Historical overview of food adulteration – act of accidents, needfulness or intention?

Abstract

Availability of healthy, nutritious and safe foods should be considered as fundamental and contemporary consumers would accept this as their granted right. The intensive lifestyle enables them to use own food sources very rarely. Instead, they are forced to choose products being available on the market. Responsibility for ensuring healthy and safe food is thus largely transferred to the food industry, but its offer to the consumer is not always fair and honest. Benefits stemming from the supply of adulterated foods are not a new phenomenon or a characteristic of modern society; it is irresistible temptation that reaches far into the past. The article highlights examples of food adulterations through the history as well as the causes, extent and consequences of abuse of consumer’s dependence on food marketing system.