Internet of things in food safety and supply chain traceability

Team Cropin
November 18, 2021
4 min read

Consumers nowadays are conscious when it comes to food products. They look for assurance while selecting food items. Trustworthy end-to-end transparency of the food supply chain will help authenticate the food item’s origin and the entire farm-to-fork process.

The acquaintance of the food industry with the IoT in agriculture enables farmers, suppliers, processors, retailers, and consumers to make informed decisions. Moreover, IoT assists food industries with supply chain traceability, food safety, and accountability. Besides, the IoT network significantly cuts down wastage, expenses, and risks associated with the process.

Let us find out what are some of the benefits that IoT offers to the food industry.

Why is the internet of things the future of food safety and supply chain traceability?

IoT plays a revolutionary role in food safety management, tracking and traceability, and logistics. Here are the six reasons why.

1. Improves food safety

The implementation of IoT in this industry has significantly brought down the risks associated with foodborne illness outbreaks. Sensors monitor every stage of production and shipment. Besides, the real-time temperature checking technology assists industries to closely administer every step of food safety procedures to deliver effective cold chain management.

In addition, IoT tracking and traceability features will help discover the origin of contamination early on to avoid further outbreaks.

2. Predicts accurately

IoT facilitates food manufacturers with an accurate prediction of future issues. For instance, IoT sensors alert about the weather, which can help identify conditions favorable for disease-causing pathogens and foresee potential pest infestations. It significantly helps the manufacturers to plan an action and lower the risk of damage.

Also, Cropin’s SmartFarm has streamlined soil health monitoring by integrating with sensors and other IoT in agriculture to analyze real-time data. Therefore, farmers can adopt the required techniques timely to improve soil health.

3. Reduces wastage

According to a report by United Nations, 17% of the food produced is wasted every year across the globe. Besides monetary losses, this affects the environment due to the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Internet of Things monitors the condition of food products and sends real-time data to the authorized individual. This way, assigned individuals can track the expiry date of the products and dispose of them promptly. Using IoT, manufacturers can trigger refrigeration monitoring alerts when the storing temperature fluctuates reducing food wastage.

Additionally, IoT can play a crucial role in improving the expenses of inventory with real-time information.

Cultivators use Cropin’s SmartFarm and SmartRisk to locate low-performing sections of farm plots and take necessary measures to prevent excessive crop loss. Further, agri-input companies can use AcreSquare to engage with farm owners directly. The platform will enable them to market new and improved seeds, agrochemicals, and other inputs that assure higher productivity and lower wastage.

4. Maintains supply chain transparency

IoT also helps food manufacturers to acquire customer loyalty. Implementation of IoT tracking and traceability throughout the entire supply chain maintains transparency for consumers. IoT technology makes it convenient for both manufacturers and consumers to track food items, even though international and domestic rules may amplify the intricacy of the supply chain.

Besides, transparency has some additional benefits, such as effective inventory management, cost-effectiveness, and more. Manufacturers can identify the issue and solve the incompetence in the supply chain accordingly.

5. Improves logistics

IoT technology effectively facilitates supply chain traceability. It helps keep track of the processes from storage to shipping to the sale points. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) transmitters and GPS serve the purpose efficiently. Also, the advanced RFID tracking technology allows better visibility of the food supply chain. It gathers the relevant information to track the location of the food item with GPS, which helps stakeholders evaluate their performance globally.

6. Reports compliance automatically

Besides quality assurance, IoT provides accurate and timely reports to respective regulators. It helps to reduce working hours and chances of errors on confidential administrative tasks. The smart sensors and connected devices streamline monitoring processes. In addition, a pre-configured HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) checklist helps maintain continuous data regarding production, manufacturing, transportation, and food storage.

Key takeaway

From farm-to-fork traceability, the applications of IoT in agriculture are indefinite. It helps in supply chain traceability and significantly reduces wastage. Also, the implementation of IoT solutions brought some significant transformations in food safety. It assists food manufacturers to maintain their highest quality standards every time without fail.