Articles

Food fraud is any intentionally deceiving action consisting in providing false information about the quality and/or content of food products, is an issue of concern for citizens and institutions alike.

Since the creation of Bitcoin and the cryptocurrencies-fever, Distributed Ledger Technologies have become popular, especially in their blockchain version. However, are they made just for cryptos? It is quite the opposite, the possibility of usage of blockchains is so vast and varies from field to field. An example is the new Horizon EU Project ALLIANCE, which aims to apply new technologies in the quality-labelled food area to make processes more transparent and efficient and fight the increasing threat of food fraud.

According to the European Commission, food frauds yearly cause economic damage accounting for €8 to €12 billion, but what are those? They’re the misdescription of where food originates, its composition, and how it has been obtained and prepared. So, it’s also a health matter since the misdescription can bypass quality standards. Right now, the European consumer is shielded by certifications – such as PDO or PGI – but their efficiency can be improved, for example, through technology.

Geographical Indications (GIs) are a crucial tool to help local producers to sell their goods for the correct value and preserve them from counterfeiting and copies. Nevertheless, at the moment, there is a complicated context in the EU made by three different systems: PDO, PGI and GI. The European Commission approved a proposal that will create a single GI for Europe, and it needs Parliament and Council approval to become effective. Harmonising these policies and creating a single regulation could benefit institutions, producers, and consumers.