Food Fraud

Food Fraud is the deliberate and intentional substitution, mis-labelling, adulteration or counterfeiting of food, raw materials, ingredients or packaging placed upon the market for economic gain. Any supply chain, no matter how simple or complex they appear, may present the risk of fraudulent activity occurring. As raw material supplies across the globe come under ever increasing pressures such as an increase in demand at the lowest possible price, businesses need to be alert to the potential “opportunity” for food fraud to take place and actively work with customers and suppliers to identify and mitigate any risks this poses. Therefore, THIE has published a “Best Practice Guidance on the Prevention of Food Fraud” which considers the supply of any raw materials intended for use as tea or herbal and fruit infusions from the point of initial growing, through to harvesting, primary process shipping and storage prior to final processing. This document helps manufacturers of teas as well as herbal and fruit infusions to identify and manage any risks and vulnerabilities within their raw material supply chains. Food safety and quality are extremely important to THIE and its members.