The Rotten Apple

The Rotten Apple Substack focuses on exposing and analyzing food safety issues, food fraud, and supply chain vulnerabilities. It discusses the ramifications of food adulteration, contamination, and mislabeling on consumer health, and highlights the importance of proper regulatory, testing, and hygienic practices in the food industry.

Food Safety Food Fraud Supply Chain Vulnerabilities Contamination and Adulteration Regulatory and Testing Practices Hygienic Design and Practices Consumer Health Impacts

The hottest Substack posts of The Rotten Apple

And their main takeaways

Issue #95 | 3 Cases of Document Fraud | How to be a Good Auditor | How Bakers Yeast is Made |

31 implied HN points • 03 Jul 23
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud Food Safety Food production Food news Auditing
  1. Food document fraud comes in different categories and can have serious consequences for food safety.
  2. Key attributes of a good food safety auditor include appropriate training, experience, and a detail-oriented mindset.
  3. Commercial bakeries, wineries, and breweries rely on specialized yeast suppliers to provide pure yeast products for their production processes.

Issue #87 | Meet the Food Fraud Perpetrators | Good Mould versus Bad Mould | Child Labour in Food | Cotton Candy in the Shower |

31 implied HN points • 08 May 23
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Food Fraud Supply Chain
  1. Some molds are safe to eat and even deliberately added to certain foods for their desirable properties, while others can produce harmful mycotoxins and are considered unsafe for consumption.
  2. Food fraud perpetrators can be categorized as opportunistic or organized, with organized criminals often operating across different industries and committing more complex and long-term frauds with significant impacts.
  3. Child labor violations in the food industry are a major ethical concern, even in developed countries like the USA, where violations have been increasing, and companies within the food industry are found to be the main offenders.

128 | Food Safety Roadmap | Insect Proteins: High Risk? |

10 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Food Fraud News Resources
  1. Insect-based foods face high food fraud risks due to complex supply chains, high prices, and potential adulteration with allergenic or non-nutritive substances.
  2. Stay updated and navigate changes in food safety audit standards by following a roadmap that includes gap analysis, action lists, internal audits, and incorporating extra resources if needed.
  3. Attend food safety meetups, like the one on March 14th, to engage with industry professionals, discuss emerging issues, and stay ahead in the food safety field.
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Food Safety News and Resources | March

10 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Recalls Guidance Webinars Food Fraud
  1. Probiotic supplements containing Clostridium butyricum should be prescribed carefully especially for hospitalized patients to avoid blood poisoning.
  2. Be cautious of food recalls like meat contaminated with non-food grade mineral oil and consider their implications on public health.
  3. Raw cheese recalls should be taken seriously as they can be linked to severe illnesses like E. coli infections, even if recalls are lifted prematurely.

What's Wrong With This Picture (Team Training Exercise)

10 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Training Hygiene Risk Assessment Team Building
  1. The post discusses a team training exercise for front-line workers in food service to identify food safety issues.
  2. The activity aims to get team members thinking about food safety, engage in a risk assessment, and learn about food safety principles such as hygienic design and hand hygiene.
  3. The exercise involves showing an image of someone slicing bacon and asking team members to identify potential food safety problems, errors, or non-conformities.

127 | Listeria Risks: New Insights | Food Safety Snapshot | Reusing Plastic Food Packaging |

10 implied HN points • 26 Feb 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety
  1. Quantitative risk assessments for Listeria in meat products suggest that properly controlled refrigerator temperatures are more effective at reducing risk than shorter storage durations.
  2. Reusing plastic food packaging poses challenges like hygiene risks, chemical migration, and microplastic generation, highlighting the importance of proper cleaning processes.
  3. New methods like paper spray mass spectrometry help detect contaminants like PFAS in food packaging, emphasizing the need for advanced detection techniques in food safety.

Issue #79 | Botulism: the Putin of pathogens | Cacao or Cocoa - what's the difference | DNA barcoding for food testing |

31 implied HN points • 13 Mar 23
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Food Fraud
  1. Botulism is a deadly foodborne illness caused by toxins, challenging to detect but with severe symptoms and potentially fatal outcomes.
  2. Cacao and cocoa are terms often used interchangeably in the food industry, but have slight differences in meaning and implications.
  3. DNA barcoding is a powerful tool for food safety and fraud investigations, offering a quicker and cost-effective method for species identification and verification.

