FOOD THREAT/ DEFENSE
The malicious contamination of food for terrorist purposes is a real and current threat, and deliberate contamination of food at one location could have global public health implications
Food defense addresses food system vulnerabilities to prevent deliberate attacks on food by malicious, criminal, or terrorist threats or activities, with the goal of reducing the impact of any potential system attacks or disastrous events.
Site security systems shall protect products, premises, and brands from malicious actions while under the control of the site.
Biological or radio nuclear agents might be used deliberately to harm civilian populations and that food might be a vehicle for disseminating such agents. The modern food supply is a system of systems that is long and sophisticated, and therefore provides numerous opportunities for deliberate contamination at the production, processing, retail, and foodservice stages.
Threat Assessment Critical Control Point (TACCP) is defined as a management process, a systematic method, to defend a food supply chain from intentional contamination. The act of contamination is behaviourally or ideologically motivated with the intent to cause harm to people.
An example of food threat: in 2017, a man from Germany contaminated baby food jars in supermarkets with ethylene glycol in an attempt to extort a huge amount of money. Ethylene glycol is a clear, colourless, viscous liquid that has a sweet taste but is poisonous if ingested.