Spatio-temporal assessment of food safety risks in Canadian food distribution systems using GIS

  • Leila Hashemi Beni
  • , Sébastien Villeneuve
  • , Denyse I. LeBlanc
  • , Kevin Côté
  • , Aamir Fazil
  • , Ainsley Otten
  • , Robin McKellar
  • , Pascal Delaquis

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

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. © 2012.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)215-223
Number of pages9
JournalSpatial and Spatio-temporal Epidemiology
Volume3
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 1 2012

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

  • Distribution system
  • Dynamic risk index
  • GIS
  • Public health risk
  • Spatial accessibility
  • Spatio-temporal analysis

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