27 Facility Security and Food Defense

Food Fraud

Food fraud is a broad term that covers any misrepresentation or tampering that can happen at any point within the process of the food supply. It does not matter if the food is domestic or imported, food fraud can still occur. Food fraud can be intentional or unintentional. Intentional tampering of food is done with the purpose of causing harm and can result in a mass health crisis.

An extreme example of intentional tampering of food is bioterrorism. Misleading information and labelling can cause economic issues as well as health risks. Take olive oil, for example. Olive oil is an expensive oil. Suppose someone chose to substitute some of the oil in a bottle of olive oil with a cheaper oil, such as peanut oil, and keep it labelled as pure olive oil. The impacts of this intentional adulteration and mislabelling would result in the consumer not getting value for their money, and more seriously, severe illness and possible death to an individual with a peanut allergy.

Whether intentional or unintentional, food fraud is a big concern as the food processing industry is so widespread and impacts everyone in the country. Every employee along all levels of the food supply chain has a level of responsibility in keeping food safe and labelled accurately. Within the food processing industry, making sure every employee is aware of the government regulations and requirements is the first step. Traceability (forward and backward), proper record-keeping and following the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) are steps that every employee should be aware of and follow to prevent food fraud. Following labelling requirements and food recall procedures are also important mitigation strategies.

Supervision and areas with authorised access only allow specific and approved personnel to enter restricted areas. By limiting the amount of people who have access to restricted areas, employees can be held accountable and easily addressed if a food-tampering situation occurs. Authorised access only areas also ensure that the only people entering an area are properly trained and qualified.

It is important to be aware that security breaches within the food processing industry are not always done physically. Cyber attacks are a concern as well. Modern technology is a useful tool for efficiency and speed within the workforce, but it also comes with a new set of security risks. For example, hacking a system that handles temperature control of food storage can allow for pathogens to grow and multiply without people being aware. Automatic cleaning and sanitising machinery can be hacked so that not all of the chemical residue is removed. Another example of cyber breaches could be altering important records, or tampering with labelling machines.

Food defence is actions taken to prevent food fraud, intentional adulteration, bioterrorism, or any other action that will result in harm. Food defence action is taken by employees by sticking to regulations, but the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) also plays an important role in food defence. The CFIA conducts inspections and sample testing, and oversees labelling requirements so that every food item is represented properly.

Watch this video for more information on how the CFIA and food processing corporations work together to prevent food fraud:

Tackling Food Fraud

Plant health is also an important concern within the food processing industry. Plants are living creatures, and a vital part of the food chain and environment. Humans are not the only creatures that eat plants; certain pests also love plants. It is crucial to be aware of plant health as plants can carry pests and pathogens that harm human health, and contaminate other foods.

Since the food supply impacts every citizen in a country, it can be a potential target for terrorism. Bioterrorism is when pathogens, poisons, and biological agents are purposefully released with the intention to cause widespread harm, sickness and death. A biological agent is any pathogen (virus, fungus, bacteria, parasite or toxic chemical) that is used as bioterrorist ammunition. Within the United States, there is an act called the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002. This act ensured that the federal government would provide assistance to local governments in the event of a bioterrorism situation. The act outlines policies, financial plans, inspection requirements, and education strategies. Access to cyber information is a concern when it comes to bioterrorism as well. Databases have to be carefully protected. For this reason, access to the database for listed toxins and agents is heavily restricted.

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Health_Security_and_Bioterrorism_Preparedness_and_Response_Act_of_2002

https://inspection.canada.ca/food-labels/labelling/consumers/food-fraud/what-is-food-fraud/eng/1648661693364/164866169416