ADT Announces Expansion Of Food Defense Strategy
Earlier this year President Barack Obama signed into law the Food Safety Modernization Act designed to help strengthen the ability of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to recall food products and require food manufacturers and suppliers to develop written plans to assure the safety of their products and ingredients.
The new law is the biggest legislative change to food production oversight since the 1930’s and takes into account the possibility of intentional contamination to the food supply by terrorists.
As part of the food safety legislation food manufacturers and suppliers will be required to identify potential problem areas that might affect the safety of their products and outline ways to prevent or circumvent those areas of concern. ADT is working with food manufacturers to meet these new regulations by providing security tools and solutions that food suppliers and manufacturers can use to help keep their products safe and untainted.
ADT has also been active in continuing education within the food processing and manufacturing industry. Last April, the company hosted a two-day Food Defense event bringing together leading food manufacturers, consultants and experts to discuss pending legislation, new technologies and best practices. ADT will host a similar event this March in Denver. One of the strengths ADT brings to food defense is its Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies (SAFETY) Act certification by the Department of Homeland Security. This provides ADT customers with legal protection in the event of a terrorist attack.
ADT is using its knowledge and expertise in safety and security to help its food manufacturing customers comply with the standards outlined in the new law, according to Hank Monaco, vice president of commercial marketing for ADT.
“We have been involved in working with food manufacturers and suppliers on security for a number of years and have been a leader in the development of many of the food defense strategies and solutions used today,” Monaco said. “Now that the mandates have been signed into law we believe we can use our expertise and knowledge to help others in the food industry achieve the same high levels of security and safety.”
ADT has also teamed with Arrowsight, provider of remote video auditing services and software, and is using its Huntsville (Ala.) Food Defense Demo Lab to show food manufacturers and people in the industry new technologies and solutions in a real-world setting and how they can help keep the food supply chain safe and secure from sabotage.
This new legislation takes the FDA and the food industry from a reactive and inspection-based method of operating to a proactive and preventative focus. And since so many of the ingredients in our food come from outside the U.S. these efforts will have to be expanded globally. Many food manufacturers will have to monitor facilities and processes throughout the world and will need the technology, tools and partnerships to do so.