# Maintenance of California's Food Defense Capability and Capacity

> **NIH FDA U19** · CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH · 2020 · $163,500

## Abstract

Micro A: Track 1 
Project Abstract/Summary 
Application Title: Enhancement of California's Integrated Food Safety and Security System 
Project title: Maintenance of California's Food Defense Capability and Capacity 
The California Department of Health, Food and Drug Laboratory Branch (FDLB) is the State 
reference laboratory for food testing. FDLB is an active member of the Food Emergency Response 
Network (FERN), California Food Emergency Response Team (CalFERT), and Laboratory Response 
Network for Biological agents (LRN-B) for foodborne pathogens. We participate in annual 
emergency response exercises through the State Emergency Preparedness Office (EPO), 
California Food Emergency Response Team (CalFERT) and the State of California statewide 
medical and health exercise. FDLB provides annual training for food microbiology to California’s 
Public Health Microbiologists and have invited the 95th Civil Support Team (CST) members to the 
training in the past. The goal of this proposal is to maintain and enhance the Food Defense 
capacity and capability in the State of California with the following specific aims: 
1. Participate in FDA-requested exercises, and/or surveillance activities to support and maintain 
readiness. 
2. Participate in national special security event exercises, as available. 
3. Maintain preparedness to rapidly respond to a suspected or confirmed intentional 
contamination event involving human or animal food. This includes ensuring that BSL2+ and/or 
BSL3 facilities are certified, if necessary, and fully functional, analysts are trained and have passed 
competency exercises, equipment is in working order, and reagents and supplies are available. 
4. Participate in testing associated with suspected or credible threats to the food supply where a 
microbiological agent is suspected, as requested by FDA. Increased activity through this 
cooperative agreement would increase analytical capacity for the FDA and advance a nationally 
integrated food safety system which enhances food safety and allow rapid response to food- 
related emergencies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10175994
- **Project number:** 1U19FD007104-01
- **Recipient organization:** CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
- **Principal Investigator:** David Kiang
- **Activity code:** U19 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** FDA
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $163,500
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10175994

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10175994, Maintenance of California's Food Defense Capability and Capacity (1U19FD007104-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-01 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10175994. Licensed CC0.

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