Food traceability, ERP, and blockchain in food manufacturing

Consumers now care more about knowing what ingredients are in the products they buy. This in turn led food manufacturers to use ingredient traceability. The complex process is ongoing by many companies. Recently, the traceability process has used blockchain and ERP. Food ERP provides a simple definition for the term. “Traceability is the capacity to verify the location, history and application of any items by recording and proper documentation.” The article continues by providing a list of solutions with ERP. This includes operational efficiency, careful sourcing and safe production, better credibility, less legal issues, less error in production, and better inventory visibility. This technology combines ERP with food traceability. An important way to develop and organize the food supply system. As Food Online mentions: “The focus in the food industry has shifted from response to prevention, with regulations mirroring that shift. Consequently, food makers are under increasing demands to tighten traceability and visibility in the supply line.”

Food science and future role in feeding the world —current and future of food safety

Food safety issue

Food safety has been a major issue these past few years as food manufacturing companies are recalling more and more products. The main recall comes from microbiological contamination, tandfonline.com mentions: “Listeria in breakfast sandwiches of Starbucks back in 2016, melamine-tainted milk powder scandal in China which harmed thousands of babies and led to many cases of death in 2008, the E.coli outbreak in bean sprouts in Germany which killed 29 people and caused approximately 3000 illness.” There were other recalls in 2018 such as the E. Coli recall of green leaf lettuce and other small recalls such as 38 cases of Salmonella in eggs.