Purpose: We have developed a web-based food processing vulnerability assessment tool for agents of concern that may be used in attacks targeting food production systems. The aim is to inform decisions focusing upon protecting the production system from attacks.
Methods: The tool is based upon an underlying stochastic simulation model tracking the levels of a suite of agents of concern in a user-defined food production system. Results are presented incorporating assessments for a set of multiple agents of concern, both microbial and chemical (e.g., Bacillus anthracis, Clostridium botulinum, Yersinia pestis, and other agents that may be used in attacks on the food supply).
Results: The tool provides quantitative estimates that directly measure risk and vulnerability using public-health based metrics. Adopting a multi-hazard approach, results provides a holistic view of the vulnerability of the production system, as opposed to single hazard-food based assessment. Results of the vulnerability assessment of illustrative processing systems will be presented.
Significance: Our tool is generic in nature, and can be applied to a multitude of food production systems. It enables exploration of the impact of risk mitigation measures upon the vulnerability of a food production system. Use of the tool will provide stakeholders with science-based quantitative information that can be directly used to inform decisions enhancing the resiliency of the supply chain, and minimizing the risks to the consumer.