This study examines how data-driven decision-making and information systems shape supply chain efficiency, sustainability practices, and technological integration in an urban agriculture enterprise, with a focus on rejection and redistribution procedures as a decision-support mechanism for waste management. The objectives were to assess how real-time monitoring tools, IT-based order-processing platforms, and other information systems support supply chain and sustainability decision-making, and how such systems inform the firm's waste-management strategy. A quantitative approach was adopted, stratifying 100 stakeholders consumers, suppliers, farm operators, and distribution partners using structured questionnaires, with descriptive statistics applied to assess performance across key decision areas. A purposively selected agribusiness enterprise committed to supply chain performance was found to have moderate-to-high efficacy in timely delivery management, real-time monitoring tools, and order-processing IT platforms that collectively support operational decision-making. Sustainability is improved through decisions favouring biodegradable packaging and local, seasonal sourcing. Technological integration, including transparency mechanisms and smart packaging, informs the firm's decision processes, although blockchain adoption remains limited in practice. Effective rejection and redistribution decision processes reduce waste, divert surplus to productive channels, and directly support the company's zero-waste objectives. The findings show that supply chain excellence and environmental responsibility are mutually reinforcing when decision-making is supported by the right information systems: biodegradable packaging, in-house waste-management systems, and selective use of emerging technologies collectively strengthen operational performance. By embedding data-driven decision-support at every stage of its supply chain, the enterprise offers a model for responsible, information-systems-enabled agritech decision-making that balances efficiency, food safety, and long-term environmental sustainability.
Open access
Food Waste Reduction and Sustainability
Agriculture Sustainability and Environmental Impact
Circular economy (CE) has become prevalent worldwide due to its economic and environmental benefits. More and more practitioners have deployed CE in supply chains to improve operational efficiency and sustainability. Thus, the integration of CE and supply chain has developed a new concept: circular supply chain (CSC). In particular, the CE model could remarkably reduce food waste within food supply chains (FSCs) and diminish the environmental impact from FSCs. Such a FSC that adopts CE principle is known as circular food supply chain (CFSC). However, lack of technical support for effective communication is a significant difficulty in developing CFSCs. Blockchain technology (BCT) could be the potential solution to this problem because of its decentralisation, public information sharing, high traceability and transparency, high security etc. Although many researchers have studied CFSCs in recent years, few studies investigate BCT as an impetus for CFSC development. Therefore, this research will fill this gap, focusing on the feasibility of BCT-based CFSCs, how BCT can establish CFSCs, and possible barriers. In addition, a few recommendations on developing BCT-based CFSCs will be provided.
Shahreza Shauqi Ismail, Nura Abubakar Allumi, Yousif Munadhil Ibrahim
Purpose: The aim of this study is to analyze the evolution of research trends in green supply chain management (GSCM) in agriculture, constructing an intellectual framework to improve the efficiency and environmental sustainability of the supply chain with smart agricultural technologies. Design/methodology/approach: The review used the bibliometric approach with two science mapping approaches (i.e., co-citation and co-word analysis) were perfomed to analyze 381 articles published in the Web of Science (WoS) database to investigate past and future research direction in GSCM using the VOSviewer software. Findings: Previous studies mainly focused on CE integration, sustainable agri-food supply chain design, and blockchain in supply chain management, whereas future research is expected to emphasize green logistics, low-carbon supply chains, smart circular systems, and digital innovation in green agri-SCM. Limitations and Research implications: This study is limited to the WoS database and two bibliometric techniques. Future research should validate the identified themes through additional bibliometric and empirical studies. Practical Implications: This study provides practical insights for managers, policymakers, and researchers to support the development of sustainable agricultural supply chains through circular economy, green logistics, and digital technologies. Originality/value: This study provides a comprehensive knowledge map of GSCM in agriculture by identifying past research themes and future research directions through bibliometric analysis
The agriculture sector plays a pivotal role in global economies, and optimizing its perishable food supply chain (PFSC) is vital to ensuring food security and transparency. The purpose of the study is to develop a blockchain-based smart contract to secure and provide transparency about perishable goods in the PFSC while delivering the goods between the stakeholders, such as farmers, mandis, and wholesalers. The study enhances collaboration between stakeholders by implementing smart contracts. The delivery status and the transactions have been safely recorded and verified by the stakeholder in the PFSC to ensure data integrity all the way through. The blockchain application has reduced fraud and streamlined the flow of goods and information. Moreover, this study emphasizes providing farmers with a straightforward route to the market to empower them. The benefits for the stakeholders are optimizing inventory control and developing appropriate decision-making skills. A three-echelon PFSC can become more resilient and is able to meet changing market demands by implementing blockchain-based smart contracts. Finally, the study employs blockchain technology to establish a decentralized and efficient PFSC, confirming a tamper-resistant system and enhancing stakeholder trust and collaboration.
