Blockchain technology developed at the University of Wyoming could change the way food is shipped and tracked across the globe, according to an announcement from the university.
University of Wyoming computer science student Kip DeCastro developed a blockchain code to track a December 2018 shipment of Wyoming beef to Taiwan. Blockchain is a system that maintains a record of transactions across a network of linked computers, allowing for safe and secure data transmission, the university explained.
DeCastro and Philip Schlump of BeefChain collaborated on the code used to track the beef.
BeefChain, a Wyoming-based company, helps the state’s ranchers command more value from their beef by proving that their products are free range and fairly farmed while also giving consumers assurances that the products are safe.
BeefChain founder and chief executive officer Rob Jennings said it was the first shipment of beef tracked on blockchain from the U.S. to Asia.
“The University of Wyoming was integral in making this trial shipment a success,” Jennings said. “As a combined effort of the department of computer science and the colleges of Agriculture & Natural Resources and Business, this project highlighted the strengths of each department and their faculty and graduates. We look forward to working with the university as BeefChain continues to grow.”
The beef was raised at Murraymere Farms in Powell, Wyo. It was placed in tagged cases with radio frequency identification (RFID) labels and sent to a five-star dining establishment in Taipei, Taiwan. The labels featured a unique digital identifier that enabled the cases of beef to be tracked along the entire supply chain, from plant processing to export, import and to the restaurant.
The achievement can be attributed to the work of the University of Wyoming department of computer science, in conjunction with BeefChain, the Wyoming Business Council and Avery Dennison, a global company specializing in adhesive technologies and packaging materials that provided the RFID labels.
“RFID is setting the foundations for blockchain integration in the food industry,” Avery Dennison RFID vice president and general manager Francisco Melo said. “Enabling farmers and businesses to guarantee the provenance of a product will mean greater improvements for food safety, product differentiation and enhanced consumer experience.”
Technology breakthroughs have enabled blockchain technology to be used more extensively in the food industry in recent years.
“Partnering with Avery Dennison on this pioneering shipment of Wyoming beef was crucial for BeefChain,” Jennings said. “Avery’s cutting-edge RFID labels guaranteed our ability to trace the product through the entire supply chain and record the data in our digital ledger.”
Source: University of Wyoming, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.
