Food protection brings together the interconnected disciplines of food safety, food defence and food authenticity (food fraud). It also includes food quality, WHS, physical and cyber IT/OT, security and resilience of critical infrastructure.
Food protection risk assessments can identify both gaps and synergies across these interconnected disciplines. This supports a holistic risk management strategy where controls designed for one discipline, can also serve as mitigation measures for another.
We’ll work with you to update your risk assessments into practical, real-world evaluations that accurately reflect your operations and supply networks.
Food businesses risks are not static. They continue to evolve and amplify under pressures such as the intensification of agriculture, climate change, geopolitical instability, ingredient shortages and increasingly sophisticated cyber capabilities.
An important understanding in any risk assessment process is that there is only a risk when a vulnerability is present. A hazard or threat, in the absence of a vulnerability, does not constitute a risk.
Risk assessment is the systematic process of identifying hazards relating to a product or process and then evaluating the likely impact of those hazards on food safety & regulatory compliance. It’s important to clearly define & describe the hazard, both the known and the unknown aspects of the hazard.
Importantly, risk assessments should be used to inform pre-emptive decision making, rather than being used retrospectively to justify decisions which have already been made.
Various techniques and tools are available, each suited to specific types of risk assessments. Assessments can also be combined for comprehensive analysis. For example, a HACCP food safety hazard analysis is often paired with an allergen cross contact risk assessment.
Risk assessments are an integral part of food safety system design and are essential for compliance to GFSI certification requirements.
If your HACCP food safety hazard analysis hasn’t been regularly challenged, then it may no longer be current or effective due to changes both within your operation, as well as external factors. Examples of these changes can include:
We’ll help you maintain a robust food safety system that provides the rigour to address new hazards and minimise your risk, while considering the best process to manage changes arising from risk assessments.
An important part of enacting any changes which result from a risk assessment, is having a process in place to manage change.
A good starting point to developing your own change management strategy is to read our blog which outlines 9 Change Management strategies for the food industry.
Your food defence plan should actively safeguard your business and brand against deliberate acts of intentional adulteration, disruption by cybercrime and economically motivated adulteration. Download PAS 96:2026 to check the new industry guidance.
As discussed in our blog, How to strengthen your food defence plan using PAS 96:2026 there are compelling reasons to challenge your existing food defence threat assessment and plan. The threat landscape continues to evolve and plans that were adequate a few years ago may no longer provide sufficient protection.
How do your current mitigation measures perform across these key areas?
Effective food defence depends on accurately identifying threats and vulnerabilities so that genuine risks of intentional harm can be prioritised and mitigated.
We’ll work with your team to define the right prompts and scope for a comprehensive food defence threat assessment, customised to the specific role and context of your business and its wider supply network. This enables you to focus resources on vulnerabilities that genuinely require mitigation measures.
Beyond the core disciplines of food safety, food defence and food fraud prevention, GFSI standards also require documented risk assessments in specific areas, including;
In addition, if your business proposes any variance from the criteria set out in a GFSI scheme, a formal risk assessment will likely be required to justify an exemption. We can support you in selecting the most appropriate risk assessment methodology for your circumstances and provide technical advice on assessment criteria, ensuring your approach is both robust and aligned with certification expectations.
We’ll collaborate with your team to build their understanding of the risk assessment process so that you can conduct your future risk assessments independently and with confidence.
We’ve worked with a global confectionary business to complete a comprehensive food defence threat assessment to meet AIB International & FSSC 22000 requirements.
We work with many clients to advise on risk assessment techniques to address product and process challenges, and to address audit non-conformances.
We’ll examine your products and process for new or emerging hazards and apply risk assessment methodology to help you determine significant food safety hazards and their controls.
We’ll work with your team to define the prompts needed for a comprehensive food defence threat assessment of your business and help you prioritise threats that need mitigation measures.
We’ll document your risk assessment in the format that meets the expectations of your GFSI scheme or to your individual needs.
We’ll collaborate with your team to build their understanding of the risk assessment process and techniques so you can conduct your future risk assessments with confidence.
