WHO Warns Terrorists Could Threaten Food Supply

Broadcast: Jan 31 2003

 

The World Health Organization is warning countries to take steps to prevent terrorist attacks on food supplies.

About 1.5 million people, most of them children, die each year from eating ¹⁾contaminated food.

The head of the World Health Organization's food safety program, Jorgen Schlundt, says the vast majority of these deaths are not deliberately¹ caused, but he says the potential danger is great, which is why governments should be prepared.

"The way to try to deal with it is to strengthen some of the systems that we already have in place," he said, "Means that the systems for ²⁾surveillance, both of disease and for surveillance of food, contamination of the food."

Dr. Schlundt says the health agency is willing to work with governments to make them more aware of the dangers terrorists pose to food supplies. It has also just issued a report, Terrorist Threats to Food, that outlines the dangers.

The health agency suggests food can be transformed into a weapon relatively² easily. As the report states, chemical or biological agents can be introduced ³⁾at virtually any point in the food chain.

Dale Gavlak VOA news, Geneva.

 

1)    contaminated[kEn5tAmineitid]v.污染

2)    surveillance[sE:5veilEns]n.监视, 监督

3)    at virtually事实上, 实质上

1 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

2 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。