The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has announced it will conduct its sixth annual survey of establishment food defense plans from July 1  through July 31. Although establishment food defense plans are not mandatory, FSIS said it considers such plans to be an important tool that can reduce the risk of intentional adulteration of food products.

The initial survey in 2006 found that 27 percent of the surveyed establishments had a functional food defense plan.  By August 2010, the adoption rate increased to 74 percent.  FSIS has established the goal of having at least 90 percent of its inspected establishments with a functional food defense plan by 2015.