Plant security was a front-burner issue in the years immediately following passage of the Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002. A flurry of new fences and guard stations were constructed, video cameras were ordered, and truck seals were put in place for sensitive shipments, and then—nothing. Terrorists thwarted, case closed.
Thanks to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), security is back in vogue. While the Bioterrorism Act hinted at security, FSMA explicitly requires defenses against intentional contamination of food due to sabotage, terrorism, counterfeiting or other deliberate means. Specific regulations have yet to be issued by FDA and may not be forthcoming until 2013, but the small community of specialists in food plant security are developing risk-assessment models and laying the foundation for continuous improvement in food defense.