A method to prioritize the surveillance of chemicals in food commodities to access international market and its application to four countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

•Data sharing and harmonized methods are key roles for FAO, WHO, WTO organizations.•Worldwide food chemical database help to prioritize public health or access market.•TDS or TES approach is a powerful tool to simulate the food contamination.•Data-driven approach needs investments in human resources and analytical capacity.