Food Defense Audits

As mentioned, food defense is one of the top five areas of non-compliances NSF encounters in food safety audits. The most frequently found deficiency in these audits is unsecured doors. Other frequently encountered non-conformances related to food defense include businesses not following their own protocol for verifying visitor ID and sign in, unsecured perimeters, failure to review the food defense plan, and failure to properly train the food defense team. Additional areas that can thwart food defense are self-conducted risk assessments, unsecured utilities (such as electrical panels and water shutoffs), and inadequate shipping controls. For example, last year a man who presented falsified paperwork was able to steal a semitrailer of cheese valued at $75,000. In 2002, milk tampering in western New York resulted in more than 48,000 gallons of milk being destroyed, costing farmers tens of thousands of dollars.

What Government is Doing

Food companies are not the only defense to food threats. Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7 declared food and agriculture as one of 18 critical infrastructure sectors vulnerable to attack. To protect our food supply, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) conducts surveillance to monitor and detect acts of intentional contamination of meat, poultry, and egg products. It developed a system to rapidly identify, respond to, and track intentional food contamination and other large-scale food emergencies. FSIS randomly tests processed products for threats and conducts food defense verifications to identify vulnerabilities that could lead to deliberate contamination.

FSIS import surveillance liaison officers oversee food defense issues relating to imported food products at borders, ports of entry, and in commerce nationwide. FSMA will also further control the safety of food products imported into the U.S.

Additional Resources

In addition to undergoing third-party food defense audits, companies can use several free online resources to help them assess their food defense readiness or develop a food defense plan. FSIS has developed food defense self-assessment checklists for warehouses and distribution centers and slaughter and processing plants.

The U.S. FDA’s Food Defense Plan Builder helps food suppliers develop targeted defense plans. The FDA also provides the online course Food Defense 101, vulnerability assessments, mitigation strategies, webinars, and other tools and resources for the industry.

The NSF Supplier Assurance Audit also helps food companies assess their development, implementation, and control of systems that impact food defense, as well as food safety and quality.

Govro, technical/QA manager for NSF International, has over 35 years of experience in private industry and regulatory agencies as a food safety, quality, and public health professional. Reach him at 734-769-8010 ext. 5351.