A considerable proportion of perishable goods, including fruits and vegetables, deteriorate prior to reaching customers. Inadequate refrigeration infrastructure, particularly in developing nations with arid climates and markets distant from agricultural sources, accounts for most of these losses. A food cold chain has three primary phases: pre-cooling, cold storage, and refrigerated transportation. All phases of the cold chain rely fundamentally on refrigeration to preserve perishable products at designated temperatures, relative humidity, and CO2 concentrations, thus prolonging their shelf life. Solar-driven or aided refrigeration systems use solar energy to power cooling systems and preserve the food in the cold chain. These systems are especially beneficial in off-grid or developing areas for preserving perishable goods such as fruits, vegetables, and other food items, mitigating postharvest losses that can exceed 30–50% in areas with inconsistent energy supplies. Despite progress in efficiency and scalability, numerous research gaps remain across technological, economic, social, policy, and regional dimensions, including technical aspects, optimization, and integration. There is a need to enhance energy-efficient designs, particularly by managing solar intermittency to address non-uniform cooling, which leads to inconsistent ripening and spoilage, and by integrating sustainable refrigerants to mitigate environmental impact. Further development is necessary for micro-scale, transportable, or decentralized systems designed for small farms, while economic and financing obstacles include high upfront costs and limited financial accessibility. Substantial deficiencies exist in creating affordable models and funding channels for small-scale agriculturalists. Addressing these deficiencies could expedite adoption, thereby reducing global food loss and waste (accounting for 8–10% of GHG emissions) while improving food security. Future research must emphasize multidisciplinary methodologies that amalgamate engineering, economics, and social sciences to provide comprehensive solutions.
In this article, we provide an in-depth analysis of the different causes of food fraud, food safety, and food waste, which are recognized as the main challenges in agri-food supply chains. Leveraging technologies like blockchain- and IoT-enabled traceability systems presents promising solutions to overcome these challenges. Using the PRISMA methodology, we conducted a comprehensive literature review of 41 selected articles to assess the effectiveness of such solutions. The findings reveal that only 48% target primarily improved food safety, while food waste (9%) and food fraud (21%) played a less important role. Only a few papers actively incorporate these attributes into their architectural design and many papers lack practical implementation details, leaving significant gaps in understanding their practical applicability. One finding was that 61% of the proposed solution were build on a public permissionless blockchain (Ethereum) and 39% where build on a permissioned private or consortium blockchain (mainly Hyperledger Fabric and Sawtooth). Critical aspects such as data privacy, confidentiality, final infrastructure governance, or legal frameworks are in most cases missing, e.g., 75% did not discuss the governance of the solution at all. To address the identified limitations, we propose a modular reference architecture that balances transparency and confidentiality through a hybrid blockchain approach. It incorporates a trusted platform layer with secure data storage, publicly verifiable summaries, and role-based access control. The architecture is illustrated through multiple use cases and qualitatively evaluated against characteristics of existing solutions, highlighting its conceptual suitability for regulated agri-food ecosystems.
