
Food Safety via Blockchains
The global food system seems to be undergoing a transformation, courtesy of a blockchain powered platform aiming to ensure to food safety across the industry’s supply chain. Some of the world’s largest food industry suppliers, retailers, and service providers have come together to identify the pain points of global food supply chain, and improve them with the help of blockchain technology. Members of this consortium include Nestlé, WalMart Stores, Unilever, Dole, Kroger, Golden State Foods, McCormick and Company, Driscoll’s, McLane Company and Tyson Foods, all of whom have agreed to collaborate with IBM Corp on the initiative.
So how can blockchain help?
Blockchian proposes itself as a secure transaction ledger database capable of recording and storing every transaction on the network, all of this in a shared and distributed setting. When we talk about global food supply chain, participants such as farmers, distributors, retailers can all access the distributed ledger system to ensure the safety of food along all its checkpoints. By allowing transparency as well as traceability, blockchains can help get rid of issues such as contamination, food-borne illness, etc.
While blockchain tech seems to be making quite a reputation across multiple industries — from trade and finance to education, insurance and medical services, ensuring a solid food ecosystem will only help the technology establish itself in the future
