The new Market Update section of Food Manufacturing is designed to offer our readers insight toward critical industry trends and issues. We received hundreds of helpful responses to this month's reader survey on Food Security. Please be on the lookout next month for our email survey on Energy Efficiency and let your opinions be heard in the pages of Food Manufacturing!
        Food security issues are at the forefront of the food industry's mind. In fact, nearly 90% of survey respondents reported that they are concerned about security issues. 93% of respondents reported altering their plant's security methods since the events of September 11, 2001, with 29% reporting drastic alterations. In addition, 50% reported having spent at least $100,000 or more on plant security per plant post 9/11.
        More than half of respondents have an on-premise director or coordinator to evaluate the security of their plants. 40% rely on a combined effort of on-premise directors, government field inspectors and third party auditors to achieve their food security goals.
        An important issue in food security is the question of where the responsibility lies. Should government agencies, such as the FDA or USDA, have more say in the matter or should individual plants be responsible for their own well being when it comes to security? The overwhelming majority of readers (89%) reported that responsibility should lie with individual plants (33%) or should be a combined effort between plants and government agencies (56%), while very few (8.5%) felt that government agencies alone should control food security.
        The survey consensus is that while it is important for the FDA/USDA to provide guidelines, framework and oversight, the ultimate responsibility for security should and will fall on individual companies. This fact is especially interesting because much of today's media attention seems to stress that the FDA's broad authority is just not enough to secure our food supply.
        There is also notable concern over the consistency and clarity of existing industry regulations. An eye-opening 1/3 of respondents reported not being at all familiar with the FDA's voluntary security guidelines (www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/secgui14.html). These guidelines identify preventive measures that “operators of food establishments may take to minimize the risk that food under their control will be subject to tampering or other malicious, criminal, or terrorist actions.” While not legally enforceable, these guidance documents are intended to describe the agency's current thinking and provide educated recommendations.
        If you have any questions/comments on our market update topic, or would like your email address added to our survey distribution list, please email us at Karen.Langhauser@advantagemedia.com.

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