Adulteration of foods – past and present

Abstract

The adulteration of food has progressed from being a simple means of fraud to a highly sophisticated and lucrative business. The problem is further compounded by the lack of clear international definitions for enforcement purposes. Reviews some examples of food adulteration and methods of analysis used to determine authenticity. Adulteration of food has ramifications within society and cannot be ignored since interference with foodstuffs may potentially lead to the production of food which is harmful to health.