title: Spatio-temporal assessment of food safety risks in Canadian food distribution systems using GIS.
abstract: While the value of geographic information systems (GIS) is widely applied in public health there have been comparatively few examples of applications that extend to the assessment of risks in food distribution systems. GIS can provide decision makers with strong computing platforms for spatial data management, integration, analysis, querying and visualization. The present report addresses some spatio-analyses in a complex food distribution system and defines influence areas as travel time zones generated through road network analysis on a national scale rather than on a community scale. In addition, a dynamic risk index is defined to translate a contamination event into a public health risk as time progresses. More specifically, in this research, GIS is used to map the Canadian produce distribution system, analyze accessibility to contaminated product by consumers, and estimate the level of risk associated with a contamination event over time, as illustrated in a scenario.
authors: Food Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 3600 Casavant Blvd. West, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada J2S 8E3.
authors: Leila
authors: L
authors: Hashemi Beni
authors: Sébastien
authors: S
authors: Villeneuve
authors: Denyse I
authors: DI
authors: LeBlanc
authors: Kevin
authors: K
authors: Côté
authors: Aamir
authors: A
authors: Fazil
authors: Ainsley
authors: A
authors: Otten
authors: Robin
authors: R
authors: McKellar
authors: Pascal
authors: P
authors: Delaquis
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D005506:Food Contamination; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006801:Humans; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D062211:Spatio-Temporal Analysis; D014186:Transportation; D014675:Vegetables / Q000600:supply & distribution