Which Company Characteristics Make a Food Business at Risk for Food Fraud?

Ruth, Saskia M. van; Nillesen, Onno

doi:10.3390/foods10040842

Cited by 18 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 23 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Specifically, Belgian quality managers employed in plant-based food companies estimated their food integrity climate higher than their counterparts in animal-based food companies. Since plant-derived or plant-based products tend to have, in general, a lower vulnerability to food fraud as compared to animal-derived or animal-based products (Van Ruth & Nillesen, 2021), it is plausible that quality managers of plant-based food companies perceive food integrity higher, as they feel lower risks having to deal with less food safety hazards or food fraud threats than animal-based food companies. Also in the study of Jacxsens et al (2015) it was demonstrated that animal-based food products are on a higher risk level in terms of probability of contamination, since they have intrinsically higher prevalence of pathogens and are often implicated in foodborne outbreaks.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantitative study of food integrity climate in Belgian and Saudi Arabian food businesses in view of their organisational characteristics

Alrobaish

Jacxsens

Vlerick

2022

Int J of Food Sci Tech

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Summary Managing food integrity within a food business represents a novel dimension in food safety management. In this study, the prevailing food integrity climate of different food companies was analysed and compared across two distinct countries (Belgium and Saudi Arabia), and its relation with various organisational characteristics was examined. A quantitative questionnaire was filled up by the principal quality manager of forty‐three food companies. Results show that the overall food integrity climate in the participating Saudi Arabian (n = 15) and Belgian food companies (n = 28) was estimated as medium–high. Scores varied substantially across the different participating food organisations, but only slightly between the two countries. The companies’ certification status was found statistically significantly related to a higher perceived food integrity climate, in particular for ISO 9000 as well as FSSC 22000 in both countries and IFS only in the Saudi Arabian sample. It was also demonstrated that the prevailing food integrity climate is associated with the company’s product type or sector, but only in the Belgian participating food companies, since Belgian quality managers employed in plant‐based food companies estimated their food integrity climate higher than their counterparts in animal‐based food companies. This horizontal comparative study, based on an intercontinental quantitative assessment of food integrity performance in food companies, contributes to enhance the understanding of food integrity in relation to specific organisational characteristics of food businesses, offering both theoretical and practical implications.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantitative study of food integrity climate in Belgian and Saudi Arabian food businesses in view of their organisational characteristics

Alrobaish

Jacxsens

Vlerick

2022

Int J of Food Sci Tech

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Other studies have used intelligence derived from on-line media sources [84,85] to provide insight into existing phenomenon informing causal investigation [65]. The five cases highlight common and differentiated case characteristics and how these characteristics frame the incidents, and the wider positioning of how organic food fraud may occur [75].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fraudulent products are produced to lower standards with a lower cost structure [15]. Food fraud scandals may even result in substantial damage to the reputation of the entire organic food industry [75]. Thirdly such poor practices undermine confidence in food products certified as being organic ultimately eroding trust and reducing the value associated with the credence characteristics of the product [15].…”

Section: Economic Drivers Cultural and Behavioral Driversmentioning

confidence: 99%

Considering Fraud Vulnerability Associated with Credence-Based Products Such as Organic Food

Manning

Kowalska

2021

Foods

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Organic foods carry a premium price. They are credence-based foods, i.e., it is difficult for consumers to evaluate the premium aspects of organic food under normal use. In global supply chains, organic food is purchased on institutional trust (certification, logos, standards) rather than on relational trust. Relying on institutional trust makes consumers vulnerable to criminals who intentionally label conventional product as organic or develop sophisticated organized crime networks to defraud businesses and consumers. The aim of this research is to explore cases of organic fraud that are emergent from academic and gray literature searches to identify ways to strengthen future capabilities to counter illicit activities in a globalized food environment. Each case is considered in terms of perpetrator motivations (differentiated as economic, cultural, and behaviorally orientated drivers), the mode of operation (simple or organized), the guardians involved/absent, and the business and supply chain level vulnerabilities the cases highlight. The study finds that institutional trust is particularly vulnerable to fraud. Supply chain guardians need to recognize this vulnerability and implement effective controls to reduce the likelihood of occurrence. However, in some cases considered in the study, the guardians themselves were complicit in the illicit behavior, further increasing consumer vulnerability. Future research needs to consider how additional controls can be implemented, without increasing supply chain friction that will impact on food trade and supply, that can ensure consumers are purchasing what they believe they are paying for.

show abstract

“…The effect of industry segment on fraud vulnerability appears fairly similar across continents, whereas the effect of business size exhibits large geographical variation. The results demonstrate that those involved in animal product supply chains and end of chain nodes (catering & retail) feel most vulnerable, and so are larger businesses, and businesses located in Africa and Asia (van Ruth & Nillesen, 2021).…”

Section: Towards a Food Fraud Vulnerability Assessment Toolmentioning

confidence: 96%

Risky business: food fraud vulnerability assessments

Huisman¹,

Ruth

2022

Crime Law Soc Change

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Major food fraud scandals of the last decade have created awareness of the need to strengthen companies’ ability to combat fraud within their own organizations and across their supply chains. The scandals compelled food companies and the food industry as a whole to take action and to protect companies and industries against the threat of food fraud. Stakeholders expect food companies to act proactively to mitigate food fraud risks. Certification schemes expect food producers to consider food fraud and to undertake food fraud vulnerability assessments and prepare control plans to mitigate fraud risks. This paper examines how vulnerability for food fraud on company level and supply chain level can be assessed using criminological theory. First, the paper discusses how such theory can be applied for assessing motivations and opportunities for internal and external actors to commit food fraud and assessing existing control measures to mitigate these vulnerabilities. Second, the paper discusses the SSAFE-tool in which these elements have been used in a survey for assessing food fraud vulnerability of companies in food supply chains. Third, the paper evaluates the results of the application of the SSAFE-tool to several food supply chain and tiers, including milk, spices, extra olive oil, organic foods and the food service industry.

show abstract

Which Company Characteristics Make a Food Business at Risk for Food Fraud?

Cited by 18 publications

References 23 publications

Quantitative study of food integrity climate in Belgian and Saudi Arabian food businesses in view of their organisational characteristics

Quantitative study of food integrity climate in Belgian and Saudi Arabian food businesses in view of their organisational characteristics

Considering Fraud Vulnerability Associated with Credence-Based Products Such as Organic Food

Risky business: food fraud vulnerability assessments

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About