Health-realetd Threats EU food Security & Resilience Marco Gerevini gere@tecnoalimenti.com

Spallanzani Technologies S.r.l Via Fara 39 – 20124 Milano Italy Tel: +39 02 67 077 370, fax: +39 02 67 077 405

Short - CV Marco Gerevini: PhD in Science and Food Technology Senior Project Manager of Tecnoalimenti Certified Food Defense Coordinator (AIB International KS USA) and FDQI Member of “TA6” CBRNe European working group

Previous experiences in the Security field: National Platform SeriT Project EDEN = Design scenario of contamination and Food Demo Project Encircle = Standards & Interfaces task leader

Points to highlighted: Food terrorism threat economic and public health implications (cyber security and IA) How to improve EU Food Safety Resilience during natural disasters

Food Terrorism Food terrorism defines the set of intentional acts of adulteration, contamination or sabotage of food products, through the use of Biological, Chemical and/or Radiological agents realise with the intent of cause wide-scale harm to public health

Hybrid Threats: Food Terrorism EU Commission and Parliament in a joined report on “hybrid threats,” state that hybrid threats (non-conventional threats) could target the food chain with severe consequences The Word Health Organisation identified intentional food contamination as one of the main global public health threats of the 21st century (WHO 2007)

Food terrorism episodes 1978 Palestinian Terrorists Inject mercury into Israeli Oranges; 5 Dutch Children were Poisoned After Eating 1984 “Rajneeshee bioterror attack”: 751 individuals were poisoned after eating deliberated contaminated salad bar at ten local restaurants

Food Intentional Adulteration episodes 2014 - Japan. An employee contaminated frozen products with a pesticide, causing 2800 cases of poisoning and the recall of 6.4 million food items. 2016 – US. A man has been arrested by FBI with the accuse of sprinkling mouse poison in a dozen grocery stores  2017 – Germany. Police arrest a man accused to poisoned baby foods in a supermarket

Food Intentional Adulteration episodes 2018 - Australia. Metal needles found in strawberries, bananas and apples. Several cases of hospitalization and tons of fruit destroyed. New Zealand blocks whole fruit import from Australia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrV1XB_gE-E

Food terrorism and Health and economic impact It is not simple to calculate the potential impact of a Large scale Food Terrorism Attack Largest deliberate food contamination incident (the Melamine Incident – China 2008) : 300’000 infants and young children have been affected and six died recall of about 9,000 tons of milk powder Impact: loss of confident of consumers in the food industries and safety and public authorities

Food terrorism and Health impact The FDA scale

Food terrorism and Cyber security In the future there will be a total interconnection between all the equipment and tools used at production, distribution, retail and consumers level Cyber Security threat in the food sector is totally underestimated

Food terrorism and Cyber security and IA Science Fiction???? - Probably What about the possibility that someone could, switch off, from remote, all the fridges of some food retailer shops during the night? …..and the day after published the news on twitter, Facebook, etc.…

How to improve the EU Food Safety Resilience during natural disasters Recently large natural disasters have shown that Food and water facilities may be heavily contaminated with microbiological and chemical agents. Foodservice facilities may find impossible to cook, storage and process the food products during or, immediately after, natural disasters The consistent availability of utilities such as electricity, natural gas, potable water is critical for ensuring that food is properly stored, prepared and disposed of in a safe manner

How to improve the Food Safety Resilience during natural disasters The first responders and practitioners community need to understand their roles and responsibilities related to food safety Collaborative emergency preparedness training and exercise are needed (include food facilities, warehouses, restaurants and food safety-related professional organizations) Consider the agro-food chain as a critical infrastructure : establishing a network of Food protection practitioners that will contribute to increase the European Food Security Resilience.

Thank you for your attention ! marco.gerevini@tecnoalimenti.com