Bharat Kumar Sawnani, Director (Corporate), G.D. Foods Mfg. (India), explores how blockchain tackles transparency issues in fresh food chains, reducing fraud and ensuring end-to-end traceability for informed consumer choices.
Blockchain technology addresses transparency and traceability challenges in the fresh food supply chain
Bharat Kumar Sawnani delves into blockchain’s pivotal role in enhancing transparency and traceability in the farm-to-table food chain. He highlights rampant challenges like food fraud, complex supply chains, and inconsistent record-keeping plaguing the industry, emphasizing blockchain’s potential to mitigate these issues through immutable records and streamlined data sharing.
Blockchain solutions
Blockchain technology addresses transparency and traceability challenges in the fresh food supply chain through several means. Firstly, it reduces food fraud by creating transparent and unchangeable records, deterring the introduction of counterfeit products. Secondly, it employs immutable and decentralized record-keeping, ensuring every supply chain event is permanently documented, from harvest to transportation, and maintaining tamper-proof records. Lastly, blockchain enables end-to-end traceability by linking all supply chain events, facilitating the tracking of a food product’s entire journey from the farm to the table, and enhancing transparency and accountability throughout the process.
Blockchain hurdles
Implementing blockchain solutions for food traceability faces several challenges.
- Resistance to change and adoption: Implementing blockchain solutions requires significant changes to existing processes and systems, which can face resistance from stakeholders accustomed to traditional methods.
- Scalability and performance concerns: As the volume of transactions increases, there may be concerns about the scalability and performance of blockchain networks to handle the load.
- Regulatory and legal uncertainties: Uncertainties around the legal and regulatory implications of blockchain-based systems in the food industry may hinder adoption.
- Interoperability and standardization issues: For blockchain solutions to be effective, there needs to be industry-wide agreement on standards and protocols for data sharing and integration.
Enhanced transparency
Blockchain brings transparency to fresh food markets, benefiting consumers in various ways. It enables product traceability, ensuring consumers have detailed information about food origin and handling, enhancing trust. Blockchain aids in food safety by quickly identifying sources of contamination during outbreaks, minimizing consumer risk. Additionally, it allows verification of ethical and sustainable sourcing claims, empowering consumers to make informed choices. Moreover, blockchain helps counter food fraud by maintaining tamper-proof records, safeguarding consumers from mislabeling and counterfeit products.
Blockchain security
Blockchain technology plays a crucial role in ensuring robust data security and privacy throughout the food supply chain. By utilizing advanced cryptographic techniques, the data stored on the blockchain is encrypted, making it highly resistant to tampering or unauthorized access. Moreover, the decentralized and distributed nature of blockchain networks eliminates single points of failure or control, thereby enhancing data security and resilience against potential breaches. Additionally, all transactions and data modifications on the blockchain are recorded with immutable timestamps and participant identities, creating a transparent audit trail that enhances accountability and trust. For instance projects like Provenance in the UK utilize blockchain technology to trace the journey of fresh produce, providing consumers with access to detailed information about the farm, transportation, and processing of the products they purchase through QR codes.