Dr. John Spink is the director of the Food Fraud Initiative at Michigan State University (MSU) (http://foodfraud.msu.edu/). Over the years, John's research has focused on economically motivated food adulteration, including the use of adulterant substances, counterfeit products, stolen goods, smuggled goods, tampering and intentional mislabeling. His leadership positions include product fraud related activities with the International Organization for Standardization (https://www.iso.org/home.html), Global Food Safety Initiative's (GFSI's) Food Fraud Think Tank (http://www.mygfsi.com/files/Technical_Documents/Food_Fraud_Position_Paper.pdf), and U.S. Pharmacopeia (https://www.foodfraud.org/).  John's global activities include engagements with the European Commission (https://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/food-fraud_en), INTERPOL and Operation Opson (https://www.europol.europa.eu/newsroom/news/food-fraud-joint-europol-interpol-operation-opson-v-results-report), New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (https://www.mpi.govt.nz/food-safety/). He also serves as the advisor on food fraud to the Chinese National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment )http://www.chinafoodsafety.net/). John's outreach includes MSU’s biannual Food Fraud Massive Open Online Course (http://fod.msu.edu/oir/moocs-massive-open-online-courses) that offers free training and certificates online. In addition to John's many involvements throughout the food industry, he is also a frequent contributor to Food Safety Magazine. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to John Spink about: MSU's work in studying how companies and governments make decisions related to food Food safety vs. food fraud and why these two entities deserve to be looked at separately Why food fraud prevention is more important than simply discovering new cases of food fraud The many different types of food fraud and how criminals are getting even more sophisticated with their methods The Food Safety Modernization Act: where food fraud fits in, and where it doesn't Sudan red, melamine, horse meat and how these food fraud cases have brought the problem to the forefront Upcoming regulations and requirements for companies who want to be GFSI-compliant The Codex Alimentarius global food code How criminology, consumer behavior, and other disciplines play a role in food fraud prevention   John Spink's Articles Published in Food Safety Magazine: Food Fraud Vulnerability Assessment and Prefilter for FSMA, GFSI and SOX Requirements (Feb/March 2017) http://www.foodsafetymagazine.com/magazine-archive1/februarymarch-2017/food-fraud-vulnerability-assessment-and-prefilter-for-fsma-gfsi-and-sox-requirements/) Economically Motivated Adulteration: Broadening the Focus on Food Fraud (Aug/Sep 2014) http://www.foodsafetymagazine.com/magazine-archive1/augustseptember-2014/economically-motivated-adulteration-broadening-the-focus-to-food-fraud/ COVER STORY: Economically Motivated Adulteration: Another Dimension of the Expanding Umbrella of Food Defense (Oct/Nov 2013) http://www.foodsafetymagazine.com/magazine-archive1/octobernovember-2013/economically-motivated-adulteration-another-dimension-of-the-e2809cexpanding-umbrella-of-food-defensee2809d/ Related Content: MSU Joins Codex for New Food Fraud Undertaking http://www.foodsafetymagazine.com/news/msu-joins-codex-for-new-food-fraud-undertaking/ IUFoST Bulletin Examines Worldwide Food Fraud Problem http://www.foodsafetymagazine.com/news/iufost-bulletin-examines-worldwide-food-fraud-problem/ Trends and Solutions in Combating Global Food Fraud http://www.foodsafetymagazine.com/magazine-archive1/februarymarch-2014/trends-and-solutions-in-combating-global-food-fraud/ The Food Safety Challenge of the Global Food Supply Chain http://www.foodsafetymagazine.com/magazine-archive1/december-2011january-2012/the-food-safety-challenge-of-the-global-food-supply-chain/ About Don Schaffner Dr. Donald W. Schaffner is Distinguished Professor and Extension Specialist in Food Scie