A multi-partner UK research and development project to map food produce from source to consumer using digital technology to reduce food waste has been developed. The technology will also cut carbon emissions caused by unnecessary transport and boost consumer confidence in the food we all purchase and consume.
The project uses blockchain technology for secure storage and transfer of data to form a thread detailing the whole process from farm to fork. This ensures that digital information is accessible to the right parties at the right time to enable effective and efficient decision-making.
The SecQuAL project – Secure Quality Assured Logistics for Digital Food Ecosystems – was funded by Innovate UK for two years before being extended. ADAS was one of ten key partners on the project.
ADAS Senior Postharvest Consultant Hassan Bagheri said: “The idea behind the SecQuAL project was to improve supply chain efficiency and to reduce food waste. The team developed a digital tracking and condition monitoring system that can be placed on food produce in the form of a digital tag at the very start of its journey through the supply chain and collect data as it is moved from farm to fork. The system enables the collection of information about the conditions the produce was stored in and exposed to and when, its physical location at a given time and, ultimately, what happened during its production and movement. Through this process, we can gain unprecedented visibility into supply chain data to identify process inefficiencies.
“Initially, the technology was tested on pork products with Cranswick, a consortium partner, as its first use case, but it has the potential to be far more widely applied. Through our collaboration with Suncrop, we have developed and tested a proof-of-concept solution to reduce wastage for harvested UK fresh tomatoes. In an industry valued at £957 million per year, marketing a higher proportion of fresh tomatoes alone represents a 5% increase, equivalent to £49 million per year, benefiting growers and retailers alike. This breakthrough will not only contribute to the profitability of fresh produce but also open doors for wider marketing opportunities across various crops, including vegetables, cut flowers, indoor plants and soft fruits.”