IBM and Chef Sanchez Demo Food Traceability Blockchain at CES 2020

IBM, the 109-year-old tech firm that has metamorphosed into a distributed ledger technology (DLT) big whale, demonstrated how its blockchain-powered Food Trust Project is fostering transparency and eliminating adulteration in the food supply chain ecosystem, according to reports on January 15, 2020.

Food on the Blockchain

At a time when food fraud is steadily on the rise due to lack of simplification of the complex nature and lack of transparency in the food supply chain, IBM has once again demonstrated that its blockchain solution has all it takes to nip this multi-billion dollar menace in the bud.

Per sources close to the matter, during the recently concluded CES 2020 conference, a 50-year-old summit that brings together innovators and consumer tech behemoths from around the world, IBM and chef Aaron Sanchez joined forces to demonstrate how the former’s Food Trust Project is eliminating food adulteration with blockchain technology.

Launched in August 2017, the IBM Food Trust Project aims to enable farmers, grocers, cooks and every other entity involved in the food supply chain to track foods right from the farm to the end consumers.

Notably, the IBM Food Trust solution makes it possible for farmers to optically or chemically scan their products with a simple electronic device, which then allows everyone involved in the supply chain to confirm the authenticity of food products.

Blockchain Eliminating Supply Chain Opacity

Reportedly, Jason Kelley, General Manager of Blockchain Services at IBM noted that blockchain is the tech of choice for the food traceability project, as it crushes the need for farmers and other participants to invest in massive data stores and expensive devices, making it the cheapest way to get the food supply chain participants connected in a seamless manner.

Commenting on the successful demonstration of the IBM Food Trust solution, Sanchez, who functions as a judge on the MasterChef television show and the founder of the New Orleans-based Johnny Sanchez restaurant, reiterated that blockchain technology has found a real use case in the food supply chain ecosystem.

He said:

“For me, I felt like there were a lot of nameless ingredients since I didn’t have the connection to the farmer as I would have loved to. DLT makes it possible to have a direct connection and conversation through technology.”

It’s worth noting that IBM is not the only firm using blockchain technology to curb food fraud and adulteration, as several highly reputed companies and nations including Malaysia, South Korea, China, among others have also joined the movement.