Apr 1, 2008 12:00 PM

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released its Guide to Developing a Food Defense Plan for Warehouses and Distribution Centers, along with a companion pocket brochure on the same subject.

The USDA defines food defense as: “Putting measures in place that reduce the chances of the food supply from becoming intentionally contaminated using a variety of chemicals, biological agents, or other harmful substances by people who want to do us harm.”

Created by the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, the guide is intended to help owners and operators of warehouses and distribution centers establish practical, cost-effective food defense plans for their specific facilities.

Both the guide and brochure can be downloaded at www.fsis.usda.gov/Food_Defense_&_Emergency_Response/index.