Inspector Meerkat checking in with this week’s food fraud investigation, focusing on wine. One of the most recent incidents involving counterfeit wine occurred late June of 2020 involving wine from Italy. There are nearly 70 reported fraud incidents in the Food Fraud Database involving wine in the last ten years, and some of the common reasons for adulteration include misrepresentation of geographic or varietal origin, artificial enhancement of organoleptic qualities, dilution or substitution with an alternate ingredient, and fraudulent labeling claims.

According to HorizonScan™, countries considered high-risk for adulteration/substitution issues in wine include the Czech Republic, Serbia, and Hungary. Countries listed as medium risk for adulteration/substitution include the Slovak Republic, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Greece, and countries considered medium risk for fraudulent health certificates or documentation include the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.

Learn more about FoodChain ID’s ingredient risk assessment solutions here.

Posted on 28 August 2020