We are reading many stories of food adulteration, food frauds, etc. Food safety plans are needed to control these frauds and prevent food contamination. We are aware of the term HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point). Similar to HACCP two more food safety terms are there VACCP & TACCP which addresses vulnerability and threats instead of hazards. VACCP stands for Vulnerability Assessment and Critical Control Points and TACCP stands for Threats Assessment and Critical control points.

VACCP (Vulnerability Assessment and Critical Control Points) – As HACCP focus on identifying and controlling hazards; VACCP focuses on identifying and controlling vulnerabilities. VACCP is a method that identifies and controls vulnerabilities that can lead to food fraud. Vulnerabilities in food businesses and food supply chains are mislabelling, stolen goods, adulteration, smuggling, dilution, counterfeiting, etc.

Some food frauds are:

Mislabelling - The horse-meat scandal of 2013 was an example of the threat of food fraud. Food was advertised as containing beef but found undeclared horse meat.  

Adulteration – Mixing of water in milk, sugar syrup in honey and so many examples are there.

Dilution – Mixing of olive oil with other cheap oil, dilution of fruit juices, and replacement with other similar ingredients.

Counterfeiting – Papaya seeds in black pepper, corn stigma in saffron to increase the volume of products.

VACCP identifies these vulnerabilities and controls them to protect food fraud in the supply chain. To achieve this, one needs to think like a criminal. The concerned person from the quality department can coordinate with other departments to identify frauds and their risks.

 Below mentioned plan can be used.

• Identify any possible adulteration, dilution, mislabeling etc that can happen
• Determine the point at which fraud can be provoked
• Use control measures to reduce vulnerabilities
• Documentation and employee training

TACCP (Threats Assessment and Critical control points) – TACCP also known as food defense. It aims to protect the food supply chain from intentional contamination that is intended to cause any harm. The Threat is "A deliberate act by someone to cause harm to the consumer/customer or loss to the business due to food product contamination. 

Threats may come from either external sources or internal sources. Some examples of threats are economically motivated adulteration, malicious contamination, cyber-crime, counterfeiting, extortion, espionage, etc. These threats come from different types of personalities. Some want financial gain, good position; some are taking revenge, mental health issues and so many personalities involved.

Internal audits, supplier audits, analytical testing, label verification, specification management, second-party audits are needed to control threats and vulnerabilities to ensure safe food.

TACCP plan comprises of following steps:

1. Create a multi-disciplinary team with members from all the relevant departments who will help in developing TACCP plan.
2. Identify threatening points from the production and supply chain.
3. Conduct assessments of the critical points to identify risks.
4. Analyze the risks and monitor the threat control points.
5. Select an appropriate action plan.
6. Verification and employee training.
7. Documentation and continuous improvement in the TACCP process.

So TACCP contributes in reducing attacks, minimizing the harmful impact of attacks, protecting food supply chain and organizations reputations, assuring safe & quality food, meeting regulatory requirements, etc.

As HACCP focuses on prevention from unintentional hazards, VACCP and TACCP focus on protection from intentional contamination, frauds, and control unfair practices. By using HACCP, VACCP, and TACCP as a part of food safety management tools, safe and quality food can be delivered to the end-user.