National Risk Register highlights food supply contamination threat

The National Risk Register outlines the most serious risks facing the United Kingdom National Risk Register 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The NRR contains 89 threats that have been identified as having the potential to significantly impact the UK's safety, security, or critical systems at a national level. These threats include terrorism, cyber- attacks, state threats, pandemics, wildfires, and industrial action.  It also mentioned the likelihood and impact of contamination of the food supply in the United Kingdom.

The UK government rated food supply contamination as four out of five for likelihood and three out of five for impact in the NRR. This means the likelihood of food supply contamination is considered as being between 5 percent and 25 percent and its impact would be “moderate” on a scale that ranges from “minor” to “catastrophic.”

Supply chain due diligence

On an individual basis food business operators should undertake risk assessment and due diligence of their supply chains to mitigate risk wherever possible.  Appropriate risk assessments and supplier audits alongside business continuity planning and crisis management policies should form part of a companies’ food safety processes.