Food and beverage processing plants have a duty to protect against acts that are intended to cause harm to the public, consumers or companies from within a manufacturing site. Potential threats can range from tampering hoaxes to the less likely but still very real threat of a terrorist attack.
Food defense plans should be in full swing by now, since the FDA began enforcing its intentional adulteration (IA) rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) back in 2020 for large companies, and in July 2021 for all business sizes. For processors that fall under USDA guidelines, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) promotes food defense by encouraging establishments to voluntarily adopt a functional food defense plan; implement food defense practices (including inside, outside and personnel security measures); and conduct training and exercises to ensure preparedness.