ABSTRACT The perishable food cold chain is a vital part of the global food system, mainly ensuring the quality of temperature‐sensitive products such as milk, seafood, fruits, and vegetables. However, this system still faces several challenges related to real‐time monitoring, data transparency, and proactive demand planning, which often lead to spoilage, food safety violations, and disruptions. In this work, we propose a comprehensive end‐to‐end system that includes Internet of Things (IoT)‐based environmental sensors, blockchain‐enabled immutable logging, and a hybrid ARIMA–LSTM model for demand forecasting and spoilage risk detection. The system uses ESP32 microcontrollers with DHT11 sensors at key cold‐chain points to collect temperature and humidity data, streamed to Blynk dashboards for real‐time visualization and anomaly alerts. Anomalies and product metadata are permanently recorded through smart contracts on a private Ethereum blockchain, while payloads are stored off‐chain on IPFS for traceability and auditability. Additionally, historical blockchain logs and external sales data are used to train a hybrid ARIMA–LSTM model that predicts future demand and spoilage risks more accurately. Experimental results show that the proposed model achieves a forecasting accuracy of 90% ( R 2 = 0.90), outperforming baseline approaches on multiple metrics including RMSE, MAE, MAPE, and R 2 . The framework is scalable and data‐driven, aiming to improve supply availability and reduce food waste.
Khoi Minh Nguyen, Lý Thị Trần, Binh-Hau Nguyen, Minh T. Nguyen · 7 authors
Blockchain functions as a “distributed ledger network,” ensuring immutability, transparency, and non-retroactivity of data, making it a key technology for sustainable development. This study explores how blockchain-enabled traceability systems influence consumer perceptions of environmental transparency, trust in technology, and purchase intentions for sustainable food in Vietnam. Using a digital survey of 450 participants and SmartPLS 4.0 with PLS-SEM analysis, findings reveal that both blockchain reviews and traceability systems significantly improve perceptions of transparency (β = 0.292; β = 0.364, p < 0.001) and technological trust (β = 0.268; β = 0.348, p < 0.001). The research bridges the gap between transparency perceptions and purchase behavior in sustainable development and foodservice strategy. It is one of the first studies to examine the combined impact of blockchain reviews and traceability. The article adds to existing literature by expanding understanding of blockchain’s effect, supporting businesses in aligning with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Sorina Geanina Stănescu, Constantin Aurelian Ionescu, Maria Cristina Ștefan, Luiza Ionescu · 6 authors
The agri-food sector is currently undergoing a significant digital transformation, driven by climate change, frequent supply chain disruptions, and increasing demand for transparency and food safety. This article, based on a systematic review of 113 recent studies (in line with the PRISMA guidelines), delves into how emerging digital technologies, particularly blockchain, are reshaping agri-food supply chains towards sustainability, a circular economy, and complete product traceability from production to the final consumer. The paper identifies the main enabling factors, barriers, and implementation models of blockchain and other technologies associated with Industry 4.0 (IoT, artificial intelligence, smart contracts), highlighting their role in increasing the resilience of supply chains, optimising quality control, and sustainable resource management. A key contribution of the study is the introduction of the CTSAF (Converging Technologies for Sustainable Agri-Food Chains) conceptual framework, which provides practical implications for policymakers and organisations, enabling them to make informed decisions. The results also provide valuable insights for future research, supporting the transition to a more transparent, resilient, and sustainable global food system.
