FoodQuestTQ Releases Food Fraudster

Frederick, MD, October 01, 2013 --(PR.com)-- Based on exhaustive research FoodquestTQ published the most comprehensive reports of its kind on the horse meat food fraud problem in Europe. FoodQuestTQ identified 57 solutions that the food industry can take to prevent similar events from occurring in the future. From that research and the feedback we received from the food industry following the publication of the report we have created Food Fraudster.

Today, 1 October 2013, FoodQuestTQ is proud to announce the release of Food Fraudster to the food industry. Food Fraudster is a powerful way to cut losses arising from food fraud across major food commodities. Food Fraudster is the only science and risk-based tool of its kind that recognizes both the role of the criminal enterprise and the petty scheister as the two criminal elements responsible for food fraud.

Steve Mavity, Senior VP, Technical Services and Corporate Quality at Bumble Bee Foods said that, “Food fraud is a time consuming and expensive challenge for much of the food industry. Finding better ways to reduce the potential huge losses from food fraud can only lead to higher quality and safer food products for the consumer. That is why we are pleased to be part of the FoodQuestTQ and food industry team working to create Food Fraudster. We believe that the new Food Fraudster computer software platform can offer companies a tool that can have a significant impact on cutting losses from fraud.”

A 2010 study by the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and A.T. Kearney estimates food industry losses at between 10 to 15 billion dollars per year.

Food Fraud involves the counterfeiting, adulterating or mislabeling of a food product by unscrupulous individuals for economic gain. Fillers added to rice to add weight, sugar syrups being added to honey, the dilution of olive oil with cheaper substitutes like palm oil are just a few examples of the types of fraud being faced by the food industry. Food Fraud not only affects the bottom line of food companies, it also can result in severe damages to brand name.

“The fight against food fraud is a tough one,” said Dr. Jo Head, BSc (Hons), Ph.D, FIFST. Head Consultancy. “Individually we can make incremental steps forward into uncharted territory. Collectively, we can make a quantum leap forward in outsmarting the criminals and close the door on food fraud to continue our quest to deliver a safe and sustainable food supply for the future. Food Fraudster is unique in providing us with the potential tool to go there. I am delighted to be part of this exciting journey to at least ‘Head’ in the right direction, ultimately to get ‘aHead’ of the Game.”

The first version of Food Fraudster includes the following commodities:
- Fish
- Beef
- Olive Oil
- Honey
- Cocoa
- Rice

Additionally, the first version of Food Fraudster will:
a. Describe how the commodity is grown, harvested and processed
b. Provide the means in which a food fraudster can commit fraud on a specific commodity
c. Provide the methods in which a food fraudster can commit fraud on a specific commodity
d. Provide the countermeasures a food company can take to prevent or mitigate an occurrence of food fraud
e. Provide commodity specific assessments that food companies take to identify the food fraudster amongst them
f. Provide facility, country and regional intelligence to users of the tool
g. Provide alerts with regards to facilities, countries and regions of the world when the threat changes

The cost for Food Fraudster is broken down this way:

Retailer/Large Processor/Insurers

$1,000 per month or $11,400 per year

Supplier

$450 for Core and $250 for core and commodity specific questions

Supplier

Country Profile = $99 per month or $1150 for the year

Supplier

Alerts = $10 per month or $100 per year

Warehouse and Transportation

$450 for Core and $150 for core and commodity specific questions

Warehouse and Transportation

Country Profile = $99 per month or $1150 for the year

Warehouse and Transportation

Alerts = $10 per month or $100 per year

Farm

$450 for Core $150 for assessment questions

Farm

Country Profile = $99 per month or $1150 for the year

Farm

Alerts = $10 per month or $100 per year

Dr. John Hnatio, FoodQuestTQ Chief Science Officer, stated that “I am extremely proud of our science and technology staff for the creation of the Food Fraudster tool. Our FoodQuestTQ Science and Computing Team have addressed a serious problem that has plagued the food industry for many years and they provided an industry solution within six months.”

For more information about the Food Fraudster Tool please call Bruce Becker at 540-645-1050 or write him at bbecker@foodquesttq.com. With the creation of Food Fraudster, FoodQuestTQ continues its mission of “Feeding Information to the Food Industry.”

FoodQuestTQ: FoodQuestTQ LLC, where the TQ stands for “Threat Quotient,” is a risk management company specializing in the protection of the food supply. The company’s patented technology allows users to manage risk by: providing a “real time” picture of the food risk and threat environment across the globe; alerting you to changes in the threat environment including the indicators and warnings of food fraud and other food anomalies, and; delivers quantitative values on the most effective risk reduction criteria to put into place. At FoodQuestTQ our mission is to help make your job of managing complex food safety and food defense challenges more effective, simpler, and less expensive.