarily.”
However, the NSF does see examples in the meat industry where butchery disciplines are poorly adhered. An example might involve a fillet steak being cut from too broad an area on the carcass and is not entirely as stated. If deliberate, this is usually done so the plant can improve yields on the more expensive cuts.
“The best way to mitigate risk is to get to know your supply base, including the factories and farms, and understand the cultures of each operation,” Healing says. “When done well this may reveal increased risk and provide an opportunity to take action.”
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