How is ‘food defense’ best defined?

The definition of 'food defense' centers around the proactive measures taken to protect food from intentional contamination or sabotage. This includes strategies aimed at preventing acts such as tampering, terrorism, or any malicious intent that could harm the food supply or consumer safety. Food defense is crucial for ensuring the security and safety of food products, particularly in scenarios where threats could come from individuals intending to cause harm.

In this context, it is distinct from other concepts like food safety, which primarily deals with preventing unintentional contamination. While food safety focuses on things like proper cooking and sanitation to keep food safe from harmful pathogens or chemical hazards, food defense emphasizes safeguarding against deliberate acts that aim to compromise the integrity of food products. Therefore, the emphasis on intentional actions makes this definition the most accurate representation of food defense.