A UK research and development project has been launched to digitally map food produce from source to consumer, aimed at reducing waste and carbon emissions while improving supply chain transparency.
The SecQuAL project — Secure Quality Assured Logistics for Digital Food Ecosystems — uses blockchain to ensure secure storage and transfer of data along the entire food supply chain, making relevant information accessible to the right parties at the right time.
Initially funded by Innovate UK for two years before receiving an extension, the project has developed a digital tracking and condition monitoring system tested first on pork products with consortium partner Cranswick. Digital tags collect data throughout the supply chain, providing visibility into conditions and processes at every stage.
Working with Suncrop, the project has also produced a proof-of-concept for reducing wastage in the UK fresh tomatoes industry. If applied widely, the approach could deliver significant economic benefits for growers and retailers.
IBM Food Trust, which employs blockchain to provide a secure and transparent thread across the food supply chain, plays a central role in the project's infrastructure, giving authorised users immediate access to actionable supply chain data.
The SecQuAL consortium of ten organisations, including LRQA, IBM, and ADAS, continues to explore new applications for the technology, which was initiated in 2021 under the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.