FSA targets booze and organics fraudsters

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is tightening up on methods of detecting counterfeit food and drink in an effort to clamp down on this illegal activity.

Sarah Appleby, FSA head of enforcement, said: “There’s a lot of work going on in detection - new analytical methods so we can be ahead of the game with this sort of thing. We’ve done a huge amount to develop tests with a range of laboratories, so that if something does come up, local authorities know to carry out checks.”

Appleby said common product categories affected by counterfeit goods include anything that offers fraudsters a significant profit margin. Consequently, organic food and drink and alcoholic drinks were favourite areas of focus.

Recent incidents had included the discovery of a consignment of fizzy wine being sold as champagne. And the FSA’s food fraud database led police, customs, trading standards and environmental health officials to seize hundreds of bottles of counterfeit vodka in London in September.

Appleby said the database was a valuable tool in pinpointing this type of illegal activity. It was compiled using tip-offs from industry representatives and enforcement officers.

She added: “We have been particularly training up our enforcement colleagues from local authorities so they can target enforcement better at some of these criminals.”

She said the FSA aimed to share intelligence on its work to crack down on food fraud with organisations across Europe. However, Appleby moved to assure processors that fraudulent activity in the food and drink sector was relatively uncommon. “It’s not widespread. We’re talking about a very small sector of criminals.”