What is the purpose of a food defense program?

A food defense program is designed specifically to prevent deliberate contamination of food. This type of program focuses on identifying and mitigating risks related to intentional tampering, such as sabotage or terrorism, which can compromise food safety and public health. By implementing strategies like surveillance, employee training, and access control, food defense programs help to safeguard food products from harmful acts that could cause illness or injury to consumers.

While enhancing flavor, training staff, and improving marketing strategies are important aspects of food service operations, they do not pertain to the primary goal of a food defense program. Flavor enhancement relates to recipe development and culinary techniques, staff training typically focuses on general food safety practices, and marketing strategies revolve around promoting products to consumers. In contrast, the primary aim of a food defense program is specifically related to safeguarding food from intentional harm.