Big data meets food safety in public-private analytics collaboration

Three dozen inspectors from the Chicago Department of Public Health are responsible for inspecting more than 15,000 food establishments across the City. To improve food safety for Chicagoans by increasing the speed at which violations are uncovered, an innovative risk forecasting method was developed by Chicago's advanced analytics team, the Department of Public Health, Civic Consulting Alliance, and Allstate.

Using public data sources and a newly-developed analytics model, the Department of Public Health was able to prioritize food establishments to be inspected. The result: an increase of four percent in the number of critical health code violations identified.

"This project shows the potential of big data to serve all Chicagoans - keeping us healthier and safer, while increasing the efficiency of city services," said Brenna Berman, Chicago Chief Information Officer. As Chicago's data analytics team continues to innovate, residents can expect to see more public services enhanced through savvy data use.