The latest reported iteration of Canada’s monitoring of food authenticity found nearly half of the tested samples of grated hard cheese and a quarter of the olive oils and other expensive oils were adulterated.
Results published in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Food Fraud Annual Report showed that 24 of 53 samples of grated hard cheese failed tests for authenticity. The failure rates were similar for samples taken from domestic processors, importers and retailers. CFIA tested for potential excess use of cellulose, which can be legally used as an anti-caking agent, but is considered an adulterant when used excessively.
The report is not a comprehensive review, and it should not be interpreted that half of the cheese on grocery store shelves is not authentic. CFIA only selects a handful of products, and a handful of higher risk sources, so its results are not representative of the entire industry. And because they products and sources change each year, year-over-year comparisons are also problematic.
The most recent report covers the results from April 2023 to March 2024. It tested 712 samples in seven different categories for product authenticity.
Apart from the grated cheese, olive oils and other expensive oils also experienced higher failure rates in testing (each at 24 per cent), because of adulteration or misrepresentation. Meat (94 per cent satisfactory), fruit juices (95 per cent), fish (92 per cent) and honey (88 per cent) all had higher rates of authenticity as sampled.
CFIA is also careful not to ascribe motivations, though food fraud is generally economically rooted. Honey can be diluted by lower-cost sugars. Similarly the oils can be diluted by less expensive sources. Lower cost seafood can be mis-labelled as more valuable types, or bloated by water and ice to add weight.
CFIA also conducted 345 label verifications – which included testing for net quantities – on five different products. Nearly one-third (32 per cent) of the olive oil and other expensive oil products failed these tests. Both categories of oil issues related to either misrepresentation of the name, country of origin, or missing mandatory information, incorrect nutritional facts or missing bilingual labelling.
Non-compliance of fish (27 per cent of tested samples) consisted primarily of products packaged and labelled in the country of origin, that missed mandatory information in labelling, had infractions in nutrition facts tables and undeclared egg, which resulted in a recall.
Non-compliance rates were lower for grated cheeses (17 per cent) and other products (15 per cent).
CFIA is primarily focused on food safety, rather than food authenticity, though fraud and safety can be connected when substituted ingredients include undisclosed allergens, for example.
Net quantity verification testing found 24 per cent of fish and seafood samples were non-compliant. The problem was more common at retailers (39 per cent) than at importers (22) or domestic processors (11). The common issue with seafood is the excessive use of ice or water, which improperly inflates weights.
CFIA also includes some information about its enforcement activities. Consistent with previous years, it lists the total number of administrative monetary penalties (44), letters of non-compliance (23), but only lists by name the two firms charged with offences under law.