William Villegas-Ch, Rommel Gutiérrez, Jaime Govea, Joselin García-Ortiz
The perishability of food products in the supply chain poses a significant challenge in ensuring quality and safety. Inefficient monitoring of temperature, humidity, and storage time results in substantial economic losses and increased health risks. Traditional traceability systems rely on manual audits or essential IoT platforms that lack predictive capabilities, leading to delayed anomaly detection and inefficient intervention. Blockchain-based solutions improve transparency but primarily focus on record verification rather than active anomaly detection and automated decision-making. This study proposes an integrated system combining Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain to optimize food traceability through real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and secure decentralized record management. The system deploys smart sensors across storage and transportation units to continuously collect environmental data, which is processed by a deep learning model trained to detect deviations with 92.4 % accuracy. Detected anomalies trigger automated responses via smart contracts in a blockchain network, ensuring immediate corrective actions while maintaining immutable audit records. Results demonstrate a 64.3 % reduction in response time, improving reaction efficiency to critical storage failures. Additionally, false positive alerts decreased by 73.1 %, optimizing operational efficiency and minimizing unnecessary interventions. The blockchain implementation reduced storage overhead by 76.9%, ensuring scalability and long-term feasibility. This research establishes a foundation for intelligent, automated food supply chain management, demonstrating that integrating AI, IoT, and blockchain enhances safety, reduces waste, and optimizes logistics. Future work will focus on improvements in large-scale deployment and computational efficiency to refine this innovative approach.
Eka Lia Febrianti, Agus Suryadi, Ilwan Syafrinal, Andhika Andhika
Abstract: The global transition towards sustainable food systems faces significant challenges in vegetarian food supply chains, including transparency issues, distribution inefficiencies, and quality verification problems. This research proposes VegeChain development, a decentralized marketplace ecosystem based on smart contracts designed to transform vegetarian food supply chains and accelerate Meatless, Balanced, Green (MBG) program adoption. Using mixed-method methodology integrating blockchain system design, stakeholder analysis, and economic simulation, this research develops a comprehensive technology framework combining blockchain transparency, smart contract automation, and sustainable tokenomics with novel mathematical models. The system implements dynamic pricing algorithms based on Automated Market Maker (AMM) mechanisms, multi-objective optimization for supply chain efficiency, and reputation-based consensus protocols. Simulation results demonstrate that VegeChain implementation can improve supply chain efficiency by 35%, reduce food waste by 28%, and increase consumer trust by 42% measured through validated stakeholder satisfaction surveys (n=456) using 5-point Likert scales with statistical significance p<0.001. Technical innovations include Byzantine Fault Tolerant consensus with 99.9% reliability, gas optimization achieving 67% cost reduction, and real-time quality verification algorithms with 98.7% accuracy. Keywords: smart contracts; supply chain optimization; automated market makers; blockchain technology; sustainable tokenomics
UmaMaheswari Gurusamy, V Sangeetha, G PraveenKumar, A. Meenakshi
Purpose: This review paper examines the transformative potential of blockchain technology in addressing critical challenges within agricultural supply chains, including traceability, transparency, fraud prevention, and equitable value distribution. It aims to synthesize existing research and real-world applications to highlight how blockchain can create more efficient, sustainable, and fair food systems. Methodology/Approach: The study adopts a systematic literature review methodology, analyzing peer-reviewed articles, industry reports, and case studies from 2008 to 2024. Key frameworks and implementations, such as IBM Food Trust, AgriDigital, and TE-FOOD, are evaluated to identify patterns, benefits, and limitations of blockchain adoption in agriculture. Originality/Relevance: This paper contributes to the growing body of research on blockchain in agriculture by integrating insights from decentralized finance (DeFi), IoT, and AI, offering a holistic view of next-generation supply chains. It addresses gaps in scalability, regulatory challenges, and adoption barriers while proposing future trends like tokenization and predictive analytics. Key Findings: Blockchain enhances traceability, reducing food fraud and enabling rapid contamination tracking (e.g., Walmart’s mango traceability in 2.2 seconds). Smart contracts automate payments and compliance, empowering smallholder farmers with timely compensation. Integration with IoT and AI improves real-time monitoring and demand-supply matching, fostering sustainability. Challenges include scalability limitations, regulatory ambiguities, and the digital divide in rural areas. Theoretical/Methodological Contributions: The paper advances theoretical understanding by linking blockchain to ethical sourcing, sustainability, and farmer empowerment. Methodologically, it provides a framework for evaluating blockchain’s role in multi-stakeholder supply chains, emphasizing hybrid architectures and decentralized verification. The findings underscore blockchain’s potential as a foundational technology for equitable and resilient food systems.
