The CDC and the Public Health Agency of Canada this week signed an agreement to formally link their electronic databases in an effort to more quickly and efficiently halt outbreaks of food-borne illness. Proponents said the agreement was logical as the two countries have obvious links between their food supplies and populations. Under the agreement, laboratories will be able to share genetic fingerprints of pathogens responsible for food-borne illnesses in real time, which should result in faster identification of budding problems and a faster recall of infected food.