How A Food Defense Plan Benefits Public Safety

By Melissa Lind, contributing writer

Both the FDA and the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service are responsible for ensuring the food supply chain is safe from intentional contamination.  In addition to protection against accidental food-safety events, manufacturers and processors must also establish a plan to prevent against intentional contamination.

A food defense plan is a set of procedures written and implemented to protect food from intentional contamination or adulteration.  It is a proactive way for the food industry to ensure food products are safe from those who wish to harm the public.  The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) includes a directive to food producers, manufacturers, and processors to address hazards that may result from intentional contamination. 

Related:  FSMA Friday — The Food Defense Rule

In addition to measures taken by the FDA, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a 2011 Strategic Plan which includes a directive to protect the public food supply from “contamination by people who might try to intentionally and maliciously harm consumers.” FSIS’ strategic implementation target for FY 2016 was to ensure that 90 percent of food establishments have a functional food defense plan.  FSIS conducts yearly surveys to measure progress and recent surveys indicate that larger establishments have exceeded the goal, but smaller establishments are not there yet.

Both FSIS and the FDA have constructed tools the food industry may use to establish and maintain an effective food defense plan.  FSIS has a download available on the agency website which facilities can use to select elements needed for a specific food defense plan. The FDA offers an online tool which allows users to custom build a plan. Food defense plans should be unique to the facility.  A smaller facility, employing only a few workers, may not need a complex plan. Larger, multi-unit facility may need to enact more extensive measures.

Related: Food Fraud Vs. Food Defense

Elements of a food defense plan should include outside security, inside security, employee security, and incident response security measures.  Depending on the facility, elements may include:

• Employee background checks
• Employee identification systems such as access badges
• Advanced door locking or limited access systems
• Video surveillance
• Random physical inspection
• Inventory control measures

Once a food defense plan is developed, the plan must be implemented and maintained with regular testing, review, and adjustments should be made as needed.

While the food industry strives for a zero-defect status, food-safety and food-contamination events may be inevitable. FSMA compliance is helping the industry move toward that zero-event goal and part of compliance is ensuring your facility has an effective food defense plan, protecting the public’s health against intentional adulteration or contamination.