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Navigating food fraud: A survey of Nigerian consumer knowledge and attitudes

Onyeaka, Helen
; 
Anyogu, Amarachukwu
; 
Odeyemi, Olumide A.
; 
Ukwuru, Michael U.
; 
Eze, Ukpai
; 
Isaac-Bamgboye, Folayemi J.
; 
Anumudu, Christian K.
; 
Akinwunmi, Oluwabunmi O.
; 
Sotayo, Olufemi P.
; 
Jeff-Agboola, Yemisi A.
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Other Contributors
Affiliation
University of Birmingham; University of West London; University of Tasmania; The Federal Polytechnic Idah; University of Chester; Federal University of Technology Akure; Bowen University, Nigeria; University of Lagos; University of Medical Sciences, Nigeria
EPub Date
Publication Date
2024-10-15
Submitted Date
Collections
Chester Medical School
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Abstract
Food fraud presents a growing threat globally, impacting consumer health; food safety; and brand credibility. The key motivation for food fraud is usually an economic or financial advantage. Economically motivated food fraud (EMA) is the illegal deception, deliberate and intentional substitution or addition of a substance in a food product, which may pose a possible health risk to unsuspecting consumers. This study aims to assess the awareness and attitudes of Nigerian consumers towards food authenticity and the regulatory measures in place to combat food adulteration. The study comprised 2160 respondents who were asked about their knowledge of high-profile food fraud incidents, frequently adulterated products, and their opinions of the effects of food fraud and preventative measures. The findings of this study revealed that more than a third of respondents were unfamiliar with the term “food fraud”. However, they were aware of local high-profile cases, such as “plastic rice” and counterfeit dairy products. Most participants relied on point-of-sale information for assessing food authenticity, with street vendors being viewed as potential sources of food adulteration. The study also found that more than half of the respondents were concerned about food fraud regardless of whether it involved local or imported products. A wide variety of food items were identified as prone to adulteration or fraudulent activity. These included alcoholic drinks, dairy products, honey, rice, and tomato paste, amongst others. These findings highlight the need for improved consumer awareness, regulatory effectiveness, and remediation efforts to combat food fraud in Nigeria.
Citation
Onyeaka, H., Anyogu, A., Odeyemi, O. A., Ukwuru, M. U., Eze, U., Isaac-Bamgboye, F. J., Anumudu, C. K., Akinwunmi, O. O., Sotayo, O. P., & Jeff-Agboola, Y. A. (2024). Navigating food fraud: A survey of Nigerian consumer knowledge and attitudes. Foods, 13(20), 3270. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13203270
Publisher
MDPI
Journal
Foods
Research Unit
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10034/629099
DOI
10.3390/foods13203270
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PubMed Central ID
Type
Article
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Description
© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
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ISSN
2304-8158
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ISBN
ISMN
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Unfunded
Additional Links
https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/13/20/3270