Two months on from the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, an American Airlines Airbus had crashed shortly after take-off from John F Kennedy airport. A hush descended on the downtown shop as staff and Monday morning customers gathered anxiously around the tv to watch a dramatic plume of black smoke rise from the New York borough of Queens. The graphic pictures revived horrible memories of the September 11 atrocities. The terrorist outrages in Manhattan and Washington and the subsequent incidents involving anthrax mean that, in truth, business life for that c-store owner and the rest of America's massive food chain will never be the same again. As a US government figure put it this week: "Everybody eats. That makes the nation's food supply, both domestic and imported, enough of a possible terrorist target to justify greater security measures." Officials in Washington are taking seriously the warnings that North America's food chain could be under threat. The country's influential, Food Marketing Institute (FMI) says the news media has an important role in public education ­ and in helping to limit copycat incidents that can take place following sensational news reports. It has been discreetly working with government agencies and major suppliers to review safeguards and security systems. But as it reminded members in a special advice dossier: "Food safety and security has always been a priority for the food industry and our customers. "Industry safety practices already in place for more than a decade include tamper-resistant packaging integrity, closed circuit security systems, and the continued development of food safety handling programmes ­ all devoted to food safety and security." The FMI added: "This is a time in which consumers must be vigilant. We encourage shoppers to check all packaging carefully to be sure it is intact and to alert store personnel to broken packages or suspicious activity." The Bush administration has asked Congress for an additional $61m to help step up food chain inspections. That, according to Newsweek magazine, would buy 410 more inspectors to add to the Food and Drug Administration's existing 750. In addition, the FBI has urged that anyone dealing with hazardous materials shipments should be alert to suspicious activities. And extra legislation could be on the way. The FMI told members: "So far, the government has not issued any new regulations governing the transportation of hazardous materials, food products or other substances that could be used in a trucking-related terrorist attack. However, this may only be a matter of time." Ross McLaren, president and CEO of Sainsbury subsidiary Shaw's Supermarkets in New England said: "US citizens had been very lucky for many years as they did not have to suffer serious terrorist incidents of that kind on their home soil. "But the madness of Manhattan, with all those people dying, has traumatised them. In addition, we have the anthrax cases, with resultant deaths. And while the two things may not be connected, the anthrax incidents have meant that there is almost a level of hysteria where anything involving powder is concerned. If that sort of hysteria can be engendered by terrorism, then if there were to be an additional major food scare, like a salmonella outbreak it would be very serious. We are dealing with a very nervous population. We must all be on our guard. The food sector, which handles so many prepared and ready-to-go foods is vulnerable to abuse under the best of circumstances. "It is beholden upon us to be absolutely crystal clear on our policies and standards and to leave no stone unturned when it comes to food integrity. We must all be vigilant." Inevitably, the events have changed many Americans' eating habits. But Douglas Conant, president and ceo of the Campbell Soup Company said: "Soup is a comfort food that meets people's needs at two levels ­ physical and emotional. Soup consumption had been up 5% this fall ­ but it jumped 15% in the weeks after September 11." And Betsy Holden, president and CEO of Kraft Foods North America, said:"We're going to see people eating at home a little more, because food is what brings us together in times of crisis." Meanwhile, the country's National Retail Association estimates that sales of general merchandise (non food) are set to grow by only 2% in the fourth quarter of 2001 instead of 4% previously forecast a fall of $5bn. Before this week's air disaster prominent figures in the US food chain had been cautiously optimistic that normality was returning. But as a leading food industry figure put it on Tuesday: "We need to hold our breath a little while longer." However, despite the depressing effects of September 11 and anthrax, the Americans' talent for practicality and patriotism is undiminished. A sign on Route 1 in the seafood producing state of Maine proclaims:'God bless America, lobster at $3.99 lb.' {{NEWS }}