Dairy product fraud

Abstract Globally, fraud of dairy products is widespread and reported cases of fraud have increased substantially in recent years. This chapter presents an overview of the incidence and implications of fraud in dairy products. To begin, features of dairy products and industry characteristics that incentivize and provide an opportunity for dairy fraud are described. The types, causes, and consequences of dairy product fraud are then presented. In considering incidents reported between 2000 and 2018, fraudulent documentation (51% of cases), adulteration (32%), and processing in unapproved premises (11%) are the most common causes of dairy fraud. A summary is provided of the variety of chromatographic, DNA-based, immunological, spectroscopic, and other analytical approaches that are commonly used to identify adulterated dairy products. Following this, strategies that can be undertaken by national governments, the dairy industry, and individual firms operating in this industry to reduce the risk of fraud are presented. Taken together, these analytical techniques and operational strategies can help one to mitigate the public and private economic and human health consequences of dairy fraud.