Food Safety News and Resources | January

10 implied HN points • 28 Jan 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Recalls Webinars Food Fraud
  1. Recalls of contaminated food products like spinach due to _Listeria_, and moth larvae in crispbreads show the importance of food safety in preventing health risks.
  2. New resources from the FAO provide valuable insights into the impacts of contaminants like pesticide residues and microplastics on the human gut microbiome.
  3. Upcoming webinars offer opportunities to learn about topics like allergen risk assessment, food import regulations, and FSSC 22000 compliance for enhancing food safety management.

161 | Auditing Outcomes - a Lost Art? | Learnings from a Salmonella Outbreak | Competition Winner |

0 implied HN points • 21 Oct 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Nutrition Food culture Food Fraud Food Regulations
  1. Food safety audits have shifted from checking outcomes to also focusing on root causes. This means companies now need to prove not just that food is safe, but also that they have systems in place to ensure safety.
  2. A recent Salmonella outbreak linked to bahn mi sandwiches highlights the importance of proper food handling practices. Many people got sick because raw and cooked foods were not kept separate, and hygiene practices were not followed.
  3. Swift action from health authorities during the outbreak helped limit the number of affected individuals. Being able to quickly investigate and test food items played a crucial role in understanding how the outbreak happened.

Index of Topics and Posts 2025

0 implied HN points • 04 Jan 25
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Food Fraud Supply Chains Food Defence Packaging
  1. The index includes articles organized into six main topics related to food safety and supply chains. This makes it easier for readers to find information on specific subjects.
  2. Users can search for specific topics or keywords quickly using the Ctrl + F function. This saves time when looking for certain articles.
  3. Each topic covers various aspects of food, such as fraud, sustainability, and regulations, offering a broad range of insights on the food industry.

Food Fraud Incidents 2025 (Searchable List)

0 implied HN points • 04 Jan 25
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Food Fraud Consumer Awareness Sustainability Data Management
  1. There is a searchable list of recent food fraud incidents from 2025. This can help people easily find information on specific cases.
  2. Incidents before September 2022 are stored in a database on Trello for reference. It's good to have a place to look for older information too.
  3. New insights about food vulnerabilities are still being added to this database, showing that the issue of food fraud is ongoing. Keeping up with this information is important for everyone's safety.

Thank you for supporting The Rotten Apple

0 implied HN points • 27 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Media Art Writing Community Subscription
  1. Support from subscribers is really appreciated and important for this newsletter's success. It shows that people value the content.
  2. A 7-day free trial is available for new subscribers, letting them explore past articles with no commitment.
  3. Being part of this community means sharing in the journey of the newsletter and enjoying the insights it offers.

Food fraud prevention strategies: Building an effective verification ecosystem (Manning, et. al. (2024) - A Review

0 implied HN points • 11 Nov 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Fraud prevention Verification Research Consulting
  1. Food fraud is a big problem, and understanding the latest research can help businesses protect themselves better. Keeping updated with new methods to prevent fraud is important for food safety professionals.
  2. Creating a strong verification ecosystem is key to preventing food fraud. This means having reliable checks and balances in place to ensure the integrity of food products.
  3. The research emphasizes practical strategies to combat food fraud. Using these strategies can make a real difference in how businesses manage food safety and trust.

Food Fraud-Related Posts

0 implied HN points • 10 Jan 25
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Food Fraud Food Defence
  1. Food fraud is a significant issue that affects consumer trust and safety.
  2. It's important to understand the various topics related to food fraud, such as supply chains and food safety.
  3. There are resources available for anyone wanting to learn more about food fraud and stay informed about related news.

Competitions-Related Posts

0 implied HN points • 12 Jan 25
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Food Fraud Supply Chains Packaging Competitions
  1. The Rotten Apple covers a wide range of topics related to food and safety. This includes things like food fraud and supply chain ethics.
  2. There is a section dedicated to competitions where readers can find linked articles. This allows them to easily explore past issues on the topic.
  3. Subscribers can get a 7-day free trial to access all posts and articles. This is a good way to explore the content before committing.

Food Safety News and Resources | March

0 implied HN points • 03 Mar 25
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Food recalls Nutrition Food Industry Food technology
  1. There was a huge recall of eggs in Norway due to too much vitamin D in chicken feed. This mistake could lead to health problems if the contaminated eggs are consumed.
  2. A mystery Listeria outbreak in the U.S. has been traced back to nutritional shakes, leading to numerous illnesses and deaths. This highlights the importance of investigating foodborne illnesses.
  3. A global withdrawal of guar gum is happening because it was found to contain harmful substances. It's a reminder to keep an eye on food safety standards around the world.

