Scientists Create Global Food-Alert System

LONDONScientists at Kingston University have developed a software program to analyze food alerts and produce a global picture of the countries that trade and detect contaminated food that can be deadly or cause health problems from food poisoning to long-term degenerative diseases. The program also could be applied to other global health hazards such as pest control or illegal animal or plant imports.

"No other system can reflect the complexity of this information in a snapshot form," said lead researcher Declan Naughton. It can be particularly helpful to developing countries new to food testing because information is easy to access and available in minutes."

China, Iran, Turkey, the United States and Spain were the top five offenders when it came to producing contaminated food, according to an analysis of data from 2003-2008. Over the same 5-year period, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands reported the largest number of contaminated products from other countries. Toxins in pistachio nuts from Iran, food recalled by major supermarket chains and imported products stopped by border agencies were among the alerts included in the analysis.