RSA Edinburgh - Food Fraud & Food Crime: What’s actually in your shopping?

As Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink draws to a close, RSA Fellows and guests, in an event designed to provoke debate, are invited to register and join our guest speaker Mike Steel.

The horsemeat scandal of 2013 and subsequent Elliott Review demonstrated the ubiquitous threat of food fraud committed by both opportunists and criminals. The Food Standards Agency has, in line with Elliott’s recommendations, restructured itself and established a Food Crime Unit to gather intelligence on food fraud and investigate serious cases. Interpol and Europol have weighed in with several successful anti-food fraud operations.

The food industry has realised the risk food fraud poses to its reputation and profitability. Leading retailers have simplified their supply chains and improved their inspection protocols. However, only minor ‘players’ in the horsemeat fraud were eventually convicted. Would it be any different now? Has either government or industry fully regained public trust? Do sporadic reports of further food fraud incidents, the effect of the ‘austerity programme’ on regulatory agencies and the supermarkets’ concern with shrinking margins justify consumer doubts?

In this context Mike Steel’s talk will consider:-

• The scope, scale and risks of fraudulently inauthentic foods

• The food fraud business

• Vulnerabilities to food fraud

• Effectiveness of government and industry controls

• The Food Fortress principle

• What food can you actually be sure of?
  
  
  

This event is free but please book your place via this page.

Any questions about this event, please email Ann Packard: ann.packard@council-rsa.org.uk


Location: Anderson Strathern LLP, 1 Rutland Court, Rutland Square, Edinburgh, EH3 8EY


More about Mike Steel

Mike is a Consultant on regulation and compliance in the agri-food industry (www.foodandfarming.co.uk) and trains food industry auditors and government regulators in the prevention and detection of food fraud. He was
•    Subject Matter Expert (regulation, audit & meat fraud) with Elliott Review Team  2013-14
•    Director, Animal Health & Veterinary Laboratories Agency* (Scotland) 2011-13
•    Director, Animal Health* (Wales) 2010-11
(*now subsumed into Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA))

He is experienced in
•    Clinical veterinary practice (Inc. Easter Ross 1982-1992)
•    State veterinary medicine (1992 -2013)
•    Enforcement of Animal Health and Welfare and Meat Hygiene Regulation. In Northern Ireland (1992- 2010) he established and led a team investigating offences ranging from cattle smuggling to meat fraud.