Meat involved in majority of EU food fraud cases

Of the 60 cases handled by the network, which is comprised of 28 national representatives, most were related to false labelling, such as incorrect dates, ingredients or the amount of water added to a product, or the replacement of a higher-value species with a lower-value species.

The FFN was set up following the horsemeat scandal in 2013 to ensure cross-border administrative assistance and co-operation where action is required in more than one member state.

After meat, the next most investigated foodstuffs were fish and honey. While the EC report breaks down the different types of fraud investigated, it makes clear it is too early to draw firm statistical conclusions about food fraud in Europe, because member states may also exchange information outside of the FFN and other cases that occur at a national level are not exchanged via the network.

The EC is currently finalising work to equip the FFN with a dedicated IT tool – the administrative assistance and cooperation (AAC) system – for the handling of cases, which should be operational in the second half of 2015.