The global food waste crisis poses significant environmental and economic challenges, particularly within institutional settings such as university campuses. At NSBM Green University, South Asia’s first green university, traditional food waste management systems are hampered by opacity and unverifiable data, impeding effective reduction strategies. This paper proposes a blockchain-based Smart Campus Waste Management Platform to revolutionize food waste tracking in campus canteens. Utilizing blockchain’s immutability, smart contracts, and integrated authentication, the system ensures secure, tamper-proof data management. It captures real-time waste data through authenticated manual inputs, processes it via a secure gateway, and records it on an Ethereum ledger, enabling precise sustainability reporting and data-driven interventions. The study details the system’s architecture, implementation with Ethereum and Solidity, and alignment with NSBM’s sustainability goals. Key benefits include enhanced accountability, optimized waste reduction, and reinforced green leadership, with future enhancements such as AI integration, scalability, and incentive mechanisms addressing potential challenges.
The global coffee supply chain is a complex multi-stakeholder ecosystem plagued by fragmented records, unverifiable origin claims, and limited real-time visibility. These limitations pose risks to ethical sourcing, product quality, and consumer trust. To address these issues, this paper proposes a blockchain and IoT-enabled framework for secure and transparent coffee supply chain management. The system integrates simulated IoT sensor data such as Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) identity tags, Global Positioning System (GPS) logs, weight measurements, environmental readings, and mobile validations with Ethereum smart contracts to establish traceability and automate supply chain logic. A Solidity-based Ethereum smart contract is developed and deployed on the Sepolia testnet to register users and log batches and to handle ownership transfers. The Internet of Things (IoT) data stream is simulated using structured datasets to mimic real-world device behavior, ensuring that the system is tested under realistic conditions. Our performance evaluation on 1000 transactions shows that the model incurs low transaction costs and demonstrates predictable efficiency behavior of the smart contract in decentralized conditions. Over 95% of the 1000 simulated transactions incurred a gas fee of less than ETH 0.001. The proposed architecture is also scalable and modular, providing a foundation for future deployment with live IoT integrations and off-chain data storage. Overall, the results highlight the system’s ability to improve transparency and auditability, automate enforcement, and enhance consumer confidence in the origin and handling of coffee products.
Coffee is consumed worldwide, with its supply chain starting with coffee growers, who benefit least from it. Across its production, distribution, and commercialization processes, there are risks and issues that could damage the safety and authenticity of this product. Therefore, the coffee industry is looking for innovative technologies that allow traceability in the coffee supply chain. In this context, blockchain technology offers a promising solution as it supports traceability via a decentralized system that allows immutable records and transparent access; it also promotes collaborative work and removes intermediaries by generating trust between participants. This systematic literature review describes the state-of-the-art in research and development about the use of blockchain technology to improve traceability in the coffee supply chain. We also outline the open challenges that remain to be addressed in this field. We use the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology to achieve this goal. Our findings suggest that the developments are mainly conceptual designs and prototypes, focusing on tracing products and verifying their authenticity using the Ethereum or Hyperledger blockchains. Also, our results show various challenges on the technology side, like efficiency improvements, integration with other technologies, infrastructure, and a lack of standards. There are also challenges at the management level, like the necessity of agreements for traceability processes, data governance, willingness to invest and pay, education, and support to deploy the technology on farms. After overcoming these open challenges, blockchain technology can improve traceability and increase value for stakeholders in the coffee supply chain.
