Why Bolstering Your Food Defense Plan Should Be a Top Priority

9/11 didn’t just kick off a new era for airport security across the world — it had a dramatic impact on food safety as well. The U.S. even became the first country to create food defense regulations designed to protect the food supply from intentional and malicious adulteration. Now, food defense training is a requirement for employees at many FDA registered food facilities. 

Though not much has changed for food defense laws since 2016, food defense is becoming increasingly important as geopolitical conflicts and economically motivated adulteration become more prevalent. Food defense plans and food defense training need to be a top priority for your team moving forward. 

Defining Food Defense 

A food defense plan is a set of security measures that prevents acts of intentional harm at a food and beverage manufacturing site. Though it’s rare for bad actors to intentionally contaminate food and beverage products, when it does occur, intentional adulteration can be just as costly as a food safety issue. These events can lead to product recalls and corrective actions. 

Additionally, given the potential for public harm, a food defense breach is likely to generate substantial media coverage, which can devastate a brand’s reputation. Food and beverage companies cannot afford to ignore food defense investment. 

The Importance of Food Defense Training 

Here are five reasons food and beverage manufacturers should revisit and bolster their food defense plans: 

1. Mitigate unexpected risks. Overseas conflict, inflation, and political unrest are destabilizing the global supply chain. While there is no evidence that these disruptions have led to an increase in intentional food adulteration, bad actors are more aggressive in times of upset. Implementing a new food defense program, or fortifying an existing strategy, could shield your organization from attack. Spending on security upfront costs less than resolving an attack after the fact. 

1. Dissuade security breaches. In times of disruption and social unrest, random break-ins and vandalism are more common, even if perpetrators are not intentionally targeting food manufacturers. If your facility is breached, you need to conduct an investigation to ensure your products weren’t affected. Investing in security measures preemptively can stop incidents like these from happening. 

1. Comply with future regulations. Currently, the scope of food defense regulations is limited, but that could change if there’s an attack here or abroad. Future-proof your operations by complying with both FDA regulations and voluntary measures now. In the event of tighter regulations, your operation will be minimally impacted while competitors race to catch up. 

1. Protect profits. In the 2020s, food and beverage manufacturers face an unusually competitive market. Preventing intentional adulteration is one of the best ways to safeguard hard-won profits. The average food recall now costs manufacturers an average of $10 million, but those costs can be much higher for large companies. 

1. Preserve your reputation. The media avoids reporting on intentional attacks on the food supply chain to prevent copycat crimes. Stories that do make the news have an outsized impact on the public’s perception of a manufacturer. Investing in an effective food defense plan is critical to protecting your company’s reputation. 

You Can’t Afford to Avoid Food Defense Training 

Implementing a new food defense training program or improving your existing strategies can be challenging, but essential to mitigate risks for the coming decade. Fortunately, you don’t have to do it alone. 

AIB International regularly releases new information about the latest food defense strategies. Our comprehensive food defense evaluation audit will identify potential vulnerabilities to your facility and current strategy. Additional intentional adulteration food defense training can prepare your team to identify risks, spot contamination, and react in the interest of public safety.