Fast-casual burrito chain Chipotle is collaborating with data infrastructure giant Palantir to develop a “food safety risk platform.” This platform will analyze factors like health inspections, pest incidents, and employee illnesses to assign a risk score to each store, essentially gauging the risk of foodborne illness at each location.

The partnership comes at a time when food safety is more critical than ever. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has identified over 12,800 illnesses linked to foodborne outbreaks this year, with the cyclospora outbreak affecting iceberg lettuce being particularly severe. Chipotle, which does not serve iceberg lettuce, has also stopped serving jalapeños from a specific supplier linked to a salmonella outbreak that affected more than 430 people.

Chipotle’s Laurie Schalow, chief corporate affairs and food safety officer, stated that the platform will provide a more consistent and centralized view of food safety risks across the company’s restaurants. This will enable teams to identify trends, prioritize follow-up actions, and make proactive, data-informed decisions.

Palantir, known for its work with government entities, has contracts with companies like Tyson, General Mills, and the independent purchasing co-op for Wendy’s. Its Foundry software can manage inventory, automate ordering and delivery, and track supply chains. At Wendy’s, for example, Palantir’s software is used to spot potential ingredient shortages before they occur.

The company’s work with the ICE has the potential to be controversial, given the restaurant industry’s reliance on immigrant workers. In 2010 and 2011, Chipotle fired hundreds of workers who were ineligible to work in the US following an ICE audit.