The mystery of the fake Tignanello and the Sassicaia counterfeiting operation

18 Nov, 2020

It seems unreal, but after all the troubles this market went through, wine fraud is still an extensive issue! According to a study conducted by the EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Right Office), counterfeit spirits and wine cost the European economy € 2.7 billion a year. (1) Additionally, it is estimated that legitimate wine and spirits sales are reduced by almost 7%, due to counterfeit goods, with illicit trade in wine and spirits resulting in the loss of over 7,000 jobs and € 2.2 billion in tax revenues. (2) However, if statistics are based on estimates, and therefore subject to interpretations, facts are facts, and these remain.

The king of wine counterfeiting is free and (maybe) back to business

12 Nov, 2020

Veterinary drugs. Fakes and illicit markets

05 Nov, 2020

When talking about troubles with veterinary drugs, the first thing that comes to our mind is the extensive use of antibiotics in modern farms. It is true that today antibiotics are the only way to overcome a bacterial disease efficiently. However, their misuse to increase animal growth-rate and productivity can stimulate the development of an antimicrobial resistance. This means triggering bacteria to grow a sort of tolerance to antibiotic treatments. However, this is not the only problem affecting vet drugs. An increasing number of daily used medicines are unauthorized, expired or even fake. (more…)

Herbs and spices. Hard to recognize, easy to counterfeit

29 Oct, 2020

The term “spices” comes from the Latin “species” which indicates a special type of valuable goods that differs from ordinary ones. Due to their exotic characteristics and low availability, in mediaeval times the term gradually came to indicate the vegetable substances of oriental origin mainly used for cooking purposes. Apart from the religious valence and the therapeutic power attributed to them in the past, because of their high commercial value, spices were considered a social marker. (more…)

Illegal agrochemical products. Numbers, risks and solutions

16 Oct, 2020

It is not just about the vegetable soup you might eat once a month, it is also about the wooden table on which you eat the soup, or even the cotton shirt you are wearing every day. Now think about all the staple crops in different areas of the world and the ones that are grown to feed livestock for milk and meat production. Agriculture has a fundamental role on our everyday life, and apart from being an economic sector that generates wealth, it is our first and most important element of survival.

Blockchain-based traceability for the Food & Beverage sector. The QR code deception

12 Oct, 2020

Nowadays, when it comes to produce and sell food and beverages, traceability represents a fundamental requirement. Before becoming an advertising stunt, we must say that the “ability” to “trace” food along the supply chain till the point of sale is mandatory by law. However, following product’s path from the production site to the shelves of the supermarket is not enough. (more…)

Wine fraud, a still fashionable (and profitable) practice

07 Oct, 2020

Illicit markets are, for their nature, difficult to analyze. The one involving fake wine makes no exception. In fact, all the available statistics that can be found on the subject are based on estimates and often comprehend the whole “food and beverage” sector. Keeping that in mind, we can report some numbers. According to a study conducted by the EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Right Office), counterfeit spirits and wine cost the European economy € 2.7 billion a year. (1) (more…)

The consequences of counterfeiting: not only monetary losses

01 Oct, 2020

Selling one thing for another, tampering goods in order to increase their commercial value and copying others’ ideas and inventions to make profits are all old and repeatedly pursued actions since the dawn of times. This of course does not mean that they are legitimate and lawful practices. In fact, besides being morally questionable, they are also considered a fraud in most of the cases, especially when patents and intellectual property rights are involved. (more…)

Award-winning Anti-counterfeiting Startup Celebrates Achievements With a Name Change

12 Sep, 2020

Acatena, an IoT & blockchain platform that reinvents premium product authenticity, has changed its name to Authena to reflect the true value that they offer their customers. Their current name, Acatena, is derived from the Italian word “catena” which means “chain” and refers to the supply chain or blockchain. Though, their focus is on much more than simply technology.