“Rich data sources” like Twitter and Facebook could be utilised as a tool in the surveillance of foodborne disease outbreaks, according to a US study.
According to the research paper, "The Potential Capability of Social Media as a Component of Food Safety and Food Terrorism Surveillance Systems", food safety authorities around the world could take advantage of social media platforms in the fight against foodborne outbreaks. Detection algorithms could be designed to search for specific symptoms in the information published by individuals, the study said. Use of the words diarrhoea, vomiting and fever may provide important early warning clues for foodborne disease outbreaks. For example, symptoms such as ‘drooping eyes’ or ‘paralysis’ could be indications of foodborne disease botulism, said the research.
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