What foods are most commonly faked?

The FDA lists honey and maple syrup, olive oil, seafood, juice and spices among foods commonly targeted by economically motivated adulteration.

Is fake lemon juice dangerous?

Usually it is a value problem rather than a safety one. The FDA tested for added sweeteners, citric acid, excess water and other fruit juices, and refused entry to failed shipments.

How can I tell if olive oil is real?

You cannot test it at home reliably. Look for a harvest date and origin, choose dark bottles and reputable sellers, and be wary of prices far below market.

Food Fraud: Foods Most Often Faked and How to Check

The FDA defines food fraud as intentionally removing, substituting or adding ingredients to make a food appear more valuable. In 2026, 7 of 195 lemon juice samples, all imported, failed FDA testing. Honey, maple syrup, olive oil, seafood, juice and spices are commonly targeted. Read ingredient lists, be wary of prices far below market and buy from sources that know their supply chain.

By SmashMeals Editorial · Published 2026-10-21 · Updated 2026-10-21

Food fraud sounds like a crime-novel plot, but it is an everyday business problem. Honey cut with syrup, olive oil blended with cheaper oils and lemon juice padded with water and citric acid all show up in federal enforcement actions. In October 2026, the FDA released new lemon juice results that show the problem is small but real. Here is what food fraud is, which foods are most often faked and what you can actually do about it.

This guide is general information about food labeling and purchasing.

What counts as food fraud

The FDA calls it economically motivated adulteration: someone "intentionally leaves out, takes out, or substitutes a valuable ingredient or part of a food," or adds something to make a food look better or more valuable than it is. Most of the time the motive is money, and the product is not dangerous, only not what you paid for. Sometimes it becomes a safety problem.

The newest example: lemon juice

On October 19, 2026, the FDA released results from testing 195 lemon juice samples collected from 2022 to 2025. Seven imported samples, 4.5% of imports, failed. No domestic samples did. Inspectors looked for added sweeteners, citric acid, extra water and juice from other fruits. The firms were placed on Import Alert 99-47. Read our news coverage.

Foods most often targeted

Food	Common fraud (per FDA)	What you can do
Honey and maple syrup	Diluted with cheaper sweeteners such as corn or rice syrup	Buy from local producers or brands that publish testing; be wary of prices far below market
Olive oil	Extra-virgin oil mixed with cheaper vegetable oil	Look for a harvest date and origin; buy dark bottles from reputable sellers
Seafood	Cheaper species substituted; ice added to increase weight	Buy whole fish or from trusted fishmongers; check net weight vs glazed weight
Juice	Diluted or blended products sold as 100% juice	Read the ingredient list, not just the front
Spices	Bulked with plant material or colored with dyes, sometimes lead-based	Buy whole spices or trusted brands; watch for unusually bright color

When fraud becomes a safety problem

The FDA's own examples show the stakes. In 2008, melamine added to infant formula to fake protein levels caused kidney failure in babies. Lead-based dyes in spices are a continuing concern. For people with food allergies or celiac disease, a substitution can bring an undeclared allergen. A cheaper flour swapped into a gluten-free product is fraud and a health risk at the same time.

That is part of why recalls such as the 2026 GF Blends recall, traced to a plantain flour labeled gluten-free, matter to anyone avoiding gluten.

What shoppers can realistically check

You cannot run lab tests at the grocery store. You can lower your odds:

Read the ingredient list. "100% juice" on the front and "water, citric acid" on the back do not match.
Be suspicious of prices that seem too good. Fraud usually shows up where a premium product is sold at a discount.
Prefer whole foods to ground or blended ones when fraud is common: whole spices, whole fish.
Buy from sources that know their supply chain, whether a local farm, a specialty shop or a brand that publishes testing.
Report problems. The FDA's food fraud page directs consumers to its Industry and Consumer Assistance resources to report complaints, illnesses or allergic reactions.

Who cooked your food matters too

Every ingredient in a prepared meal passed through someone's purchasing decisions. When you buy prepared food, you are trusting that kitchen's choices. At SmashMeals, we cook in our own dedicated gluten-free kitchen in Kingsport, Tennessee, and list the ingredients for each meal so you can read them. See how our kitchen works, read our gluten-free standards, and order this week's meals.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

What foods are most commonly faked?: The FDA lists honey and maple syrup, olive oil, seafood, juice and spices among foods commonly targeted by economically motivated adulteration.
Is fake lemon juice dangerous?: Usually it is a value problem rather than a safety one. The FDA tested for added sweeteners, citric acid, excess water and other fruit juices, and refused entry to failed shipments.
How can I tell if olive oil is real?: You cannot test it at home reliably. Look for a harvest date and origin, choose dark bottles and reputable sellers, and be wary of prices far below market.