Introduction

Food defense and security are critical components of safeguarding the global food supply chain. The growing risks of intentional contamination, sabotage, and bioterrorism require proactive measures to protect food products and ensure public health and safety. This course is designed to provide food industry professionals with the knowledge and tools to identify, assess, and mitigate food defense risks while complying with relevant regulations and best practices.

Participants will explore the principles of food defense, security measures for food production and distribution, and emergency response strategies to effectively protect food systems from intentional threats.

Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will:

1. Understand the fundamentals of food defense, including the difference between food defense and food safety.
2. Learn how to identify and assess risks to the food supply chain from intentional threats, including tampering, contamination, and cyber threats.
3. Gain knowledge of regulatory requirements and guidelines for food defense, such as FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) and the Bioterrorism Act.
4. Develop and implement food defense plans and security protocols for food production, processing, and distribution.
5. Understand how to respond to and recover from food defense incidents, minimizing harm to public health and business operations.

Who Should Attend?

This training course is ideal for:

• Food Safety Managers and Quality Control Professionals responsible for ensuring food safety and security within their organizations.
• Supply Chain Managers and Logistics Professionals involved in the transportation and distribution of food products.
• Food Defense Coordinators and Security Officers focused on protecting food production and handling facilities from intentional threats.
• Regulatory Affairs Managers ensuring compliance with food defense and security regulations.
• Executive Leaders and Risk Management Professionals overseeing food defense strategies and emergency response planning.
• Public Health and Emergency Response Teams involved in mitigating risks and responding to food defense incidents.

Day 1: Introduction to Food Defense and Security

• Morning:
  • What is Food Defense? Understanding the Difference Between Food Defense and Food Safety
  • Overview of Food Defense Risks: Intentional Contamination, Terrorism, Sabotage, and Tampering
  • The Importance of Food Defense: Protecting Public Health, Brand Reputation, and Consumer Trust
• Afternoon:
  • Regulatory Framework for Food Defense: FSMA, Bioterrorism Act, and the FDA’s Food Defense Guidelines
  • Identifying Vulnerabilities in the Food Supply Chain: Key Threats and Targeted Areas
  • Case Study: Examining Past Food Defense Incidents and Lessons Learned

Day 2: Risk Assessment and Vulnerability Analysis

• Morning:
  • Conducting a Vulnerability Assessment: Identifying Points of Vulnerability in Food Production, Processing, and Distribution
  • Food Defense Threats: Biological, Chemical, Physical, and Cybersecurity Threats
  • Implementing the FDA’s Food Defense Plan Builder: Step-by-Step Guide for Developing a Risk Management Plan
• Afternoon:
  • Assessing Likelihood and Impact: Evaluating Risk and Developing a Threat Matrix
  • Creating a Risk Assessment Report: Documentation and Actionable Recommendations
  • Practical Exercise: Conducting a Vulnerability Assessment for a Hypothetical Food Facility

Day 3: Preventive Measures and Security Protocols

• Morning:
  • Preventive Controls in Food Defense: Security Measures for Personnel, Facilities, and Products
  • Physical Security: Site Access Control, Surveillance, and Perimeter Security
  • Preventing and Detecting Contamination: Procedures for Screening, Product Tracking, and Chain of Custody
• Afternoon:
  • Cybersecurity in Food Defense: Protecting Digital Infrastructure, Data, and Systems from Cyber Threats
  • Employee Training and Awareness: Ensuring Workers Understand Their Role in Food Defense
  • Developing and Implementing Security Protocols for Food Defense
  • Workshop: Designing a Comprehensive Security Plan for a Food Production Facility

Day 4: Responding to and Recovering from Food Defense Incidents

• Morning:
  • Incident Response Planning: Developing a Plan for Identifying, Reporting, and Responding to Food Defense Threats
  • Roles and Responsibilities in Food Defense: Coordination Between Food Producers, Law Enforcement, and Public Health Authorities
  • Managing the Communication Process: Internal and External Communication During a Food Defense Incident
• Afternoon:
  • Crisis Management: Containing the Incident and Minimizing Harm to Public Health and the Food Industry
  • Recovery and Business Continuity: Preventing Further Impact and Restoring Operations After an Incident
  • Case Study: Response to a Food Defense Threat and Lessons in Recovery
  • Simulation Exercise: Responding to a Hypothetical Food Defense Incident

Day 5: Building a Food Defense Culture and Continuous Improvement

• Morning:
  • Developing a Culture of Food Defense: Engaging Employees, Stakeholders, and Supply Chain Partners
  • Continuous Improvement: Reviewing, Updating, and Strengthening Food Defense Plans Regularly
  • Monitoring and Auditing Food Defense Measures: Key Metrics and Indicators
• Afternoon:
  • Crisis Simulation and Role-Playing: Coordinating a Full-Scale Response to a Food Defense Incident
  • Integrating Food Defense into Daily Operations: Making Food Defense Part of the Organizational Culture
  • Final Workshop: Creating a Tailored Food Defense Strategy for Your Organization
  • Course Summary and Action Plan: Moving Forward with Food Defense Implementation

Modern Features of the Course

• Real-World Case Studies: Analysis of actual food defense incidents and the lessons learned from those events.
• Hands-On Exercises: Vulnerability assessments, risk management planning, and incident response simulations.
• Regulatory Compliance: Focus on meeting FDA, FSMA, and Bioterrorism Act requirements for food defense.
• Digital Security Focus: Addressing the increasing importance of cybersecurity in food defense, including data protection and system integrity.
• Interactive Workshops: Collaborative sessions where participants design food defense strategies and plans for their specific organizations.