ISO 22380:2018, ‘Security and resilience – Authenticity, integrity and trust for products and documents’ is the new international standard aimed at preventing food frauds. Under the aegis of combating criminal activities in the agri-food supply chain, for the best protection of food safety and public health.
Food frauds, a phenomenon still lacking definitions and harmonized regulations
The regulations against frauds food date back to ancient Egypt, were reintroduced in ancient Rome and still apply, in various forms, in different national legal systems. (1) In Europe as elsewhere, with sanctioning regimes ranging from simple fines to the death penalty, in countries such as China.
In Europe, however, there is still no harmonized definition of food fraud. And the Commission led by Jean-Claude Juncker, beyond the false proclamations of Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis, has only managed to relegate the phenomenon to a specific ‘Knowledge Centre’.
The Foundation FSSC (Food Safety System Certification) has instead been interested in addressing the phenomena of ‘food fraud mitigation and food defense’ with specific Guidelines.
ISO (International Standard Organization) has in turn developed an international reference standard, ISO 22380:2018. This is part of the series of ISO 22000 standards, dedicated to systems securing food safety throughout the entire ‘supply chain’. (3) From primary agricultural production to distribution and serving (‘food service’). Not excluding the production and use of substances, materials and objects intended to come into contact with food (‘Food Contact Materials’ or MOCA ).
Food fraud, according to ISO, it is characterized by the following elements:
– intentionality of the unlawful act, by its material and/or paragraphsactors,
– economic motivation, aimed at an illicit profit,
– deception or fraud, which affects the consumer.
GSFI (Global Food Safety Initiative) has then divided fraudulent cases into two categories:
– sale of harmful foods, or potentially such. For example, unsafe or expired foods and/or ingredients, animal-origin ingredients lacking traceabilityà, unauthorized additives,
– data falsification related to foods (e.g., farmed fish products presented as wild caught, animal species and varietiesà fruit and vegetable products replaced with cheaper alternatives economical, false declarations of origin or provenance).
ISO 22380:2018, food safety and resilience
Resilience is the key word that ISO 22380 associates with the guarantee of food safety regarding the risk of food fraud. In materials technology, resilience expresses the ability to resist breaking under dynamic stress (and is measured with a specificimpact test). By analogy, the ‘food safety management system’ must be strengthened so as to resist ‘economically-motivated adulteration’. It is no longer sufficient to think in terms of ‘food safety’ or ‘food defense’, the already effective HACCP plans and anti-tampering must be integrated.
ISO 22380:2008, ‘Security and resilience – Authenticity, integrity and trust for products and documents – General principles for product fraud risk and counter measures’ offers valid support to all organizations, even outside the food sector. As in any management system, with a view to improvement.
The standard based on context analysis – external (market, suppliers, etc.) e interno – per la mappatura delle aree vulnerabili a eventi di frode. Quale premessa per la progettazione, revisione e implementazione delle procedure atte amitigatesing the identified risks. Vulnerability analysis must consider, in particular:
– ingredients and products most prone to fraud attempts, due to intrinsic characteristics and historical data (e.g. fruit juices more than raw fruits, extra virgin olive oil more than seed oils),
– market pressure (e.g. price list fluctuations, sudden increases in demand for an ingredient or extension of its use)
– factors under the control of buyer (quality controlà, traceabilityà).
Measures to be consolidated or to be structured ex novo to prevent fraud require the adequacy of purchase specifications (which must include criteria suitable to thwart any attempts of fraude, e.g.. UV absorption test for EVOO oil) and the suitabilityà of the analysis plan (the analytical set within budget must therefore also include authenticity indicatorsà). Besides continuous attention to external signals (coming from alert systems, bibliography and trade press, activities of intelligence).
The relationship with suppliers is an essential phase to focus on. If the client is the goal to reach, suppliers are the foundation. The relationship with them cannot end in the meeting planned during the price list renewal nor in generic contractual clauses safeguarding food safety. Instead, it is essential to establish and monitor over time the reliability level of each of them. It is precisely necessary to maintain a relationship also on the operational level of quality control. Through regular activitiesà By audittand the periodic rotation of the persons responsible.
Dario Dongo and Giulia Baldelli
Notes
(1) For more information, see our free ebook ‘Food safety, mandatory rules and voluntary standards’, su https://fareagrifood.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/SICUREZZA-ALIMENTARE.-REGOLE-COGENTI-E-NORME-VOLONTARIE.pdf
(2) Cf. penal code, art. 515, commercial fraud. See the article https://www.foodagriculturerequirements.com/approfondimenti_1/frode-in-commercio-ed-etichette-alimentari-i-casi-atipici. About the measures a contrast of the frauds provided by Reg. EU 2017/625, see also https://www.foodagriculturerequirements.com/archivio-notizie/controlli-pubblici-ufficiali-rating-degli-operatori-e-trasparenza-si-preannuncia-una-svolta, https://www.foodagriculturerequirements.com/archivio-notizie/controlli-pubblici-ufficiali-le-misure-a-contrasto-delle-frodi-alimentari-previste-nel-nuovo-regolamento-ue-2017-625
(3) Regarding the ISO 22000 standard, the previous articles are cited https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/iso-22000/iso-22000-filiera-sicura, https://www.foodagriculturerequirements.com/cosa-facciamo/iso-22000-2005-e-iso-9001-2015, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/iso-22000/iso-22000-pianificazione
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT – Food Times) and Égalité.
Graduate in chemistry and pharmaceutical technologies with a nutritional focus, expert in quality management systems, social responsibility and supply chain
