FDA defines economically motivated adulteration (EMA) as “the fraudulent, intentional substitution or addition of a substance in a product for the purpose of increasing the apparent value of the product or reducing the cost of its production”.

The public meeting, to be held on Friday May 1 2009 at FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Rockville, Md, will aim to identify ways in which industry, regulatory agencies and others can work together to predict and prevent EMA.

The most recent widespread example of EMA in food occurred in September 2008 when melamine was found in milk-based infant formula manufactured in China. Melamine was apparently added to diluted milk in order to increase measured nitrogen levels (indicators of protein content) and thereby inflate the apparent protein content found in the product.

FDA’s meeting will also examine EMA in supplement, cosmetic and drug products. The agency is calling for comments on the issue to be submitted by August 1, 2009. For more information, click here .