Lin Kaiyuan

Traceability is key to ensure food quality and safety from farm to fork, yet high implementation costs and the complexity of the food supply chain pose challenges to its operationalization. This research proposes a mobile-based bi-directional tracing system for food products that integrates graphic database and pear-to-pear (P2P) architecture.

The system allows for data synchronization to happen seamlessly between all connected nodes by default, since data is gathered through market transactions and all related information of products is concatenated via scanning products’ 2D barcodes. The system’s decentralized and flexible structure favors bottom-up synergy among stakeholders and is applicable to various and dynamic food networks. This network can reduce the information disconnect seen in conventional traceability systems while facilitating product management and enhancing product value along the food supply chain. In response to the increasing demand for supply chain transparency, the proposed system could become an efficient traceability tool accessible by consumers and producers. Ensuring traceability ultimately means giving people back their rights to product information. Besides promoting resource efficiency and transparency of origin, production and distribution, the system can mesh surveillance and shed light on complex food networks, ultimately contributing to the advancement of food research.

The project is working on the matching platform for demands and supplies. If you are interested in decentralization in food production, we welcome any question, opinion and discussion, please contact us.

Lin, K., Chavalarias, D., Panahi, M. et al. Mobile-based traceability system for sustainable food supply networks. Nat Food (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-020-00163-y