Blockchain Papers

Muhammad Tauseef Tariq Kisana, Imran Ul Haq Imran Ul Haq

The pre- and post-harvest interface represents a critical control zone in the food supply chain where microbial contamination can compromise the safety, quality, and shelf-life. Although numerous studies have examined pre-harvest contamination and post-harvest disease management separately, limited reviews have comprehensively addressed the critical interface linking these stages. This review synthesizes current knowledge on contamination pathways, major pathogens, monitoring approaches, and integrated control strategies associated with fresh fruits and vegetables. Relevant peer-reviewed literature was critically evaluated to provide an overview of food safety risks and management options across the production chain. Fresh produce may become contaminated through soil, irrigation water, organic amendments, wildlife, harvesting equipment, storage environments, and human handling. These pathways facilitate the introduction and dissemination of bacterial, fungal, and viral pathogens. Major bacterial hazards include Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli O157, and Listeria monocytogenes, while fungal pathogens such as Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium species contribute to spoilage and mycotoxin production. Viral pathogens, particularly norovirus and hepatitis A virus, are also important causes of produce-associated outbreaks. Environmental stressors, including drought, heavy rainfall, temperature fluctuations, and crop injuries, further increase contamination risks. The review highlights integrated management strategies, including Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), sanitation programs, rapid cooling, biological control agents, and emerging decontamination technologies. Among these, ozone and cold plasma show strong antimicrobial potential, although their large-scale adoption is constrained by economic and technical limitations. Environmental Monitoring Programs (EMPs), molecular detection tools such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), and next-generation sequencing (NGS), together with blockchain-based traceability systems, support rapid pathogen detection and outbreak prevention. Integrating the Food Safety Objective (FSO) framework with One Health principles provides a sustainable approach for reducing contamination risks throughout the supply chain. Future research should focus on improving the cost-effectiveness, scalability, and practical implementation of emerging monitoring and intervention technologies. Keywords: Pre-harvest, post-harvest, food safety, fresh produce, microbial contamination, mycotoxins, biofilms, traceability, good agricultural practices, environmental monitoring programs.

S. Adiba Adil Quadri

Meeting the global demand for fresh, minimally processed food requires us to rethink how we monitor food safety. Traditional laboratory methods are often too slow, labor-intensive, and impractical for real-time applications. To overcome these delays, biosensors have emerged as a rapid, highly sensitive, and cost-effective alternative. This study explores how biosensing technology accurately detects pathogens, chemical contaminants like heavy metals and pesticides, and spoilage indicators across dairy, meat, produce, and packaged foods. What makes these tools truly transformative is their seamless integration with modern digital infrastructure. By combining biosensors with the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), nanotechnology, edge computing, and blockchain, we can create intelligent, continuous monitoring systems. These interconnected frameworks allow for real-time, farm-to-fork traceability, enabling early hazard detection, extending shelf life, and significantly reducing food waste through data-driven decisions. Despite this immense potential, bringing smart biosensors to the commercial market involves overcoming distinct practical hurdles. We examine current technical barriers, including biofouling, long-term sensor stability, power management, and high manufacturing costs. More importantly, we highlight the emerging innovations actively solving these bottlenecks, such as biodegradable materials, battery-free platforms, advanced printed electronics, and smart packaging technologies.