Is your food real or fake? — Video-based ESL lesson

In an era where global supply chains stretch across continents and premium prices promise authenticity, many everyday foods – from extra-virgin olive oil and wild-caught fish to exotic spices and aged cheeses – are quietly being faked, diluted, or mislabeled for profit.

Food fraud is not just a clever scam; it is a multi-billion-dollar industry that misleads consumers, undermines trust, and can even pose health risks.

This engaging 90–120-minute lesson invites intermediate learners to uncover the surprising truth behind some of the world’s most commonly counterfeited products, master essential vocabulary related to deception and consumer protection, and explore practical strategies to shop with greater confidence in an increasingly deceptive marketplace.

Lesson plan: Food fraud – Is your food real or fake?
Level: Intermediate (B1–B2)
Time: 90–120 minutes
Topic: Food fraud, counterfeit food, consumer awareness
Objectives

• Students will be able to explain what food fraud is and give real examples.
• Students will learn and use 20 new vocabulary items related to food fraud and consumer protection.
• Students will discuss ways to protect themselves when buying food.

Materials needed

• Video/transcript
• Vocabulary handout
• Gap-fill worksheet
• Pictures of real vs. possibly fake products (olive oil, saffron, cheese, fish) for extra engagement

Warm-up (10 min)

• Show students two bottles of olive oil (or pictures): one cheap store brand, one expensive “extra virgin.”
• Ask: “Which one do you think is real? Why do some foods cost much more?”
• Elicit ideas → lead into the topic of food fraud.

Pre-reading / listening (5 min)

• Give 4–5 quick true/false questions (project or handout):
  1. Some extra virgin olive oil is mixed with cheaper oil. (T)
  2. Food fraud only happens with cheap products. (F)
  3. Seafood is never mislabeled in restaurants. (F)
  4. Food fraud can make people sick. (T)

Listening / reading (15–20 min)

• Play the transcript video (or give written transcript).
• First time: students check true/false answers.
• Second time: students underline any words they don’t know connected with fake food.

Vocabulary

• Food fraud (n)
  Definition: Intentionally selling fake or lower-quality food for economic gain.
  Example: Olive oil is one of the most common victims of food fraud.
• Adulterated (adj)
  Definition: Made impure or lower quality by adding something cheaper or harmful.
  Example: The honey was adulterated with sugar syrup to make more profit.
• Substitution (n)
  Definition: Replacing an expensive ingredient with a cheaper one.
  Example: Cheap fish is often used as a substitution for red snapper.
• Mislabeled / Mislabeling (adj / n)
  Definition: Having a wrong or misleading label.
  Example: The package was mislabeled as “100% Parmesan” but contained wood pulp.
• Counterfeit (adj / n)
  Definition: Made to look like the real product but fake.
  Example: Counterfeit saffron contains colored plant stems instead of real saffron threads.
• Dilution (n)
  Definition: Adding water or cheaper substances to make more product.
  Example: Expensive olive oil suffers from dilution with canola oil.
• Fraudster (n)
  Definition: A person who commits fraud (especially food fraud).
  Example: Fraudsters can make millions before they are caught.
• Bogus (adj) – informal
  Definition: Fake, not genuine.
  Example: One in ten items in your shopping cart might be bogus.
• Economically motivated adulteration (EMA) (n phrase)
  Definition: Official FDA term for food fraud done for money.
  Example: EMA is a big problem in the global food industry.
• Vulnerable (adj)
  Definition: Easy to attack or trick.
  Example: Expensive spices are vulnerable to food fraud.

Vocabulary expansion

• Authentic (adj)
  Definition: Real, genuine.
  Example: I only buy authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano from Italy.
• Traceability (n)
  Definition: The ability to follow a product from farm to table.
  Example: Good traceability helps prevent food fraud.
• Supply chain (n)
  Definition: All the steps a product takes from producer to consumer.
  Example: Fraud can happen at any point in the supply chain.
• Scandal (n)
  Definition: A shocking event that makes people angry or lose trust.
  Example: The 2013 horsemeat scandal shocked all of Europe.
• Perpetrator (n) – more formal than “fraudster”
  Definition: A person who commits a crime.
  Example: Perpetrators of food fraud rarely go to jail.
• Slap on the wrist (idiom)
  Definition: A very light punishment.
  Example: Many companies only get a slap on the wrist for serious fraud.
• Reputable (adj)
  Definition: Trusted, having a good reputation.
  Example: Buy spices only from reputable suppliers.
• Deceive (v) / Deceptive (adj)
  Definition: To trick someone into believing something false.
  Example: Deceptive labeling makes customers pay more for lower quality.
• Filler (n)
  Definition: Cheap material added to increase weight or volume.
  Example: Wood pulp is sometimes used as a filler in grated cheese.
• Mitigation (n)
  Definition: Actions to reduce or prevent a problem.
  Example: Companies need better fraud mitigation plans.

Vocabulary practice (20–25 min)Activity 1 – Matching (10 min)

Match the word to the correct definition (handout or Kahoot).Activity 2 – Gap fill (10 min)
Complete the sentences with words from the 20-word list.

1. Expensive products are more __________ to food fraud.
2. The cheese was __________ with wood pulp and cheap cheddar.
3. The company received only a __________ on the wrist – a small fine.
4. Good __________ means we know exactly where the food came from.
5. The horsemeat __________ damaged trust in many supermarkets.

Activity 3 – Speaking in pairs (5 min)

Use at least 6 of the words to tell your partner about one example of food fraud you remember or learned today.

Comprehension and discussion (20–25 min)Questions

1. Why is food fraud more common with expensive products?
2. Name three common ways fraudsters cheat (e.g., dilution, substitution…).
3. According to the video, why is seafood easy to fake?
4. What happened in the 2013 horsemeat scandal?
5. Do you think food fraud is a serious problem in your country? Why?

Group discussion
“How can normal consumers protect themselves?”
Use the 5-question survey from the video:

1. What type of product is it?
2. Can you recognize the difference?
3. Do you trust the supplier?
4. Are you buying online?
5. Did you complain if something seemed wrong?

Writing or project (15 min or homework)

• Write a short consumer advice article (120–150 words) titled “5 tips to avoid buying fake food”
• Use at least 8 words from today’s vocabulary.

Wrap-up (5 min)

• Quick quiz: 5 oral questions using today’s words.
• Students say one new thing they learned today.