It is one of the topics at the 1st Bernburg Food Safety FORUM: food terrorism. In Baden-Württemberg, this area has been under the purview of the Chemical and Veterinary Testing Office since 2002. On October 29, 2026, Dr. Jörg Rau will speak at the Campus Bernburg of Anhalt University of Applied Sciences about what his department does, how the threats have changed, and what measures will be important for prevention.
Food Defense: How to Protect Food from Deliberate Tampering
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© Sam Sanchez; DokuTeam, Fachbereich Design Dessau, Hochschule Anhalt
What exactly does the acronym VoLT stand for, and what event marked its inception? Was there a specific reason for its introduction in Baden-Württemberg?
VoLT is our abbreviation for “Prevention of Food Terrorism”—a topic known internationally as “food defense.”
Following the devastating events of September 11, 2001, perceptions of threats have changed significantly. As a result, preventive measures have become more relevant in many areas, both internationally and nationally. In Baden-Württemberg, for example, the foundation for actively addressing food defense was laid as early as 2002 with the establishment of an interdisciplinary working group. Then as now, this topic is addressed at the Stuttgart Chemical and Veterinary Testing Office on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Areas, and Home Affairs (MLR). We at VoLT therefore look back on more than 20 years of experience in the field of food defense.
How does the approach to preventing food terrorism differ methodologically from traditional food safety monitoring, which tends to focus on unintentional contamination?
As you indicated in your question, traditional food safety inspections involve checking products intended for consumer consumption to ensure they comply with legal requirements. In this context, the focus of inspections and sample testing is on protecting consumer health from unintentional hazards, ensuring hygiene, and preventing food fraud.
The approach to preventing food terrorism is somewhat different. It takes a holistic view of the entire process and food supply chain. This involves analyzing whether preventive measures can be strengthened to minimize the risk of intentional contamination.
Are there any substances or contamination pathways that cannot yet be reliably detected using current analytical methods—in other words, blind spots in the system?
The range of potential hazardous substances is very broad when ingested orally. It extends from biological substances to chemical and physical substances and even radiochemical substances. Fortunately, Germany has a diverse and capable testing infrastructure, ranging from private-sector laboratories to government food safety laboratories and research laboratories. A great many hazardous substances have long been systematically tested here. In addition, relevant analytical methods are being further developed, for example in specialized toxin laboratories.
© CVUA-S | Dr. Jörg Rau
How has the threat landscape changed since the program began? Are different scenarios a greater concern today than they were 20 years ago?
Due to current international conflicts, the issue of food defense is already receiving significantly more attention. The media coverage of breaches and tampering in infrastructure systems clearly demonstrates this.
More than 20 years ago, the topic was “uncharted territory” for everyone involved. That has clearly changed. Food defense measures are now an integral part of regular audits in the food industry. Regulatory agencies are also aware of the issue. At VoLT, we have developed a special “Food Defense Checklist”—a tool that assists us in the voluntary expert consultations we offer in Baden-Württemberg. We greatly value the professional exchange with businesses, as well as with the relevant institutions, such as the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) in Berlin.
What technical or regulatory developments do you see as necessary in the coming years to keep pace with new risks—such as more complex supply chains?
The most important thing is to raise awareness of this issue among those in charge at the company—regardless of where in the supply chain the company operates. That is why, in our view, direct professional dialogue is very effective. Through our voluntary VoLT expert discussions, we offer interested parties in our state the opportunity to engage with government officials without the pressure of an inspection. Thanks to our many years of work on VoLT, we are recognized at the Chemical and Veterinary Testing Office in Stuttgart as points of contact and experts in food defense. As a result, we have also been noticing increased interdisciplinary cooperation among institutions at the state and federal levels for some time now.
Background & Information on the 1st Bernburg Food Safety FORUM
Food defense is an example of how food safety requirements are changing. The 1st Bernburg Food Safety FORUM will address not only measures to prevent targeted tampering but also other current issues, such as microplastics, hemp, and CBD in food, as well as the role of corporate culture and human resources management. The conference brings together perspectives from academia, the food industry, and regulatory agencies, and demonstrates how new challenges can be addressed in practice.
Click here for the program and registration: https://www.hs-anhalt.de/departments/loel/aktuelles/bernburger-forum-lebensmittelsicherheit/willkommen.html
Contact us directly: forum-lebensmittelsicherheit@hs-anhalt.de
Redaktion
Claudia Aldinger
The 1st Bernburg Food Safety FORUM...will take place on October 29, 2026, at the university’s Campus Bernburg.
Program and registration: https://www.hs-anhalt.de/fachbereiche/loel/aktuelles/bernburger-forum-lebensmittelsicherheit/willkommen.html
