First U.S. Case of Mad Cow Disease Reinforces Importance of Accurately Tracing Food Origins

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- In the wake of the first U.S. case of mad cow disease, the ability to trace contaminated products through the food chain is ever so important. Global Technology Resources (GTR) introduced recently a revolutionary new system designed to detect, track and manage food safety threats across the supply chain. Combining patented Web- based global positioning system (GPS) technology with radio frequency identification (RFID), GTR's system is the first solution of its kind to provide early detection of disease, foodborne pathogens and contamination. It offers real-time information and tracking of food assets globally, for immediate identification and response to an existing problem. GTR's system also helps companies meet the requirements of the Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 and the Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) Act.

"To protect consumers' health, it is vitally important to know where particular shipments of meats, vegetables and other products originated and where they've been," said Paul Cheek, president of Global Technology Resources. "Our system provides a key line of defense in the event of a crisis. If contamination does occur, whether it is intentional or unintentional, we can pinpoint where contaminants entered the supply chain and isolate the problem."

The GTR system tracks food from the point of origin throughout the production and distribution channel, ending with the consumer's table. The system catalogs products at various points along the supply chain, including farm, ranch, processing plants, transport vehicles, storage facilities, supermarkets and restaurants. If an incident of contamination is reported in the supply chain, information on the origin and destination of dangerous product is automatically located.

Global Technology Resources (GTR) is a U.S.-based spatial technology company that specializes in the development and implementation of risk mitigation technology for global commercial business and government use. The company and its subsidiaries develop technology for use in the bioterrorism, food safety, and disease detection mitigation areas.

Source: Global Technology Resources