ABSTRACT
CONTENTS 20.1 Vulnerability Assessments .................................................................... 542 20.2 Developing Food Defense Plans .......................................................... 547 20.3 Mitigation Strategies............................................................................... 566 20.4 Intentionally Contaminating Food....................................................... 566 20.5 Conclusion ............................................................................................... 588 References ........................................................................................................... 588
Tommy G. Thompson, former secretary of Health and Human Services, said, he worried constantly about food poisoning. In a now famous statement he made before his resignation in December 2004, he said:
Although inspections of food imports have risen sharply in the past 4 years, ‘‘it still is a very minute amount that we’re doing.’’*
His warning did much to promote the development of food defense programs throughout the private sector. In this chapter, we will discuss vulnerability assessments and risk assessment models as well as some of the microbes and toxins that could pose a threat for intentional food contamination.
