When it comes to food, we can’t compromise our preference. And, it is justified too.
Ever since humans ruled the kitchen, we have become the masters of cookery and spices. With fantastic recipes, mouth-watering ingredients, and the far-reaching aroma, we have come a long way.
The world even saw the Food Industry rise in the 21st century. Machines and men boosted the mass production exponentially. And with that went public expectations. Slowly, we saw intelligent systems taking over the food production process. We never realized when digitalization became part and parcel of food production.
So, people realized the need for monitoring. By and large, it was necessary. You must be able to trace all sections of your production line. This helps you understand the requirements and monitor the food quality.
Now comes the problem.
When you have over a million tons of production, manual monitoring is impossible. But, your food product must meet specific quality regulations too.
So, what you need is an efficient system for streamlining Food Traceability. Blockchain immediately solved the problem. Imagine an efficient and quickest way of sharing the same info to thousands over the same network!
Blockchain availed just that. It slowly became popular, and finally, most of the current food processing industries employ Blockchain Technology for tracking production and quality.
One network, innumerable monitors, and quality maintained- who wouldn’t want that?
But, if you are new to Blockchain, let me brief you.
Blockchain Sneak Peek
Let me start with what World Economic Forum defines Blockchain-
shared, programmable, cryptographically secure and therefore trusted ledger which no single user controls and which can be inspected by anyone.
Simply put, it is a secure means to share tons of data over a network among hundreds of users.
Imagine its potential.
Data at every step of any process can be fed and made live. So, you never lose any info even if it is a multifold system.
Let me simplify further.
Let us suppose you have a health drink production company. The following processes define your entire operation-
- Chemical Testing
- Protein Mixing
- Purifying
- Quality Audit
- Sealing
- Despatching
Now, assume your business covers the whole States. In that case, as a production engineer, it is difficult for you to monitor every step individually manually.
However, you use Blockchain Technology all of a sudden. As a result, your entire operations are now present in the form of blocks. Each block is fed into a common surveillance network. So, all you have to do now is keep an eye on each block and monitor the numbers.
Your complete manual labor is down by a hundred times!
Blockchain reduces manual data handling and optimizes operation management. Further, it provides an insight into the quality aspects of any product. There is one primary record. Every member on the network agrees to the captured information. Finally, a digital certificate validates the data.
This is how Blockchain stores, secures and accesses information. You need one network, and that’s all.
Blockchain makes production way too easy.
Perks of Blockchain in Food Traceability
The Blockchain is terrific, undoubtedly. And so, it offers a lot of perks which are beneficial to Food Traceability.
Transparency
Everything is transparent in Blockchain. Since all shared info is public, so anyone can view, update, and validate information. Therefore, everyone can understand the operation. The reason is simple. All information is visible to all.
This helps in equal distribution of data. By and large, it improves work efficiency.
Security
Food fraud is common. We have witnessed many such cases of food contamination and fraudulent.
The Blockchain is undoubtedly the best bet. All operational data is stored in the form of blocks. As I said earlier, the final step involves a digital certificate.
So, you cannot alter, change, or copy any information. The other member will know of it.
The Blockchain technology brings down the chances of food fraud. This is something businesses should look forward to.
Easy to Operate
The Blockchain is very easy to operate. It involves a set of operations or blocks. Each block contains information in individual packets.
There is nothing complex. Moreover, such simplicity increases trust. At length, The Economic Forum called Blockchain Technology as The Trust Machine.
Justified indeed!
Efficient Monitoring
All three levels of the food marketing chain can utilize Blockchain for their benefit.
If I mention consumers, they can monitor the supply chain in real-time. So, no one actually can tamper with the food chain or change block info. Retailers can store, identify, categorize food products as per their quality. They can even identify damaged, expired or hazardous food items from their list.
Consumers can trust the brand more. By knowing whether they are eating exactly what is printed, the brand reputation increases.
Thoughts on Security
There is undoubtedly nothing secure than the Blockchain Technology. Let me take an example to justify.
Suppose you launch a particular food product after 100% inspection and quality audit. However, you receive several complaints regarding its quality. If you have Blockchain, then you can draw the complete history of the product. So, you can know who or what the problem is.
Even you can retrieve the batch and production farm info too. You can then work on the issue and resolve them quickly.
Additionally, you can also check food traceability and authenticity. The Blockchain is one of the fastest technology existing today. Use of this technology has changed the way we do business.
End of Counterfeiters
The food industry is growing at a vast pace. With such an increasing amount of quantity, maintaining the quality is a significant issue.
So, we have some of the counterfeiters gaining confidence. They put false labels and sell their low-quality products.
However, Blockchain has put an end to all that. It keeps an eye on constant supply chain changes. In doing so, it is challenging to make changes even in the selling part.
The Blockchain is continually reducing such fraud activities at large. With efficient chain monitoring, you cannot alter retailer or consumer information with that ease.
However, we still have a lot of industries who are yet to use Blockchain. Let us hope we see more of it in the coming future.
