In general, the recognition of a chemical incident resulting from food contamination will occur via syndromic surveillance as discussed. In addition, signs that a food event may be in progress include the occurrence of symptoms in unrelated, widespread groups. Symptoms caused by food contamination may not be contained to a single geographical region due to the often-broad distribution of food items and potential for people to travel after purchasing or eating contaminated food.
A national example of a syndromic surveillance system is the CDC’s National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS), which collects reports of disease outbreaks caused by chemical agents, including those spread through food, from SLTT public health agencies. On a more local level, the National Poison Data System (NPDS), a combined effort of the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) and the CDC, aims to help local poison control centers detect chemical exposure events.