The hottest Food Fraud Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Food & Drink Topics

125 | Global Recall Report Card | 5 Mini Case Studies | Floor Salmon | Chlorates in Food |

The Rotten Apple • 31 implied HN points • 12 Feb 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  1. Food safety breaches and frauds are being detected and individuals or companies involved are facing prosecution, sentencing, and significant fines.
  2. The business allegedly involved in lead contamination of cinnamon is no longer operational, showing the severe consequences of such actions.
  3. The global report on food recalls provides insights into the main causes of recalls in different regions such as the USA, Canada, UK, EU, Australia, and New Zealand.

123 | Case Study: Tiramisu Allergen Death | Food Contact Packaging |

The Rotten Apple • 31 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  1. The tragic case of a person dying from an allergic reaction to a 'vegan' dessert highlights the importance of food safety regulations and diligence in manufacturing processes.
  2. Some food businesses do not adequately communicate allergen risks, leading to preventable deaths and possible legal actions.
  3. Confusion between 'vegan' and 'allergen-free' labeling poses risks for allergic consumers and highlights the need for clearer regulations and diligent practices in food production.

171 | The Food Fraud That Wasn't | E. coli Onions Follow-up |

The Rotten Apple • 10 implied HN points • 13 Jan 25
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  1. The recent E. coli outbreak linked to onions at McDonald's sickened many, raising concerns about the hygiene practices at the supplier, Taylor Farms.
  2. There were serious food safety breaches found during FDA inspections at the supplier, including dirty equipment and inadequate handwashing protocols.
  3. A case about fruit juice showed that what seems like fraud may not always be; sometimes it's just a difference in regional practices regarding ingredient usage.

What I'm Reading-Related Posts

The Rotten Apple • 10 implied HN points • 12 Jan 25
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  1. The Rotten Apple covers a wide range of topics related to food, including safety and sustainability. This helps people stay informed about important issues in the food industry.
  2. You can find archived articles on what the author is currently reading, which adds a personal touch and may introduce you to new content.
  3. The platform encourages users to subscribe for more content, offering a free trial to explore a variety of posts and topics.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Just for Fun-Related Posts

The Rotten Apple • 10 implied HN points • 12 Jan 25
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  1. The Rotten Apple shares fun articles across various topics, including food safety and supply chains. You can explore these topics to learn more about food-related issues.
  2. There is a section called 'Just for Fun' where you can find light-hearted articles. This part offers a break from the serious content and adds some enjoyment.
  3. To find specific information quickly on their page, you can use the 'Ctrl + F' command. This makes it easy to search for any word you're interested in.

Packaging Corner-Related Posts

The Rotten Apple • 10 implied HN points • 12 Jan 25
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  1. The site covers important topics like food safety and ethical supply chains, helping readers stay informed. It's a great resource for understanding how food is produced and handled.
  2. There are lots of articles in the 'Packaging Corner' that you can link to for more information about packaging in the food industry. This can help you learn about different packaging technologies and their implications.
  3. You can try a 7-day free trial to access more posts and archives, making it easy to explore various topics related to food production.

Food Defence-Related Posts

The Rotten Apple • 10 implied HN points • 12 Jan 25
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  1. The Rotten Apple shares articles on various food-related topics, including food safety and fraud. This helps readers learn more about important issues in the food industry.
  2. It features content on sustainable and ethical supply chains, highlighting their importance to consumers today. This shows a commitment to responsible food practices.
  3. The site encourages engagement by allowing users to search articles easily. This makes it user-friendly for anyone interested in specific topics.

Food Supply Chains (General)-Related Posts

The Rotten Apple • 10 implied HN points • 12 Jan 25
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  1. Food supply chains affect how safe and reliable our food is. Understanding these systems can help us avoid issues like food fraud.
  2. Sustainable and ethical supply chains are important for a healthier planet. Choosing food that supports these practices can make a big difference.
  3. There are many topics related to food supply chains, including food safety, regulations, and new technology. Staying informed can help consumers make better choices.

Issue #92 | Mystery Toxin Solved? | Food Scientists are 'Baddies'? (Join the Conversation) | Sanitising Harvest Equipment |

The Rotten Apple • 42 implied HN points • 12 Jun 23
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  1. Mystery toxin in tara flour was possibly identified by toxicologists after causing numerous illnesses.
  2. Food scientists may contribute to making highly processed foods addictive, but the blame lies with the profit-driven food industry.
  3. Cleaning and sanitizing harvest equipment, especially for raw vegetables, is crucial for preventing foodborne illness outbreaks.

168 | What's Going on With Italian-Chinese Tomato Puree? | GM to the Rescue |

The Rotten Apple • 10 implied HN points • 09 Dec 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  1. Some Italian tomato purees sold in the UK and Germany might contain Chinese tomatoes, raising questions about food labeling and consumer trust. It's not clear if this is legally fraudulent or just a complicated supply chain issue.
  2. There are concerns that tomato suppliers from China may use forced labor, which complicates the legal responsibilities for retailers. Supermarkets need to be aware of their suppliers' practices to avoid compliance issues.
  3. Sugar taxes in some American cities have shown to effectively reduce purchases of sugary drinks, especially among lower-income households. This indicates that financial incentives can change consumer behavior.

Issue #85 | Risk Management Science vs Politics | Wasabi Fraud | Synbio and HFSS Foods Explained | Goats Eating Tomatoes |

The Rotten Apple • 42 implied HN points • 24 Apr 23
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  1. Risk management in food safety is more of a political process than a scientific one.
  2. Most wasabi paste we consume is fake, made with horseradish, but still has antibacterial properties.
  3. Synthetic biology in food production and the term HFSS (high in fat, salt, sugar) are emerging concepts in food science.

