The use of IT in food distribution and

food traceability (in Ireland)

Jonnyboy, Wheat?, July 27th 2008, CC

Food traceability is defined by the EU commission as:

“the ability to trace and follow a food, feed, food producing animal or substance intended to be, or expected to be incorporated into a food or feed, through all stages of production, processing anddistribution”(Kelepouris, 2007; Regattieri et al., 2007).

With Ireland’s meat and fish exports growing at a steady rate, such systems needed to be introduced to meet the EU standards.

There are 3 mains technologies being used:

There are 3 mains technologies being used:• RFID

There are 3 mains technologies being used:• RFID • Retinal Imaging

There are 3 mains technologies being used:• RFID • Retinal Imaging• Wireless Sensors

RFIDor Radio-frequency identification

RFIDor Radio-frequency identification

“allows automated identification of products by embedding chips with wireless antennas on objects.” (Indranil, Ngai, Teo, & Spiekermann, 2009).

RFIDor Radio-frequency identification

“allows automated identification of products by embedding chips with wireless antennas on objects.” (Indranil, Ngai, Teo, & Spiekermann, 2009).

So how do they work ?

RFID’s comprise of 3 main parts:

RFID’s comprise of 3 main parts:

• A chip

RFID’s comprise of 3 main parts:

• A chip• A reader

RFID’s comprise of 3 main parts:

• A chip• A reader • A receiver

RFID’s comprise of 3 main parts:

• A chip• A reader • A receiver

Siddiqui. (n.d.). RFID. Retrieved April 13, 2006, from TechSolutions: http://www2.egr.uh.edu/~mpark5/rfid.html

RFID’s:

• Cheap to implement• Over 50 years old • being surpassed

RFID’s:

• Cheap to implement• Over 50 years old • being surpassed...

Retinal Imaging

Retinal Imaging:

Retrieved March 1st 2005, from Optibrand: http://www.optibrand.com/secureid/photos.htm

Old technology, but new to the tracing of livestock.

Retinal Imaging:

Retrieved March 1st 2005, from Optibrand: http://www.optibrand.com/secureid/photos.htm

Old technology, but new to the tracing of livestock.

Ability to trace the animal itself rather than a device attached to the animal.

Retinal Imaging:

Retrieved March 1st 2005, from Optibrand: http://www.optibrand.com/secureid/photos.htm

Old technology, but new to the tracing of livestock.

Ability to trace the animal itself rather than a device attached to the animal.

So how does it work ?

Retinal Imaging:

Retrieved March 1st 2005, from Optibrand: http://www.optibrand.com/secureid/photos.htm

Retinal Imaging:

Retrieved March 1st 2005, from Optibrand: http://www.optibrand.com/secureid/photos.htm

• A device reads the unique vascular patterns in the animals eye

Retinal Imaging:

Retrieved March 1st 2005, from Optibrand: http://www.optibrand.com/secureid/photos.htm

• A device reads the unique vascular patterns in the animals eye

• This device stores the image and also logs the location where the image was taken.

Retinal Imaging:

Retrieved March 1st 2005, from Optibrand: http://www.optibrand.com/secureid/photos.htm

• A device reads the unique vascular patterns in the animals eye

• This device stores the image and also logs the location where the image was taken.

• This data is then uploaded, stored and analyzed.

Wireless sensors:

Wireless sensors:

Log water temperatures ( Vital to maintain fish supplies )

Wireless sensors:

Log water temperatures ( Vital to maintain fish supplies )

How the work can be explained best if broken down into 2 levels.

Wireless sensors:Level 1:

Wireless sensors:Level 1:• Loggers

o thermostato RF transmitter

• Base station ( receives transmitted data )

Wireless sensors:Level 1:• Loggers

o thermostato RF transmitter

• Base station ( receives transmitted data )

Level 2:

Wireless sensors:Level 1:• Loggers

o thermostato RF transmitter

• Base station ( receives transmitted data )

Level 2:• GSM modem• Server 

 

Wireless sensors:Level 1:• Loggers

o thermostato RF transmitter

• Base station ( receives transmitted data )

Level 2:• GSM modem• Server 

 

Crowley, K., Frisby, J., Edwards, S., Murphy, S., Roantree, M., & Diamond, D. (2004). Wireless Temperature Logging Technology for the Fishing Industry. Proceedings of IEEE Sensors , 571-574.

Wireless sensors:

This design is only in its early stages, and will improve in the future.

Thank You!

References:• Buhr, B. (2003). Traceability and Information Technology in the Meat Supply

Chain: Implications for Firm Organization and Market Structure. Journal of Food Distribution Research .

• Cree, L. M., & Reid, M. H. (2009). Development of the UK food samples surveillance system. Public Health , 89–94.

• Crowley, K., Frisby, J., Edwards, S., Murphy, S., Roantree, M., & Diamond, D. (2004). Wireless Temperature Logging Technology for the Fishing Industry. Proceedings of IEEE Sensors , 571-574.

• Golden, B., Allen, A., Taylor, M., Patterson, D., & Skuce, R. (2008). Evaluation of retinal imaging technology for the biometric identification of bovine animals in Northern Ireland. Livestock Science , 42-52.

• Indranil, B., Ngai, W., Teo, S., & Spiekermann, S. (2009). Managing RFID projects in organizations. European Journal of Information Systems , 534–540.

• Siddiqui. (n.d.). RFID. Retrieved April 13, 2006, from TechSolutions: http://www2.egr.uh.edu/~mpark5/rfid.html