The "Food Fraud" Scan (Product Accountability)
Original Mission created by RENSIC.
Submit Your Research MissionMission Overview: Product Accountability
Food fraud is a multi-billion dollar illicit industry. Premium liquids—like Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Manuka Honey, and pure Maple Syrup—are frequently "adulterated" or cut with cheap, highly processed seed oils and artificial dyes. These counterfeit products are then sold at premium prices, deceiving consumers and potentially impacting their health.
The Tech: We are bringing laboratory-grade Spectrophotometry (Light Absorption) to the consumer level. Different oils and sugars absorb light at distinctly different wavelengths. By shining a pure white light through the liquid and capturing the resulting color spectrum, the platform can compare the "color signature" of your bottle to a database of verified pure products.
The Truth: This mission uncovers the truth behind the labels. It’s about Love for your family’s health and Truth in labeling. We are forcing transparency into a supply chain that has historically relied on consumer ignorance.
Why it resonates: It feels like a "superpower." You aren't just a passive shopper anymore; you’re a "Molecular Inspector" protecting your kitchen from counterfeit goods.
The Goal: Detecting "Adulterated" or "Fake" premium liquids without ever opening the bottle.
The Task: Hold a Flashlight against one side of a glass bottle and use your smartphone's Camera (and light sensors) on the other side to "look" through the liquid and capture its spectral signature.
Mandatory Tools First
In order to participate in Missions, you will need at least one of these two apps for all missions. Other specialized tools may be required by the Mission:
ProofMode
A lightweight app that turns your phone into a secure evidence-gathering device by automatically adding cryptographic signatures and metadata.
proofmode.orgPhyphox (Light Sensor)
An open-source physics application that utilizes your smartphone's ambient light sensor to measure illuminance (lux) passing through the liquid.
phyphox.orgOpen Source Forensic Tools (Digital & Network Analysis):
ImageJ
A public domain Java image processing program. Essential for analyzing the optical density and colorimetric signatures of the liquid captured during the mission.
imagej.netQGIS
A free and open-source geographic information system (GIS) application. Required for visualizing and analyzing the GPS-tagged heat map of fraudulent product distribution.
qgis.orgWhen you download the apps, this is what you need to do before you use them:
- Phyphox: Open the "Light" sensor module to measure the lux value passing through the liquid.
- ProofMode: Ensure it is running in the background to sign your photos and sensor data.
For additional operational resources, consult the Tools and Testing, Ethical Testing Guide, Verification Guide, and Smart Contracts pages.
The "Optical Spectrophotometry" Methodology
Directive FF-01: Food Fraud Scan
To accurately analyze the purity of the liquid, we must capture a clean light absorption profile. Pure extra virgin olive oil, for instance, absorbs specific wavelengths of light due to chlorophyll and carotenoids, whereas cheaper seed oils dyed with beta-carotene have a drastically different spectral signature.
Phase 1: Setup & Illumination
Find a dimly lit room to reduce ambient light interference. You will need a secondary light source (like a second phone's flashlight, a strong LED penlight, or a mirror setup). Place the glass bottle of the premium liquid (e.g., Olive Oil, Manuka Honey) on a flat surface.
Critical App Setup Requirements
To create verifiable evidence, configure your data collection apps in this specific order:
- First, set up ProofMode: Ensure it is running in the background to cryptographically sign all media captured during the session.
- Next, prepare your Camera & Phyphox: Have your native camera app ready to take a macro photo, and Phyphox open to the Light sensor module.
Phase 2: The Spectral Scan
This phase captures the core optical data mapping the liquid's purity.
- The Action: Hold the flashlight directly against one side of the glass bottle. Position your smartphone's camera directly opposite the light source, "looking" through the liquid.
- The Capture: Take a clear, high-resolution photo of the light passing through the liquid. Then, use Phyphox to record a 10-second reading of the light intensity (lux) passing through.
- The Data Output: A ProofMode-verified photo and a Phyphox light sensor CSV export, representing the optical signature of the product.
Milestones
This mission is structured in three progressive milestones to map and expose food fraud across various brands.
Milestone 1: Initial Data Collection
$150Goal: Gather the first wave of baseline optical profiles.
- Reward the first 30 users for submitting verified photos and light sensor readings of premium liquids.
Milestone 2: Spectral Database Compilation
$500Goal: Compile the data to build a verified vs. fake signature database.
- Fund data scientists to analyze the color signatures and light absorption rates to identify adulterated batches.
Milestone 3: Consumer Protection Report
$1000Goal: Publish findings to expose fraudulent brands and empower shoppers.
- Draft and distribute a formal report to consumer protection agencies and the public, highlighting specific counterfeit products.
Mission Downloads
The following files are pre-configured specifically for The "Food Fraud" Scan. Citizen Researchers can use these templates to compile legally verifiable, corroborating evidence for submission to consumer protection authorities.
Submission Requirements
Citizen Researchers are required to submit these two files (completely filled out; the .json is pre-filled with Mission-specific metadata) alongside the raw evidence Photo & Sensor Data (signed by ProofMode) for full review, validation, and payment.
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
Follow this step-by-step checklist to ensure your spectral scans are accurate and forensically valid.
1 Preparation & App Setup
- Target Selection: Choose a premium liquid product (e.g., Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Manuka Honey) in a clear or lightly tinted glass bottle.
- Lighting: Ensure you have a strong, pure white flashlight (like a high-quality LED flashlight). Avoid using your phone's flash if possible, as you need the phone to record.
- App Readiness: Ensure ProofMode and a Spectrophotometer/Color Analysis app are installed and functioning.
2 The Spectral Scan
- Environment: Perform the scan in a relatively dark room to minimize ambient light interference.
- Positioning: Place the flashlight directly against one side of the glass bottle, shining the light *through* the liquid.
- Capture: Position your smartphone camera on the exact opposite side of the bottle, capturing the light as it exits the liquid. Open your Spectrophotometer app and take a reading/screenshot of the resulting color spectrum.
3 Label Documentation
- Context: Using your standard camera app (with ProofMode running), take clear, well-lit photos of the product's front label, back label (ingredients list), and any lot numbers or expiration dates.
4 Verification & Submission
- Metadata: Fill out the provided Evidence Metadata JSON file with your specific mission details (product brand, type, lot number).
- Upload: Upload the ProofMode zip files (containing the spectral screenshot and label photos) and the completed JSON metadata file to the RENSIC portal.
Mission Budget Breakdown
Total Funding Necessary: $150
The money will be used for the Rewards. Payout $5 for a verified optical scan (total 30 tasks) via PayPal.
Mission Timeline
Mission Created
The "Food Fraud" Scan initialized. Initial funding round opened.
Data Collection Phase
Users capture optical signatures of premium liquids.
Spectral Analysis
Data is aggregated to identify adulterated products and expose food fraud.
Activity Log
Mission started. Awaiting first submissions.
Audit Results
Results will be populated as verified data is collected.
How do you want to participate?
This is a Live Mission and needs 30 people to do a quick test (takes a few minutes to setup; see Overview and Protocol tabs). We'll pay $5 via PayPal - no catch - to the first 30 people who send their results to our email info@rensic.com.
Minimum contribution: $10.00
This mission is currently in manual funding phase. All contributions are tracked publicly. Full platform automation launching Q3 2026.
NOTE: All transactions are securely processed and tracked for Escrow services.
Milestone 1 is Fully Funded! Any new contributions will be applied directly toward the next Milestone.