What are the key steps to creating a free food fraud and food defense database?
I have been tempted for the last few years to look into creating a free food fraud database.
I have worked all of my career in various different plants that are at a high risk for EM food fraud - Chocolate, Flavorings / Spices, and Honey..
I have used the Trello Database, and have been searching other places by hand for various information - Decided that If I have to do the work anyway for my plant, might as well figure out a way to get the work online so that others do not need to.
From what I can tell, most databases are expensive, and the free ones are not easily used or very robust.
Here is the idea - Have a filterable / searchable database with info entered in on FF/FD incidents with Country, State, (city?), Name of supplier, Name of ingredient / Ingredient Categories (standardized to FDA system?), and some basic incident details / categories, and a link or reference to source of report.
Problem is, unless I can figure out some grants, advertising, donations, etc or other way to get assistance in paying for it, I would be footing the hosting, building, and data entry time and fees myself. I am OK with this to an extent, however would like it to eventually be able to cover its cost while still remaining free to use. I think the information is important enough to be freely accessible to food safety professionals in order to further the industry.
I guess I am looking for information on:
- How much interest there would be for an actual data aggregate website for food fraud / food defense incidents that is free - May be ugly, may not be the easiest, best looking, feature full website or database ever, but usable?
- What is the most important useful data / setup? What is nice but not needed? What is absolutely needed for searching.
- Thoughts on having a form for submissions for folks to assist with adding incidents - however these would be reviewed before being added.
- In order to try to keep upkeep, add features, etc - Would you think you, or your company would be willing to get a subscription, donate, or sponsor with no additional benefits? Or maybe just an addition on a thank you page?
Just kicking around an idea I had from struggles of being the food safety / SQF person and seeing constant requests for information for databases on here. Fill a need, not spend too much time or money on it, and keep it as free and accessible as possible - and to keep it this way as long as possible.
Good idea and big project. I would certainly add it to my daily checks.
Have you talked to Karen at The Rotten Apple?
She already runs a website and may be able to help.
I primarily use Trello. Are you thinking something vastly different from that?
Good idea and big project. I would certainly add it to my daily checks.
Have you talked to Karen at The Rotten Apple?
She already runs a website and may be able to help.
I primarily use Trello. Are you thinking something vastly different from that?
I have seen her site, at thats what gave me the idea. I can reach out to her, but not sure she would be willing to give information to a competing person who's idea would reduce the amount of money she makes. The fact that her Trello and site has slowly been losing free functionality is what has been compelling me more and more to look at the idea.
The idea would be to have similar information as the Trello, but instead of it visually giving the information, to instead have it in an easily searchable database form. Visuals and other analysis could come from that. It is very hard to parse countries of concern from an ingredient, and some ingredients are high risk but have not had recent incidents.
It also seems to miss some sections - import alerts, black lists, etc.
I agree. The pay wall is limiting the utility of that site for me.
I'm saving my education allocation for going back to college. Hopefully... :beer: