How Americans Are Tricked Into Buying Fake Food

The food in your kitchen cabinets may not be what it seems. Fraudsters motivated by economic gain secretly infiltrate the global food market through a variety of means, including counterfeits, dilutions, substitution and mislabeling, according to the Global Food Safety Initiative. This may not only harm consumers’ wallets, but it can also put public health and safety at risk. Some estimates say food fraud affects at least 1% of the global food industry at a cost as high as $40 billion a year, according to the FDA.