FDA Releases New Software Tool For Food Defense
News Date June 18, 2007
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a new tool to help growers, packers, processors, manufacturers, warehousers, transporters, and retailers in the food industry determine the vulnerability of individual food facilities to biological, chemical, or radiological attack. The software program, called the CARVER + Shock Software Tool, is a science-based prevention strategy to safeguard the food supply.
FDA's goal in developing the CARVER + Shock software is to maximize protection of the American food supply. The risk-ranking methodology used by the CARVER + Shock software tool has been designed to assist facility operators in identifying potential vulnerabilities and assist in providing preventive measures to increase the defense of products and operations.
In 2006, FDA launched the ALERT Initiative which was designed to raise industry awareness of food defense and preparedness issues. CARVER + Shock builds on ALERT, and allows a more formal and detailed food defense assessment. To see a consumer article called CARVER + Shock: Enhancing Food Defense, visit http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/carvershock061107.html. (Contact: Charlie Ingram)