Food fraud and adulteration: a challenge for the foresight of Veterinary Services.

Abstract

Demographic and commercial trends predict an increase in the production of food of animal origin in the coming decades. Therefore, it is expected that health risks will also intensify in parallel. During recent years, food fraud has emerged as a potential threat to various countries, with direct implications for public health and international trade in livestock commodities. Thus, Veterinary Services need to work together in an integrated manner to make food hygiene a shared responsibility between the state and the private sector, to guarantee the right of people to eat safe food. This article analyses why food fraud is an emerging challenge for national Veterinary Services and proposes possible lines of action to mitigate its side effects.