What is the definition of Food Defense?

• A. The scientific discipline describing the handling, preparation, and storage of food to prevent foodborne illness.
• B. The effort to protect food from acts of intentional adulteration.
• C. The monitoring of food supply for shortages.
• D. The analysis of consumer satisfaction with food products.

Answer: (B)

Food Defense is about protecting the food supply from deliberate acts of adulteration or tampering. This focus on intentional threats is what sets it apart from other concepts: food safety aims to prevent illness from unintentional hazards during handling and processing; food security concerns ensuring access to safe, nutritious food for populations; and consumer satisfaction relates to opinions and preferences about products. So, the best definition is the effort to protect food from acts of intentional adulteration, encompassing measures to deter, detect, and respond to deliberate contamination.