A terror attack against the United States' food supply could result in significantly more casualties than caused by 9/11 and cost the economy hundreds of billions of dollars. Still, research on consumer diet choices and existing food supply systems indicates that terrorists would find it difficult to cripple the nation long-term.

These and other observations were shared recently during the National Food Protection and Defense Research Conference. The conference was hosted by the Institute of Food Technologists and led by the National Center for Food Protection and Defense, a Center of Excellence with the Department of Homeland Security.

Research to identify areas of the food supply that are least flexible to rebound from attack is important, as are methods to minimize the vulnerability, the experts maintain. But food economists stated that the diverse diets of American kids, adults and seniors make it difficult to choose a single food to attack that would sufficiently reach every consumer. Likewise, the diversity of suppliers producing the same products ensures the likelihood that safe food could still reach consumers in the event of attack.

However, expert economists noted that the assault on the national economy could approach $200 billion or more lost over a five-year period. The impact on interest rates, the stock market and foreign exchange would linger even well after an attack.

Researchers remarked that if an attack leads to the quarantine of a region of the country,the impact on interstate commerce would be significant, and well beyond the food and agriculture sectors. An unintentional event like an outbreak of avian flu might also create such circumstances, they said.

A specialist with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration predicted an attack on food will first be reported locally, in either sick people or animals. “There is no food that's truly safe from attack,” he said.