A Guide to Colour Coding in Food Businesses

0 implied HN points • 24 Feb 25
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Food Industry Culinary Arts
  1. Colour coding in food businesses helps to keep tools and areas safe and clean. It prevents mistakes that could lead to health issues.
  2. Using different colours for different tasks makes it easier to find the right tools and keep things organized. This can make work faster and reduce errors.
  3. Implementing colour coding can greatly reduce the chances of food recalls, which are expensive for companies and can happen due to cross-contamination or allergens.

Food Safety News and Resources | October

0 implied HN points • 27 Oct 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Food recalls Food Regulations Food Fraud
  1. A recent E. coli outbreak linked to onions in fast food has caused at least one death and multiple hospitalizations. Many restaurants are now avoiding fresh onions to prevent further cases.
  2. In India, over 150 people were hospitalized due to mass poisoning from buckwheat flour suspected to be adulterated with harmful substances.
  3. Food safety practices suggest that cooling cooked foods in shallower containers and at lower temperatures is better for preventing harmful bacteria growth.

Food Safety Escape Room Solution

0 implied HN points • 21 Oct 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Cooking tips Recipes Nutrition
  1. The post explains the solutions to a food safety escape room puzzle. This includes detailed answers and explanations for each part of the challenge.
  2. It emphasizes the importance of food safety in a fun and interactive way, engaging readers through the escape room concept.
  3. The author encourages participation and includes a section for paid subscribers to access more content and insights.

159 | Spotlight on Shigella | Superweeds (Super Bad) | Loving Fakes |

0 implied HN points • 07 Oct 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Food Fraud Agriculture Health Risks Consumer behavior
  1. Shigella bacteria can cause severe foodborne illness and mainly spreads through contaminated hands. Proper handwashing and careful food sourcing are crucial to prevent its spread.
  2. Superweeds are plants that have become resistant to common herbicides like glyphosate. They are a growing problem for farmers, leading to higher costs and reduced crop yields.
  3. Consumers sometimes buy counterfeit food products as a way to challenge social inequality. They may feel that buying fakes helps them reject expensive brands and achieve a sense of equality.

163 | How to Ace a Food Safety Audit | Making Melons Safe Again |

0 implied HN points • 04 Nov 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Food Fraud Food Regulations
  1. To prepare for a food safety audit, it's important to know the specific requirements and standards you will be audited against. Familiarize yourself with these standards to ensure a smoother audit process.
  2. Conducting a self-assessment before the audit can help identify areas that need improvement. This way, you can address any gaps and be better prepared when the auditors arrive.
  3. Creating an organized documentation system makes audits easier and shows that you value the auditor's time. Having everything accessible reduces stress and makes you appear more professional.

162 | What's New in Food Safety Culture | Haphazard Analysis | Hairy Hot Dogs |

0 implied HN points • 28 Oct 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Food Fraud Food culture Food Industry
  1. Food safety culture is evolving, with new best practices to help organizations improve their systems. It’s important for everyone involved in food safety to stay updated on these practices for better compliance.
  2. Hazard analysis needs to be taken seriously and done correctly. It should not just be a box-ticking exercise, but a thorough evaluation to protect public health.
  3. Data and evidence should guide food safety decisions. Using actual data can help assess risks better than arbitrary scoring methods.

160 | Special Edition | Food Safety Competition |

0 implied HN points • 14 Oct 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Food Fraud Recalls Webinars Competitions
  1. There's a fun food safety escape room competition happening, where teams solve puzzles to win prizes. It's a great way to learn about food safety while having fun.
  2. Recent food safety news includes a huge recall of 10 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry. Staying updated on these recaps is important for everyone.
  3. The edition highlights issues like food fraud, particularly with ginseng supplements, showing the need for awareness in food quality and safety.

Food Safety Culture: Fresh Tips and Ideas

0 implied HN points • 28 Oct 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Nutrition Culinary culture
  1. A good food safety culture means everyone works together to keep food safe, from top management to visitors. It's important that anyone can speak up about issues.
  2. Measuring and monitoring food safety culture can help identify areas for improvement. Surveys and questionnaires are useful tools for this.
  3. Rewarding good food safety behaviors encourages everyone to participate. Management buy-in is also key to creating and maintaining a strong food safety culture.