Which term means the prevention of intentional contamination?

• A. Food Safety
• B. Food Defense
• C. Food Security
• D. Bioterrorism

Answer: (B)

The key idea being tested is protecting the food supply from deliberate harm. Food Defense is the term that specifically focuses on preventing intentional contamination or tampering with food products, facilities, and distribution systems. It covers measures like controlled access to facilities, monitoring and auditing, supplier verification, employee screening, tamper-evident packaging, and incident response planning to deter and detect acts of sabotage.

Food Safety, in contrast, targets preventing unintentional hazards from occurring in the production and handling of food—things like biological, chemical, or physical hazards that arise unintentionally. Food Security deals with ensuring consistent access to a safe, nutritious food supply for populations, not specifically the prevention of deliberate contamination. Bioterrorism refers to the act of using biological agents to cause harm, not to the preventive framework itself.