Manufacturers could be at growing risk of food fraud if they do not take the correct precautions when selecting new suppliers, according to leading global assurance partner LRQA.
As global events, such as the conflict in Ukraine, continue to impact the food supply, food manufacturers must maintain factory audits and supply chain assessments to preserve food safety.
With the recent Kakhovka dam burst in Ukraine flooding hundreds of thousands of hectares of land being used for agriculture, a significant impact on food supply is expected to be felt globally. Last year, wheat prices already reached a new record high, and while prices have since lowered, Ukraine – the world’s sixth-largest wheat exporter – is predicted to produce less than 50 percent of its most recent harvests. The incident at the Kakhovka dam has since increased prices again on what wheat supplies do remain, by more than eight and a half percent in just seven days and appears to still be on the rise.
As a result, food manufacturers may have to change suppliers to meet consumer demand. LRQA warns manufacturers to be vigilant against food fraud, particularly if new suppliers are not vetted to the appropriate standards, and ensure critical factory audits and supply chain assessments are not skipped.
“The current situation has been referred to as a worldwide food crisis, and the EU and UN have issued ‘serious risk’ warnings. Because of this, we must be vigilant against all forms of food fraud, and we are urging all food producers to take the necessary safeguards to defend supply chain integrity and safeguard consumers," said Kimberly Coffin, Global Technical Director for Supply Chain Assurance at LRQA.
As the threat of food fraud continues to loom, businesses must ensure that international standards are maintained and suppliers – including source and origin – have been verified. Supply chain integrity programmes from independent assurance specialists, like LRQA, can help ensure product provenance, relevant certification, and audits have occurred.
“Only when a food brand can demonstrate the integrity of their supply network can they be confident of the absence of unadulterated food and the subsequent mislabelling risks. Adulterated, mis-labelled food may lead to regulatory sanctions and seriously affect consumer safety. Considering that the food industry has faced so many challenges in the past few years, some businesses could be devastated by a significant food fraud incident, such as the horse meat scandal in 2013. The food industry at every stage of supply must remain vigilant in the defence against food fraud," concluded Coffin.
