Probability Maps Help Detect Food Contamination

Sandia's stochastic network metholodogy accelerates spread of food-borne illness // Source: sandia.gov

submitted by Luis Kun

Homeland Security News Wire - October 1, 2012

Researchers demonstrate how developing a probability map of the food supply network using stochastic network representation might shorten the time it takes to track down contaminated food sources; stochastic mapping shows what is known about how product flows through the distribution supply chain and provides a means to express all the uncertainties in potential supplier-customer relationships that persist due to incomplete information

Uncovering the sources of fresh food contamination could become faster and easier thanks to analysis done at Sandia National Laboratories’ National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center (NISAC).

The study, in the International Journal of Critical Infrastructures, demonstrates how developing a probability map of the food supply network using stochastic network representation might shorten the time it takes to track down contaminated food sources. Stochastic mapping shows what is known about how product flows through the distribution supply chain and provides a means to express all the uncertainties in potential supplier-customer relationships that persist due to incomplete information.

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The International Journal of Critical Infrastructures article, “The value of utilizing stochastic mapping of food distribution networks for understanding risks and tracing contaminant pathways,” written by Conrad, W.E. Beyeler and T.J. Brown, appeared in Volume 8 of the 2012 publication.

https://share.sandia.gov/news/resources/news_releases/food-mappin/

Outline - The value of utilizing stochastic mapping of food distribution networks for understanding risks and tracing contaminant pathways (29 page .PDF file)
http://www.sandia.gov/nisac/wp/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2012/03/The-Value-of-Utilizing-Stochastic-Mapping-of-Food-Distribution-Networks-for-Understanding-Risks-and-Tracing-Contaminant-Pathways.pdf

Abstract - The value of utilizing stochastic mapping of food distribution networks for understanding risks and tracing contaminant pathways (4 page .PDF file)
http://www.sandia.gov/CasosEngineering/docs/stochastic%20mapping_7_2011.pdf

Abstract - The value of utilizing stochastic mapping of food distribution networks for understanding risks and tracing contaminant pathways (9 page .PDF file)
http://www.sandia.gov/CasosEngineering/docs/Stochastic_Mapping_Int.J.Crit.Infra.pdf