Food Defence – Protecting Food from Intentional Contamination
Training Course Outline:
In today’s interconnected food supply chain, intentional contamination, sabotage, and terrorism are real risks that can disrupt business and harm consumers. Certification schemes such as FSSC 22000, IFS, BRCGS, SQF, and GlobalG.A.P. all require structured food defence programs.
This training webinar provides practical, step-by-step guidance on how to implement and maintain a food defence plan that meets GFSI and regulatory requirements. Participants will explore threat assessment tools, digital monitoring methods, and AI-driven threat detection. Case studies from food industries will demonstrate how to apply food defence measures in practice.
What Participants Will Learn
• The meaning and scope of food defence in 2026.
• GFSI and regulatory requirements for food defence plans.
• How to conduct threat assessments using structured tools.
• How to develop mitigation plans that are practical and effective.
• How to perform simulations and test food defence plans.
• Case studies of incidents and lessons learned.
• The role of AI, digital surveillance, and access control systems in modern food defence.
• Crisis readiness: handling intentional contamination threats during pandemics, labour shortages, or geopolitical risks.
List of Topics Covered:
Part 1: Understanding the Threat Landscape
• Global threats and evolving trends – terrorism, sabotage, activism, disgruntled employees, and insider risks.
• Historical incidents and lessons learned – examples of intentional contamination in food supply chains.
• Impact of globalisation – longer supply chains, greater exposure to vulnerabilities.
• Emerging risks – geopolitical instability, pandemics, labour shortages, cyber-attacks on food production.
Part 2: Standards, Requirements & Frameworks
• Food defence in GFSI certification schemes – what FSSC 22000, IFS, BRCGS, SQF, and GlobalG.A.P. require.
• Definitions and scope of food defence – differentiating it from food fraud and food safety.
• Types of intentional contamination – biological, chemical, physical, radiological.
• Categories of attackers and their motives – malicious insiders, disgruntled staff, criminals, terrorists.
• Global guidelines and regulatory frameworks – FDA (IA Rule, Food Defense Plan Builder), EU requirements, PAS 96.
Part 3: Practical Tools & Modern Approaches
• Preparation steps for Threat and Vulnerability Assessment (TVA) – identifying vulnerable points, ranking risks, and setting priorities.
• Food defence tools explained:
o FDA FDPB – structured threat assessment.
o CARVER+Shock – evaluating attractiveness of targets.
o FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) – adapting a quality tool to food defence.
o PAS 96 – practical guidance on threat mitigation.
• Modern digital surveillance – cameras, access control, biometrics.
• AI-driven monitoring – predictive modelling of anomalies in production behaviour, digital traceability, and employee movement monitoring.
Part 4: Implementation, Measurement & Case Studies
• Case Study 1: Developing and implementing a food defence plan in a meat processing facility – identifying vulnerable steps, applying mitigation, and validating effectiveness.
• Case Study 2: Food defence in a catering industry facility – insider risks, raw material handling, and transport vulnerabilities.
• Maintaining and improving programmes – setting KPIs, building dashboards, and conducting internal audits.
• Integrating food defence into business continuity and crisis management – how to respond during pandemics, strikes, or supply disruptions.
• Continuous improvement cycle – reviewing incidents, updating TVAs, and engaging leadership.
All Attendees Receive
• Training slides (PDF) + food defence templates.
• Sample threat assessment checklist.
• Personalized IFSQN Training Academy Certificate.
• 30-day access to webinar recording.
• Post-webinar contact with the presenter for support.