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Joint Research Centre

Food fraud laboratory

The food fraud laboratory (FFL) develops innovative methods to detect food fraud and supports European control plans to assess the extent of fraud.

  • research body
  • FFL

Detecting food fraud

Detecting food fraud requires reliable and validated measurement methods. The Food fraud laboratory develops such methods in close collaboration with partner-Directorates General (DGs), especially the Directorate for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) and the DG for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI). 

Due to the diverse nature of food fraud, the FFL employs a range of sophisticated instruments and techniques, including:

  • Liquid Chromatography High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (LC-HRMS): Used for detailed chemical analysis.
  • Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS): Helps determine the origin of food products based on the 13C/12C, 18O/16O and D/H ratio.
  • Genetic Methods: Techniques like real-time polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR) and metabarcoding for identifying species and verifying authenticity.
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR): Provides insights into the molecular structure of food items.

About food fraud

Food fraud is the deliberate misdescription of food, resulting in a mismatch between what is claimed and the actual characteristics of the products, as defined by the European standard EN 17972:2024. This can occur through various methods, such as:

  • Implicit claim violations: For example, failing to declare certain ingredients or using unapproved processes like irradiation.
  • Record Tampering: For example, altering information about the geographical origin or production methods of a food item.
  • Product Tampering: For example substituting or replacing ingredients without proper disclosure.

Related content

Learn more about JRC work on Food authenticity and quality

For recent publications and activities in the FFL, see the page of the Knowledge Centre for Food Fraud and Quality