The primary purpose of this presentation is to help better understand the many facets in predicting the risk of threats against the United States food production, distribution, safety, networks, and automation infrastructure nationally and internationally. Food safety and security is a public health imperative and has been identified as a major 21st century health threat. The need for developing digital infrastructure from a public health and food safety informatics perspective is NOT an option any longer, but an imperative. Since the 2011 Food Modernization Act, little has been done to advance food safety and security nationally. Food safety and food security in the U.S. is considered among the world’s safest; however critical gaps leave our food chain exposed to intentional/unintentional contamination. Overall, the impact from cyber-terrorism on automated food processing systems and transportation infrastructures could wreak havoc nationally and internationally.

The current work underway at Morgan State University and our Center for Food Safety Informatics, Research Engineering and Security (C-FIRES) has been to conduct predictive and visual analytics in anticipation of cyber-attacks on automated food production, processing, and transportation systems and infrastructure. This work is currently being carried out through the analysis and modeling of “big data” provided by the food industry, state, and federal food safety regulators and agencies.

Dr. Timothy Akers, MD is the Assistant VP for Research Innovation & Advocacy, Morgan State University in Baltimore and co-director of the Center for Excellence in Food Safety Informatics, Research, Engineering, and Security: A Homeland, Transportation, Public Health, and National Security Threat Reduction Imperative (C-FIRES).