Consumer Perceptions and Regulatory Challenges Associated with Food Adulteration in Urban Food Markets of Malawi

Food adulteration remains a major food safety challenge in many low- and middle-income countries, yet evidence on consumer experiences and regulatory perspectives is limited in Malawi. This study assessed consumer knowledge, perceptions, experiences, and attitudes regarding food adulteration in Lilongwe City and examined the perspectives of food safety regulatory authorities on adulteration control and enforcement. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 75 consumers recruited from markets, supermarkets, and residential areas, and six regulatory personnel from key food control institutions. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analysed using descriptive statistics. Only 56.0% of consumers had previously heard of food adulteration, although 70.2% perceived it as a major problem in Lilongwe and 85.4% considered adulterated foods a serious public health threat. More than half (56.0%) reported having suspected food adulteration, most commonly in milk and dairy products (50.0%), meat and fish (34.6%), maize flour (30.8%), and spices (26.9%). Suspicion was primarily based on unusual taste (69.2%), smell (48.1%), and appearance (38.5%). Despite widespread concern, only 5.8% of respondents reported suspected incidents to regulatory authorities. Consumers identified economic gain (73.3%), inadequate legislation (41.3%), and limited consumer vigilance (30.7%) as key drivers of adulteration. Regulatory authorities similarly reported economically motivated adulteration as common and highlighted inadequate funding, limited staffing, weak enforcement capacity, and low consumer awareness as major barriers to effective control. These findings reveal a gap between consumer concern and technical knowledge, compounded by institutional constraints that hinder prevention and detection efforts. Strengthening consumer awareness, surveillance systems, laboratory capacity, regulatory enforcement, and inter-agency coordination could enhance food control effectiveness and reduce public health risks associated with adulterated foods.