Michigan State University (MSU)is helping the US and countries around the world establish strategies to fight food fraud.

In a recent issue of Food Chemistry Journal, a research team from MSU introduces and defines the topic of “food fraud,” providing definition translations in Russian, Korean and Chinese. The paper also tackles a system-wide focus that could lead to prevention.

“Our article is a translation by experts in their countries and includes an interpretation to address the emerging issue in their country,” says John Spink, assistant professor and director of the Food Fraud Initiative at MSU. “The co-authors are champions for food fraud prevention around the world.”

The team defined food fraud as using deception for economic gain involving food. In recent years, researchers at MSU have helped governments, manufacturers and retailers that have been deceived including European stores unintentionally selling beef tainted with horsemeat, pet foods with melamine filler in lieu of whey protein and Chinese stores mistakenly including fox meat in their offerings of donkey meat.

The paper can be read here.