Member Matters

Consumer trust in the spotlight

31 August 2026

Recent media attention following the ABC Four Corners ‘Duped’ program is a timely reminder that consumer trust depends on safe, authentic and accurately represented food. FSANZ and the AFGC issued public statements in response to the ACCC’s announcement that it is investigating claims raised in the program. Modern food safety systems have been shaped by decades of scientific advancement, regulatory reform and lessons from past failures, as outlined in this recent scientific paper. While the threat persists, today’s safeguards provide consumers with protections that were once unimaginable. 

Food Fraud: Why a 2000-year-old problem still matters today 

A recently published narrative review in Trends in Food Science & Technology traces the long history of food adulteration and the development of modern food safety systems. The article shows that concerns about dishonest food practices were being documented nearly 2000 years ago. Roman writer Pliny the Elder described wine being altered to change its flavour and appearance, providing one of the earliest recorded examples of food fraud.  

By the nineteenth century, food fraud had become widespread. As cities grew and food supply chains became more complex, opportunities increased for unscrupulous operators to dilute, substitute or misrepresent foods for financial gain. Some practices were merely deceptive, while others posed significant health risks. Historical records describe bread whitened with alum (a chemical compound most commonly potassium aluminum sulfate), vinegar diluted and strengthened with sulphuric acid, and confectionery ingredients contaminated with toxic substances.  

One of the most influential figures in exposing food fraud was chemist Frederick Accum. In 1820, he published a groundbreaking book documenting cases of food adulteration and contamination, naming businesses involved and providing practical methods for identifying fraud. His work helped raise public awareness and demonstrated the important role science could play in protecting consumers.  

The review highlights a recurring theme that remains relevant today: food safety regulation has often developed in response to public concern and crises rather than through proactive planning. Repeated incidents of adulteration, illness and loss of consumer trust created pressure for governments to strengthen oversight and enforcement.  

Perhaps the most striking example was the Bradford arsenic poisoning incident in England during the nineteenth century. A manufacturing error resulted in arsenic-contaminated confectionery being sold to the public, causing multiple deaths and hundreds of poisonings. Public outrage following the incident contributed to the introduction of stronger food laws and more systematic food testing. The UK Parliament passed the Adulteration of Food and Drink Act (1860), followed by the Sale of Food and Drugs Act (1875).   

These events also helped establish the role of analytical chemistry in food regulation. Scientists developed increasingly sophisticated techniques to detect adulterants, contaminants and fraudulent practices. What began with simple microscopes and chemical tests evolved into the advanced analytical methods used today such as gas chromatography. Modern laboratories can detect substances at incredibly low levels and verify the authenticity, composition and provenance of foods with a degree of precision unimaginable to earlier generations.   

Why it still matters today 

Although food systems have changed dramatically, the fundamental drivers of food fraud remain the same: economic gain and supply chain vulnerability. Today’s fraud can involve ingredient substitution, mislabelling of origin, dilution of higher-value products, or false claims about production methods and sustainability credentials. 

The good news is that food businesses and regulators now have far more sophisticated tools available to identify and manage risks. Regulatory frameworks, supply chain assurance programs, product traceability systems and advanced testing methods make it much harder for fraudulent activity to go undetected. The Australian food and grocery sector also operates within one of the world’s most highly regulated food systems, with strong requirements for food safety, labelling and compliance.  

Source: Díaz-Galiano FJ. Before Food Was Safe: Chemists and the Long Fight Against Adulteration. Trends in Food Science & Technology (2026). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105595