M. S. Sadiq, Invinder Paul Sıngh, Muhammad Makarfi Ahmad, Bashir Sanyinna Sani
Post-harvest losses represent a major challenge to global food systems, accounting for up to 30–50% of agricultural output losses, particularly in perishable crops such as fruits, vegetables, dairy, and fish. These losses significantly impact food security, farmer incomes, and national economies—most acutely in developing countries where infrastructure is limited. Cold storage technologies have emerged as one of the most effective solutions to address this issue by preserving the quality and shelf life of perishable produce. In recent years, agritech start-ups, driven by innovative youth entrepreneurs, have been at the forefront of deploying scalable and affordable cold storage solutions, ranging from solar-powered cooling units to mobile refrigeration systems and decentralized storage networks. This communication critically examines the dynamic intersection of cold storage innovations, youth entrepreneurship, and agricultural value chains. It explores the relevance of key theoretical models such as innovation diffusion theory, sustainable livelihoods framework, and supply chain integration theory to understand the adoption and impact of cold storage technologies. Through case studies and evidence from sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, we highlight how youth-led start-ups are leveraging technology, financing, and digital platforms to bridge critical gaps in agri-logistics. Despite these promising developments, challenges persist, including high capital costs, inconsistent energy supply, inadequate technical skills, and weak policy support. As such, this study explores enabling policy frameworks, investment opportunities, and capacity-building strategies necessary for the sustainable deployment of cold storage solutions. Emphasis is placed on the transformative potential of youth-driven innovations in shaping resilient, inclusive, and climate-smart agri-food systems.
Marios Vasileiou, Leonidas Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Christina Kleisiari, Pantelis Z. Lappas · 10 authors
Abstract The globalization of contemporary Food Supply Chains (FSCs) has introduced complexities involving multiple actors, food product transportation, and diverse information. Traditional information systems in FSCs face challenges in ensuring transparency and traceability due to the inherent complexities of multi-actor involvement, global transportation, and diverse information, making it difficult to ascertain product origin and processes, exacerbating issues such as food loss, safety concerns, and financial hazards. Blockchain technology, in conjunction with ancillary technologies, offers potential solutions to these challenges. This systematic literature review endeavors to comprehensively explore the multifaceted dimensions of blockchain’s role in FSC management, with an emphasis on food safety and traceability, across six thematic areas, each guided by distinct criteria. These areas include general information, FSC application, factors of blockchain adoption, blockchain platform, ancillary technologies, and the related impact of blockchain adoption. From the 2097 documents found, 122 full-text articles were assessed, and 61 were included and classified in this study based on criteria. These criteria underscore blockchain's capacity for transparency, resilience, and sustainability in FSCs. The results further indicate that blockchain's integration within the FSCs has unveiled a tapestry of possibilities and considerations that underpin its transformative potential in business systems. Blockchain’s inherent traits of transparency and immutability can enhance traceability, mitigate food fraud, and facilitate consumer trust, reshaping the information system’s implementation in the FSC landscape. However, challenges such as integration complexities, data quality, scalability, and regulatory concerns should be addressed. Through these challenges, Artificial Intelligence (AI) arises as a potential solution complementing Blockchain. This amalgamation can effectively tackle certain existing obstacles, such as ensuring data accuracy and system compatibility, while providing stronger solutions for food safety and fraud prevention. The implementation of a comprehensive blockchain solution requires strategic collaboration, technological refinement, and regulatory alignment to fully realize its benefits and address the intricate management challenges of traditional FSC information systems.
