Feeding fiction: Fraud vulnerability in the food service industry

Saskia M van Ruth; Joris van der Veeken; Pieter Dekker; Pieternel A Luning; Wim Huisman

doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109158

Feeding fiction: Fraud vulnerability in the food service industry

Food Res Int. 2020 Jul:133:109158. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109158. Epub 2020 Mar 9.

Authors

Saskia M van Ruth¹, Joris van der Veeken², Pieter Dekker³, Pieternel A Luning², Wim Huisman⁴

Affiliations

¹ Food Quality and Design Group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands; Wageningen Food Safety Research, P.O. Box 230, 6700 AE Wageningen, the Netherlands. Electronic address: saskia.vanruth@wur.nl.
² Food Quality and Design Group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands.
³ Food Quality and Design Group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands; Wageningen Food Safety Research, P.O. Box 230, 6700 AE Wageningen, the Netherlands.
⁴ Faculty of Law, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

PMID: 32466937
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109158

Abstract

This study examines fraud vulnerability in the food service industry; identifies underlying fraud vulnerability factors; and studies the differences in fraud vulnerability between casual dining restaurants, fine dining restaurants and mass caterers for four product groups. Vulnerability was assessed by an adapted SSAFE food fraud vulnerability assessment, tailored to the food service sector situation. The 15 food service operators rated high vulnerability for 40% of the fraud indicators. This is considerably more than food manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers did previously. In particular, more opportunities and fewer controls were noted. Overall fraud vulnerability was more determined by the type of food service operator than by the type of food product. Casual dining restaurants appeared most vulnerable, followed by fine dining restaurants. Mass caterers seemed the least vulnerable operators, because they had more adequate food fraud controls in place. Considering its high vulnerability, reinforcement of mitigation measures in the food service industry is urgently recommended.

Keywords: Dining; Food fraud; Fraud prevention; Hospitality; Integrity; Mass caterer; Restaurant.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Fraud*
Restaurants*