What is the importance of food defense? What measures must be taken to implement a functioning food defense system? What influence does management have on the implementation of the requirements? What are the risks for an indoor bakery and how can they be minimized? In this article, you will get answers to exactly these questions.

Content:

1. Importance of Food Defense
2. Food defense measures
3. Legal requirements Food Defense
4. Food Defense in the Indoor Backshop

Meaning of Food Defense

Literally translated, Food Defense means "food defense". In essence, it is about "food product protection". This includes the defense of food at each individual production and distribution stage against any intended contamination or sabotage. This can be achieved by a concept including a systematic approach. The goal of the food defense concept should be the defense against possible acts of sabotage. There are different motives behind sabotage. The aim is to cause the greatest possible damage to companies, people, politics or national economies. This is achieved through the use of microorganisms, foreign materials, chemical substances and radiological contamination. For this reason, personnel and operational security measures are necessary to reduce the risks as best as possible.

Food Defense Measures

In order to prevent food defense, it is necessary to carry out various actions within the company. These concern the personnel and operational areas. The following measures are necessary to minimize the risk as far as possible:

Management: this is possible, for example, through the introduction of a control system including recording.
Organizational: This area includes training and various systems that prevent acts of sabotage.
Physical: The use of access controls and surveillance cameras, for example, supports the desired measures.

Part of the individual measures should include early detection, tracking of operational food, containment and elimination measures, contingency plans, and overall coordination.

Legal Requirements Food Defense

Under current European food law, no specific food defense prevention measures are required. The responsibility here lies with the individual companies. When exporting food to the USA, US legislation applies. This states that companies must undergo certification in accordance with certain industry standards. This in turn includes the obligation to provide evidence of the measures implemented.

Food defense in the indoor bakery

Food stores make it possible to offer a range of baked goods by using an indoor bakery. This enables food retailers to offer a constant availability of baked goods, an extensive range of baked goods and easy self-service. What about cleanliness and the risk of deliberate sabotage in an indoor bakery store?

The following questions should arise and be answered in this context: 

• How can baked goods in the self-service display be prevented from becoming a risk and what measures should be taken to address this?
• Are there entry restrictions in the preparation room of the bakery store? Can access to the preparation room be restricted at all and what is the effect?
• How is unsold merchandise handled?
• Should all groups of merchandise be given the same access?
• Does it make a difference whether the customer takes out a doughnut or a roll?
• and many more.

The answers to these and similar questions are complex and take on a wide range. For this reason, naming the possible risks is of high importance. This can be done, for example, by using the HACCP concept. In this context, the question regarding the nature of the goods (e.g. soft, hard, permeable, moist, etc.) can provide initial clues. In addition, it must be noted that touching by customers (e.g. feeling the freshness of the goods) must be absolutely prevented. This can be done, for example, by means of a single dispenser, tongs with restricted access, etc. If tongs are used, it is also necessary to specify a cleaning interval.

Due to the different design possibilities of indoor backshops, a situation-related consideration and answering of various questions is necessary.

The topic of food defense concerns not only indoor bake stores, but also the food retail industry in general. Do you want to ensure your food product protection and quality? Here I will be glad to support you. Contact me now to optimize the performance of your hygiene processes!

List of sources:

https://www.vorest-ag.com/Lebensmittelsicherheit-HACCP-IFS/Wissen/Was-Ist-Food-Defense-Und-Wie-Wird-Ein-Food-Defense-Plan-Umgesetzt
https://www.ua-bw.de/pub/food_defense.asp?subid=0&Theme_ID=2&lang=DE
https://wehrmed.de/veterinaermedizin/food-defense-sabotage-der-lebensmittel-trinkwasserversorgung-als-neue-bedrohung-fuer-die-bundeswehr.html