The National Center for Food Protection and Defense (NCFPD) was officially launched as a Homeland Security Center of Excellence in July 2004. Developed as a multidisciplinary and action-oriented research consortium, NCFPD addresses the vulnerability of the nation's food system to attack through intentional contamination with biological or chemical agents. NCFPD takes a comprehensive, farm-to-table view of the food system, encompassing all aspects from primary production through transportation and food processing to retail and food service.

NCFPD's research and education program is aimed at reducing the potential for contamination at any point along the food supply chain and mitigating potentially catastrophic public health and economic effects of such attacks. The program incorporates cutting-edge research across a wide range of disciplines, including supply chain management, logistics, epidemiology, risk assessment, economics, molecular biology, food microbiology, biomedical engineering, toxicology, and risk communication.

In delivering on its mission to defend the safety and security of the food system through research and education, NCFPD places a high priority on addressing potential threats to the food system that could lead to catastrophic damage to public health or the economy. Specific goals of the program include:

Significant improvement in supply chain security, preparedness, and resiliency
Development of rapid and accurate methods to detect incidents of contamination and to identify specific agent(s) involved
Application of strategies to reduce the risk of foodborne illness due to intentional contamination in the food supply chain
Development of tools to facilitate recovery from contamination incidents and resumption of safe food system operations
Rapid mobilization and delivery of appropriate and credible risk communication messages to the public
Delivery of high quality education and training programs to develop a cadre of professionals equipped to deal with future threats to the food system.

Over 150 experts from academia, private sector research organizations, professional organizations, state and federal government agencies, and the food industry are currently involved in NCFPD's research and education program. Academic collaborators include the University of Minnesota, Michigan State University, University of Wisconsin–Madison, North Dakota State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Tennessee–Knoxville, and individual investigators from 21 other universities. Nearly all NCFPD research and education projects involve students and research trainees.

Research Teams & Capabilities

NCFPD's research teams are organized thematically into systems (supply chain, public health response, and economic analysis), agents (detection, inactivation, and decontamination), and training (risk communication and education). Thirty-three research and education projects, based on collaborative efforts across multiple teams and organizations, are currently underway in these areas:

SUPPLY CHAIN & INFORMATION MANAGEMENT – Developing supply chain best practices standards and online information management systems to improve supply chain resiliency and real-time information sharing along the food chain.

PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE & EPIDEMIOLOGY – Developing predictive modeling and decision-making tools to assess the scope and impact of contamination and to improve strategies for public health response and remediation.

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS – Estimating the potential impact of intentional contamination on commerce and trade and developing strategies for optimizing investments to minimize economic losses.

DETECTION & DIAGNOSTICS – Developing rapid and accurate methods for detecting biological and chemical agents in food products and enabling efficient monitoring and testing in a range of food production, processing, and retail settings.

INACTIVATION AND FOOD PROCESSING – Developing methods to isolate or inactivate potential contaminants, including spores, toxins, and chemical agents, in food products to facilitate detection in the food matrix and to provide a routine level of protection against contamination.

DECONTAMINATION & DISPOSAL – Developing safe and effective large-scale means of disposing of contaminated food and decontaminating individuals, facilities, or sites.

RISK COMMUNICATION – Developing best practices for active engagement of multiple audiences in effective risk communications prior to, during and after potentially catastrophic food bioterrorism incidents.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS – Developing just-in-time training materials, advanced course content, virtual training programs, and interdisciplinary degree options for undergraduates, graduates, and professionals.

Coordination & Integration

LABORATORY CORE – Facilitates the rapid translation and integration of newly developed diagnostic research methods into the national laboratory infrastructure, e.g. by assuring that new methodologies are appropriately validated and by coordinating surge capacity among laboratories during a food contamination incident.

INDUSTRY & PUBLIC HEALTH WORKGROUPS - Senior food industry officials and public health leaders provide the Center with essential real-world expertise, guidance, and feedback.

Leadership

Shaun Kennedy, Director
Francis (Frank) Busta, PhD, Director Emeritus

Disclaimer

This research was supported by the United States Department of Homeland Security through the National Center for Food Protection and Defense (NCFPD), grant number N-00014-04-1-0659. However, any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.