The Study of the Intersection Between Food Fraud/Adulteration and Authenticity

The first purpose of this paper is to collate and conceptualize two problems: food fraud/adulteration and food authenticity. The second aim is to investigate students' understanding of these concepts and their implications for consumers and producers (processors and/or farmers) to include food fraud course in university programme for business majors. In the theoretical part of the paper, the cognitive-critical analysis of the world's literature was applied; the analysis was enriched with instantiations coming from Polish economy, market issues and legislative framework. In the empirical (applicable) part, questionnaire survey was conducted among students of Economics Faculty at Polish university in 2016. Since food supply chains are more and more vulnerable to fraud, the issue has been getting significance rapidly. Both food fraud/adulteration and food authenticity may be treated in terms of instruments that entrepreneurs have in their hands while trying to succeed. The point is that consumers should be aware of these problems, appropriate educational program including university syllabus would help to raise this awareness. The surveyed students' understanding of the phenomenon is quite appropriate. The proposition is to conduct a social campaign covering researched issues. Knowledgeable consumers impose additional pressure on food industry to become more disciplined. The original contribution of this paper to theory is showing the intersection between food fraud/adulteration and authenticity concepts and recognising Polish students' perception of these issues.