Food Defense

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The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) recently published the findings of a targeted surveillance sampling program conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic to identify emerging food safety risks and increase knowledge of the food system.

In 2012, the Consumer Goods Forum’s Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) began the development of a standardized process for assessing and managing food fraud incidents, which has since been adopted across the food industry.

Food Standards Scotland is encouraging food and beverage businesses to sign up for the new Food Crime Risk Profiling Tool, an online tool designed to help increase defense against food fraud.

While ransomware is the most common cyberattack vector for businesses, other cyber threats can be far more dangerous to the food supply system, as discussed in this article.

After finding nearly 70 percent of private-label avocado oils to be rancid or adulterated, researchers have identified key markers to help the retail food industry source authentic product.

Now available is the 120 Day Food and Agriculture Interim Risk Review, which provides a review of critical and emergent risks to the U.S. food and agriculture sector, and will help inform the Federal Risk Mitigation Strategy, as outlined in the National Security Memorandum-16 (NSM-16).

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) hopes to secure further legal powers for the National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) in England and Wales, which will enable the agency to more effectively investigate food crime with autonomy by granting powers of entry and search. A public consultation is now available.

The National Institute of Oilseed Products has formed a Product Integrity Committee in response to increasing incidents of food fraud within the oilseed industry worldwide.

Threat information should be disseminated as rapidly as possible, especially between businesses that may otherwise be restricted by anti-competitive laws or regulations. This article discusses the nature of the information that should be and is typically shared by businesses participating in an Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC).

Approximately two-thirds of avocado oil in North America is adulterated and of lower quality than advertised, according to a recent study by researchers from the University of California, Davis.