Global insights into food fraud from location-based analysis: food adulteration in Turkey

Food fraud and adulteration pose critical global challenges impacting economic stability and public health. This study examines the prevalence and characteristics of food fraud incidents in Turkey, an international player in the food supply chain. Controls carried out from production to consumption reveal many fraudulent events worldwide.

Data collected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Türkiye from 2012 to 2022, covering 4007 incidents and 7180 specific cases of adulteration, form the basis of this analysis. The study categorizes food fraud by region, product group and type of fraud, revealing trends and patterns. Key findings indicate a higher incidence of fraud in milk, meat and vegetable oil products, including the detection of drug-based adulteration having potential for serious health consequences.

At most importance, we demonstrated the importance of risk-based food inspections and the development of new detection technologies to enhance food safety. The results are fundamental for more effective food inspections in terms of risk-based conformity assessment approaches or developing new methods, devices and analysis kits in terms of scientific and technological approaches. Still, they can also significantly improve future food safety measures. These insights are aimed at informing global food safety strategies and policymaking, contributing to a safer and more transparent food supply chain. © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.