Onyeaka Helen, Anyogu Amarachukwu, Odeyemi Olumide A, Ukwuru Michael Ukwuru, Eze Ukpai, Isaac-Bamgboye Folayemi J, Anumudu Christian K, Akinwunmi Oluwabunmi O, Sotayo Olufemi Peter, Jeff-Agboola Yemisi A
School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
School of Biomedical Sciences, University of West London, London W5 5RF, UK.
Foods. 2024 Oct 15;13(20):3270. doi: 10.3390/foods13203270.
Food fraud presents a growing threat globally, impacting consumer health; food safety; and brand credibility. The key motivation for food fraud is usually an economic or financial advantage. Economically motivated food fraud (EMA) is the illegal deception, deliberate and intentional substitution or addition of a substance in a food product, which may pose a possible health risk to unsuspecting consumers. This study aims to assess the awareness and attitudes of Nigerian consumers towards food authenticity and the regulatory measures in place to combat food adulteration. The study comprised 2160 respondents who were asked about their knowledge of high-profile food fraud incidents, frequently adulterated products, and their opinions of the effects of food fraud and preventative measures. The findings of this study revealed that more than a third of respondents were unfamiliar with the term "food fraud". However, they were aware of local high-profile cases, such as "plastic rice" and counterfeit dairy products. Most participants relied on point-of-sale information for assessing food authenticity, with street vendors being viewed as potential sources of food adulteration. The study also found that more than half of the respondents were concerned about food fraud regardless of whether it involved local or imported products. A wide variety of food items were identified as prone to adulteration or fraudulent activity. These included alcoholic drinks, dairy products, honey, rice, and tomato paste, amongst others. These findings highlight the need for improved consumer awareness, regulatory effectiveness, and remediation efforts to combat food fraud in Nigeria.
食品欺诈在全球构成的威胁日益增大，影响着消费者健康、食品安全以及品牌信誉。食品欺诈的主要动机通常是经济或财务利益。出于经济动机的食品欺诈（EMA）是指在食品中非法欺骗、故意替换或添加某种物质，这可能会对毫无戒心的消费者构成健康风险。本研究旨在评估尼日利亚消费者对食品真实性的认知和态度，以及为打击食品掺假而采取的监管措施。该研究涵盖了2160名受访者，询问了他们对重大食品欺诈事件、经常被掺假的产品的了解，以及他们对食品欺诈影响和预防措施的看法。这项研究的结果显示，超过三分之一的受访者不熟悉“食品欺诈”这个术语。然而，他们知晓当地的重大案件，如“塑料大米”和假冒乳制品。大多数参与者依靠销售点信息来评估食品的真实性，街头小贩被视为食品掺假的潜在源头。研究还发现，超过一半的受访者担心食品欺诈，无论其涉及本地产品还是进口产品。多种食品被确定容易掺假或存在欺诈行为。这些食品包括酒精饮料、乳制品、蜂蜜、大米和番茄酱等。这些发现凸显了在尼日利亚提高消费者意识、监管有效性以及打击食品欺诈补救措施的必要性。