166 | Salmonella Deep Dive | Anatomy of a Wine Theft |

The Rotten Apple • 10 implied HN points • 25 Nov 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  1. Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause sickness by invading the intestines after being consumed, often through contaminated food or water.
  2. There is a rising trend of food thefts where criminals use fake identities to trick food businesses into giving away valuable products without payment.
  3. Food safety is important; businesses should verify new buyers and suppliers to prevent buying stolen goods or falling victim to scams.

130 | Food Safety Training Exercise | FSSC Updates | When Flies Eat |

The Rotten Apple • 21 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  1. Food safety training exercise available for front-line workers to enhance food safety practices.
  2. Updates on FSSC version 6 standards include focus on food safety culture, quality control, and reduction of food loss and waste.
  3. Packaging industry updates: PFAS phase-out in the US, impact of packaging colors on consumer perception, sale of a packaging factory confiscated from a Russian oligarch.

Food Safety News and Resources | November

The Rotten Apple • 10 implied HN points • 04 Nov 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  1. There has been a deadly outbreak linked to McDonald's raw onions, resulting in many cases of illness. This highlights the importance of safe food handling practices.
  2. New studies found harmful substances in bottled and tap water, especially in the UK and China. This raises concerns about water safety for consumers.
  3. Recent research links peanut allergies in children to air pollution exposure. This suggests that environmental factors can play a role in food allergies.

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

The Rotten Apple • 31 implied HN points • 03 Jul 23
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  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 |

The Rotten Apple • 31 implied HN points • 08 May 23
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  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.

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

The Rotten Apple • 31 implied HN points • 13 Mar 23
🍲 Food & Drink 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.

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

The Rotten Apple • 10 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  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.

Food Safety News and Resources | March

The Rotten Apple • 10 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🍲 Food & Drink 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.

Food Safety News and Resources | January

The Rotten Apple • 10 implied HN points • 28 Jan 24
🍲 Food & Drink 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.

231 | What's in store for 2026? | Tariffs + food fraud risk + mitigations |

The Rotten Apple • 0 implied HN points • 23 Mar 26
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  1. Expect several new food-safety risks in 2026 including changing demand from GLP-1 drugs, novel and psychotropic ingredients, shifting allergen concerns, AI-driven product development, and climate-driven microbial and toxin threats like algal blooms and heat-linked Salmonella.
  2. New or increased tariffs raise food-fraud risk by creating price pressure, lengthening complex supply chains, and encouraging transhipment and origin-washing, so affected ingredients should be flagged as higher risk in vulnerability assessments.
  3. Fraud tactics are evolving — AI-made fake certificates, stolen-to-order schemes, packaging-artwork theft and e-commerce sales make counterfeits easier — so re-verify suppliers and documents, monitor trade routes and tariffs, and use targeted analytical testing to verify authenticity.

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

The Rotten Apple • 0 implied HN points • 04 Nov 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  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 |

The Rotten Apple • 0 implied HN points • 28 Oct 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  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.

Food Safety News and Resources | October

The Rotten Apple • 0 implied HN points • 27 Oct 24
🍲 Food & Drink 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.

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

The Rotten Apple • 0 implied HN points • 21 Oct 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  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.

160 | Special Edition | Food Safety Competition |

The Rotten Apple • 0 implied HN points • 14 Oct 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  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.

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

The Rotten Apple • 0 implied HN points • 07 Oct 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  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.

Index of Topics and Posts 2025

The Rotten Apple • 0 implied HN points • 04 Jan 25
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  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.

Competitions-Related Posts

The Rotten Apple • 0 implied HN points • 12 Jan 25
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  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 Fraud-Related Posts

The Rotten Apple • 0 implied HN points • 10 Jan 25
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  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.

195 | More on Listeria in Pasta Meals | Packaging Corner |

The Rotten Apple • 0 implied HN points • 30 Jun 25
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  1. There was a recent outbreak of Listeria linked to chicken pasta meals, causing concerns about food safety. Experts agree that these meals should not contain Listeria, and contamination is likely due to issues at the manufacturing facility.
  2. Packaging manufacturers are urged to implement effective allergen control procedures to ensure food safety. A handy template for these procedures is available for download.
  3. There are troubling allegations about food fraud regarding post-consumer recycled plastics used in packaging. Some companies may be misleading customers about the materials, raising concerns about the safety of these products.

216 | Risky Tableware | Infant Formula Update | Pumpkin Spice Hazards |

The Rotten Apple • 0 implied HN points • 24 Nov 25
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  1. Some plant-based tableware made from wheat can transfer gluten to food, which is a big concern for people with gluten allergies. You can't always tell if the dishes you're using are safe, as there are no rules requiring allergen labels.
  2. The ongoing infant botulism outbreak has affected 31 babies, and it's important to stay updated on food recalls and safety news. Always check food safety updates to keep you and your family safe.
  3. Pumpkin spice products are everywhere in fall, but be careful with them! Some spices can contain harmful substances like heavy metals and toxins, so it's good to know where your spices come from.

Food Safety News and Resources | December

The Rotten Apple • 0 implied HN points • 01 Dec 25
🍲 Food & Drink Food Fraud
  1. US inspections of imported foods have dropped to their lowest levels in years, which could weaken oversight of overseas food safety.
  2. Peanut allergy rates in children are declining, likely because new guidance encourages introducing peanuts earlier in life.
  3. A revamped IFS Foreign Body Management guideline is now more operational and risk‑based, with practical checklists and greater focus on optical systems and plastics as detection priorities.