Bello Musa Yakubu, Abdullah Alabdulatif, Pattarasinee Bhattarakosol
The rice supply chain is a complex system that demands effective management to ensure reliability and efficiency, given the involvement of multiple stakeholders. Blockchain technology, with its decentralized and tamper-resistant nature, offers a promising solution for improving transparency, traceability, and credibility in agricultural supply chains. However, existing blockchain systems face several technological challenges, including security vulnerabilities, privacy concerns, and performance limitations. To address these issues, this article presents RiceChain-Plus, an enhanced architecture that incorporates a private Ethereum blockchain, proof of authority (PoA) consensus mechanism, mutual authentication, zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs), a hybrid role-based access control (RBAC) and attribute-based access control (ABAC) system, and one-way hash functions. This approach enhances the rice supply chain's security, privacy, and efficiency by safeguarding sensitive data and ensuring confidentiality. Performance assessments show that RiceChain-Plus surpasses existing benchmark models, achieving the lowest average execution costs (44,634 gas), reduced energy consumption (9.38828E-05 J), higher throughput (0.071201 transactions/s), faster execution (44.5 ms), and quicker transaction times (14.045 s), while also improving scalability. A comprehensive security analysis further confirms the framework's resilience against various cyberattacks. These results highlight RiceChain-Plus as a secure, efficient, and effective solution for optimizing rice supply chain operations.
Giovanni Farina, Alexander Kocian, Gianluca Brunori, Stefano Chessa · 21 authors
Traceability plays a critical role in ensuring the quality, safety, and transparency of supply chains, where transportation stakeholders are fundamental to the efficient movement of goods. However, the diversity of actors involved poses significant challenges to achieving these goals. Each organization typically operates its own information system, tailored to manage internal data, but often lacks the ability to communicate effectively with external systems. Moreover, when data exchange between different systems is required, it becomes critical to maintain full control over the shared data and to manage access rights precisely. In this work, we propose the concept of interoperable traceability. We present a model that enables the seamless integration of data from sensors, IoT devices, data management platforms, and distributed ledger technologies (DLT) within a newly designed data space architecture. We also demonstrate a practical implementation of this concept by applying it to real-world scenarios in the agri-food sector, with direct implications for transportation systems and all stakeholders in a supply chain. Our demonstrator supports the secure exchange of traceability data between existing systems, providing stakeholders with a novel approach to managing and auditing data with increased transparency and efficiency.
This study aims to design a halal fresh meat traceability system based on dual blockchain technology and the Internet of Things (IoT). This system will utilize the Point of Authority (PoA) method to validate information on the implementation of halal assurance in the halal fresh meat food chain based on beef, starting from the slaughterhouse, halal slaughterer, and slaughterhouse supervisor. This system will also provide information on temperature and humidity conditions in the delivery service of halal fresh meat products to consumers in traditional markets. In this study, we developed a software system with the waterfall method for a web-based halal traceability system using the Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) programming language and the Laravel framework, blockchain using SQLite, and IoT technology using C programming. Consumers can obtain product delivery information, halal fresh product assurance information, and halal guarantor information transparently in the halal fresh meat supply chain by scanning the product's Quick Response Code (QR code). This study offers a basic framework for policymakers to improve the halal integrity of the halal fresh meat supply chain, and the concept of halal assurance in traditional markets. It also allows consumers to monitor the halal status of fresh beef products in conventional markets. This study contributes to the beef-based halal fresh beef supply chain research by developing a traceability system for halal fresh meat using blockchain and IoT.
The demand for halal food products is increasing rapidly around the world. The consumption of halal food products is just not among Muslims but also non-Muslims, due to the purity of the halal food products. However, there are several challenges that are faced by halal food consumers. The challenges raise doubt among the halal food consumers about the authenticity of the product being halal. Therefore, a solution that can address these issues and establish trust between consumers and producers is needed. Blockchain technology can provide a distributed ledger with an immutable record of the information. Artificial intelligence supports developing a solution for pattern identification. The proposed research utilizes blockchain an artificial intelligence-based system for developing and e-adoption of a system that ensures the authenticity of halal food products by providing traceability related to all the operations and processes of the supply chain and sourcing the raw material. The proposed system has been tested with a local supermarket in a sandbox environment. The results and tests of the developed solution seemed effective and the testers expressed interest in real-world implementation of the proposed system. Therefore, the findings contribute to the knowledge of technology adoption by examining the application of the proposed system in halal food supply chain and provide insight into the potential benefits for e-adoption in this domain.
