Series advisory: Food Fraud

4 stories, plus additional content, available for republication.

Modern Farmer
October 09, 2023

Upcoming series: Phonies, Fakes and Food Fraud

Most people aren’t thinking about fraud in their food supply while pushing a cart around their local grocery store. But shady shenanigans, fakery and outright fraud happen more than consumers realize.

In this special series, we take a look at the wide world of food fraud—and explore new technology poised to make supply chains more transparent.

Four stories will be available for republication, as well as two explainers, one op-ed and original illustrations, starting Tuesday, October 10.

Series stories:

Using a Food’s Unique Fingerprint to Detect Fraud by Emily Baron Cadloff (1362 words)
*AVAILABLE HERE, EMBARGOED UNTIL OCT 10

Every food has a unique, and invisible, chemical “fingerprint.”A researcher from Purdue University has discovered a quick and portable way to identify that fingerprint and sniff out food fraud on the go.
When Labels Lie by Lena Beck (1722 words)
*AVAILABLE HERE, EMBARGOED UNTIL OCT 11

Food labels are loaded with words and images that convey meaning. Knowing the story of your food means sifting through the true, the false and everything in between.
To Clear the Smoke, Putting Cannabis on the Blockchain by Naoki Nitta (1794)
*AVAILABLE HERE, EMBARGOED UNTIL OCT 12

Cannabis often has a hazy supply chain, but blockchain technology promises seed-to-sale transparency for growers and consumers.
Is That Really Organic? by Emily Baron Cadloff (1848 words)
*AVAILABLE OCT 13

“Organic” food is specifically certified and verified, both in the US and across the world. But millions of dollars worth of fraud still occurs within the organic system.

Additional series content available for republication:

Opinion: It's Time to Stop Underestimating the Scope of Food Fraud by Karen Constable (1300 words)
*AVAILABLE HERE, PUBLISH ANYTIME

Food fraud affects much more than consumers know, and not just in high-cost foods like honey and whiskey. It occurs in all parts of the food chain, including commodities such as grains and oils, animal feeds, fruit and bulk ingredients.
Explainer: In the Shopping Cart by Lena Beck (1048 words)
*AVAILABLE HERE, PUBLISH ANYTIME

Here are some common examples of food frauds and fakes you could come into contact with at grocery stores around the world.
Explainer: What’s in a Name? Food Labels, Explained by Lena Beck (1209 words)
*AVAILABLE HERE, PUBLISH ANYTIME

Food labels can be difficult to understand and interpret, so we’ve created a glossary of some common ones that you’ll see at the grocery store.

All of our stories are always free to republish. Please check out our republishing guidelines before you republish and credit Modern Farmer accordingly. Stories and corresponding illustrations are available through our Google drive here.