The Role of Regulations in Minimizing the Bioterrorism Threat to Food Imports

Abstract The majority of the bioterrorism articles and reports written since the 2001 anthrax attacks in the United States have focused on the threat of biological weapons or biological agents directed towards human targets. Although this threat should not be diminished, it is only one aspect of the human environment that is susceptible to attack. Effective attacks could be mounted against the food chain outside the United States on imported food bound for the United States. These potential attacks bear the risk of going undetected until individuals or animals consume tainted products. This article focuses on the role that regulations play in protecting the food chain from these international attacks, and addresses some of the complications that arise from the current legal framework.