Update of WHO Guidance on Food Defense

To support international efforts in mitigating deliberate threats to the food system, the World Health Organization commissioned an update to its earlier guidance titled Terrorist Threats to Food. The revision aimed to broaden the original scope by addressing not only intentional acts, such as food terrorism, but also a wider array of systemic risks—ranging from pandemics to geopolitical disruptions—that could compromise global food safety.

Risk Sciences International was tasked with laying the groundwork for this updated guidance. The work involved four key components: conducting a comprehensive literature review using academically rigorous methods; collecting and organizing relevant qualitative and/or quantitative data; clearly outlining the methods used to ensure scientific transparency; and developing a skeleton paper to help structure the final document.

The project explored food as a vehicle for harm, the vulnerabilities inherent in global food systems, and the social, economic, and health-related impacts of food-related threats. It also examined existing prevention strategies, response capabilities, and international coordination mechanisms. The resulting materials were designed to support WHO Member States in developing robust, evidence-based food defense strategies. In addition to informing policy specialists, the deliverables were structured to be accessible to broader audiences, including non-technical decision-makers.