Big data in food safety: An overview

• Published in: Critical reviews in food science and nutrition Vol. 57; no. 11; pp. 2286 - 2295
• Main Authors: Marvin, Hans J. P., Janssen, Esmée M., Bouzembrak, Yamine, Hendriksen, Peter J. M., Staats, Martijn
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 24.07.2017; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Access to Information; Big Data; BU Toxicologie Bioassays & Novel Foods; BU Toxicologie, Novel Foods & Agroketens; BU Toxicology Bioassays & Novel Foods; BU Toxicology, Novel Foods & Agrochains; Databases as Topic; Electronic Data Processing; Food irradiation; Food Safety; Food Supply - standards; Humans; Information Dissemination; Information Storage and Retrieval; Internet; new technologies; Online Systems; RIKILT - BU Toxicologie Bioassays & Novel Foods; RIKILT - BU Toxicology Bioassays & Novel Foods; VLAG; food safety; new technologies; database; Big data
• ISSN: 1040-8398; 1549-7852
• DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2016.1257481

Technology is now being developed that is able to handle vast amounts of structured and unstructured data from diverse sources and origins. These technologies are often referred to as big data, and open new areas of research and applications that will have an increasing impact in all sectors of our society. In this paper we assessed to which extent big data is being applied in the food safety domain and identified several promising trends. In several parts of the world, governments stimulate the publication on internet of all data generated in public funded research projects. This policy opens new opportunities for stakeholders dealing with food safety to address issues which were not possible before. Application of mobile phones as detection devices for food safety and the use of social media as early warning of food safety problems are a few examples of the new developments that are possible due to big data.