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Fighting the Food War: Technology is the Answer to Agricultural Bioterrorism-But is it Fast Enough To Do the Job?

NCJ Number
227532
Journal
Homeland Defense Journal Volume: 7 Issue: 2 Dated: February/March 2009 Pages: 28,30,31
Author(s)
Karen D. Schwartz
Date Published
March 2009
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the status of technologies for detecting and preventing threats to the food supply accurately and quickly.
Abstract
What is needed is better, faster technology that proactively and routinely tests for as many toxic substances in foods as possible before they make people sick. In developing such a nationwide system, the Federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the coordinating agency, with major participation from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, and other agencies as required. These Federal partners are working with university and private-industry consortiums when necessary in order to develop and implement faster, more accurate methods of detecting toxins in foods before they reach the consumer. Progress has been made, albeit slowly. To date, no technology has succeeded in detecting all potential toxins in all types of foods with the necessary speed. Technologies that show the most promise tend to be on the cutting edge. One major area of interest involves "microfluidics," which are very small devices that contain chambers and tunnels through which fluids can flow. The devices can be fabricated into chips that can sample liquids for potential poisons. Costs have decreased to such an extent that this is a feasible technological option. The goal is to develop a quick, inexpensive test for raw liquids as they enter a processing plant, so as to ensure that they are free of toxic agents. Currently, there is no effective way to protect liquids against biothreats. Closely related to microfluidics is the field of "biosensors." Biosensors have the ability to sense pathogens or toxins on food, either through a patch that changes color or produces other signifiers. More research is being done in order to determine which types of microfluidic and biosensor technologies will transfer well to the food supply and under which circumstances.