Food defense and operational health protection against intentional food contamination in the Armed Forces

Abstract

The intentional adulteration of the food supply chain is a concern for governments, organizations, and societies, especially after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, resulting in measures against intentional food contamination, known as Food Defense. This study aimed to systematize evidence on threat assessment and procedures that promote Food Defense actions in countries and Armed Forces. The method consisted of a integrative literature review with searches in the Web of Science, SciELO, Lilacs, and Google Scholar databases. The results of this research reveal the application of concepts on the subject through the adoption of tools, such as software and checklists, with the development of Food Defense systems. In the government area, initiatives related to the implementation of legislation on intentional food contamination are incipient, except for the United States of America. In Brazil, it is necessary to address the Food Defense subject as a national security policy to preserve the operational health of the military.