ABSTRACT We investigate why and how businesses and entrepreneurs adopt and implement blockchain technology to improve the economic, environmental and social sustainability of seafood supply chains. We conduct interviews with entrepreneurs and small‐ to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) – specifically fishers, aquaculturists and restaurants – using new blockchain platforms to increase the traceability and trackability of seafood in Australia. Drawing on innovation adoption theory, we examine drivers and barriers to trading seafood via these innovative platforms, compared to traditional trading routes – such as through wholesalers. Benefits for seafood buyers included greater freshness, less waste, value‐adding the customer experience and supporting locally sourced products. Benefits for sellers included price security and transparency, and the marketing and branding opportunities that the platforms enabled through social media. Challenges regarded distrust, competition, uncertain product availability and the tangibility of seafood, which – unlike cryptocurrency – requires transport, packaging and processing, meaning potential efficiencies could become constrained by supply chain logistics.
Diana Hawashin, Khaled Salah, Raja Jayaraman, Raja Wasim Ahmad · 6 authors
• Proposes a blockchain-based solution to reduce waste in the dairy industry • Ensures waste assessment and accountability through the proposed solution • Tests and validates various scenarios to evaluate the practicality of the system • Presents a security analysis to assess the system's resilience against threats In recent years, the global demand for dairy products has reached unprecedented levels in the food and beverage market. Despite being produced in large quantities to meet daily needs, high organic content in milk causes it to expire quickly, leading to food waste. Current dairy supply chain management systems lack traceability, auditability, and trust relationships, contributing to the problem. To address this issue, we propose a private Ethereum blockchain-based solution that holds all participants accountable and assesses their actions in a decentralized, auditable, traceable, secure, private, and trustworthy manner. Our system consists of various phases managed by four smart contracts that ensure all involved parties are accountable. We use an events-based approach to ensure traceability and data provenance, where all actions are stored on an immutable ledger in the form of events. By providing a transparent and traceable system, it encourages responsible resource utilization and supports a more sustainable approach to dairy production. We present the system architecture, sequence diagrams, entity-relationship diagrams, and algorithms to explain the working principles of our solution. We also validate the effectiveness of our developed smart contracts and make our smart contract code publicly available on GitHub.
Anber Abraheem Shlash Mohammad, Ammar Mohammad Al-Ramadan, Suleiman Ibrahim Mohammad, Badrea Al Oraini · 8 authors
Sustainability in food supply chains is a critical global challenge, particularly in resource-constrained regions like Jordan, where operational inefficiencies and environmental concerns are prevalent. This study explores the integration of blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to enhance metadata management, forecast sustainability metrics, and support decision-making in Jordan’s food supply chains. Blockchain's ability to improve metadata accuracy, standardization, and traceability, combined with AI’s predictive capabilities, offers a powerful solution for addressing sustainability challenges.MethodsThe research employed a mixed-methods approach, combining real-time data from blockchain transaction logs, AI-generated forecasts, and stakeholder surveys. Blockchain data from platforms like Hyperledger Fabric and Ethereum provided insights into metadata accuracy and traceability. AI models were developed using machine learning techniques, such as linear regression, to forecast food waste reduction, carbon footprint reduction, and energy efficiency. Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), using AHP and TOPSIS, was applied to evaluate trade-offs among sustainability goals.ResultsThe results revealed significant improvements in metadata accuracy (from 83% to 96.66%) and reductions in traceability time (from 4.0 to 2.35 hours) following blockchain implementation. AI models demonstrated high predictive accuracy, explaining 88%, 81%, and 76% of the variance in food waste reduction, carbon footprint reduction, and energy efficiency, respectively. ConclusionThis study underscores the transformative potential of blockchain and AI technologies in achieving sustainability goals. By fostering transparency, predictive insights, and data-driven decision-making, these innovations can address key challenges in Jordan’s food supply chains, offering actionable strategies for stakeholders.