Modeling traceability information in soybean value chains

Identification of the information to be recorded is the most important requirement for developing an effective traceability system. In this paper, we present a soybean value chain and model the information capture by three links in the chain including the farming, bulk handling and processing sectors. Internal information capture points were identified for each sector and the corresponding traceability information to be recorded was determined. In-depth analyses were conducted for a soybean elevator and an oil and meal processor to determine the importance of traceability information from their perspective. A lot of information is available at different links in the soybean value chain. The method presented here can be used to create a standardized list of data elements that need to be recorded internally or exchanged with other links in the chain. A UML class diagram is developed to represent a method for modeling the product, process, quality and transformation information at any link in the chain. Finally, some suitable technologies for electronic information exchange within the food supply chains are presented.     

The importance of transformations for traceability – A case study of lamb and lamb products

Vertical product information flow is important with regard to consumers’ perceptions of the meat which they buy. When research and analysis of traceability is carried out it is often found that critical points where information is systematically lost are encountered in the transformations of the resources. This study describes how lamb meat can be both tracked and traced through a lamb meat producer (company A). At company A 60% of the resource transformations were shown to be additions, mixing and splitting, these are considered to be those which produce the most critical traceability points. After an analysis of the current traceability system at company A suggested improvements were made. With regard to granularity of traceability they cannot trace individual animals during production, but rather a set of animals. The smallest traceable resource unit (TRU) company A can trace back to be a set of (identifiable) animals from one specific farm.     

Nutritional quality and safety of European perch (Perca fluviatilis) from three lakes of Central Italy

European perch (Perca fluviatilis) harvested from three lakes of Central Italy were studied in different seasonal periods of a year to evaluate their nutritional quality and some safety aspects related to the pollution of the aquatic environment. The lakes considered, located in the Latium region, differed with respect to their volcanic (Bolsena and Bracciano Lakes) or artificial (Salto Lake) origin. Fillets of fish caught in the three lakes were characterised by good protein (17–19%) and mineral contents and low lipid levels (0.6–1.2%) throughout the year. Total lipids were characterised by low cholesterol levels (41.9–74.7 mg/100 g) and high percentages of total n − 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (27.7–33.8% of total fatty acids), in particular docosahexaenoic acid (14.2–25.3% of total fatty acids). The qualitative analysis of the stomach content of perch confirmed their predatory feeding behaviour. The chemical and nutritional profiles of perch from the three lakes were comparable except for rubidium and cesium levels, which were higher in the muscle tissues of perch from the volcanic lakes. These minerals may represent elements of traceability of the origin of fish. Low levels of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls, well below the Italian and European action limits, were detected in the muscle tissue of perch from all three lakes.     

A DNA method for qualitative identification of plant raw materials in feedstuff

This research developed a simple and not expensive DNA method for the qualitative identification of plant raw materials used as feed mixtures. Specific simple sequence tagged (STS) markers were developed to detect faba bean (Lectin A gene), field pea (Convicilin A gene), grain sorghum (UDP-glucosyltransferase gene) and barley (Hordoindoline-a gene), whereas identification of durum and common wheat (lipid transfer protein gene), soybean (Gly m Bd 30K allergen gene) and maize (invertase gene) was carried out using markers available from the literature. Cross-reactivity of the primer pairs was also checked against oat, rye, kidney bean and lentil. The method was effectively applied to the analysis of flour mixtures and extruded feedstuff. It could be included in traceability and certification of animal feeding systems within high quality animal production chains which are strictly related to the production area by the valorisation of locally grown raw materials.     

命名数据网络中可追溯且轻量级的细粒度访问控制机制

由于命名数据网络(NDN)具有网内缓存特点,任意用户可直接从中间路由节点获取数据,同时,内容提供商也无法得知用户的访问信息。针对这些问题,该文结合基于身份的组合公钥和Schnorr签名方法,提出了“三次握手”匿名安全认证协议,同时,采用改进的秘密共享方法来高效分发内容密钥,实现了一种可追溯且轻量级的细粒度访问控制机制(TLAC),最后,通过实验验证了TLAC机制的高效性。     

部分国家食品可追溯性管理实施研究

为加强中国的食品追溯管理,并为中国食品追溯管理提供依据,综述了欧盟、新西兰、加拿大等国家和地区已经建立的食品可追溯性体系及其存在的不足,分析了中国已开展的食品可追溯性管理方面的工作,并结合中国在该方面工作存在的问题,提出了下一步加强食品追溯管理工作的建议。     

Advances in DNA typing in the agro-food supply chain

BackgroundDNA typing is increasingly being applied to assess the genetic origin and authenticity of products entering and exiting the food supply chain. The growing interest in DNA typing has arisen from an expanding array of contexts, such as the need to protect manufacturers, ensure compliance with food regulations, validate labels, fight misbranding, evaluate product ingredients and defend consumers' rights and freedom of choice.Scope and approachThis review presents current practices and emerging technologies about the genetic traceability in the agro-food chain, providing an overview of the specificity and challenges related to the analysis of commercial products of plant origin. We also discuss unsolved needs and specific features of DNA testing in the agro-food supply chain. These include the biochemical and physical variability of the samples under investigation, the possible DNA degradation, and the necessity to distinguish among plant varieties and not only different species.Key findings and conclusionsWe acknowledge that a number of DNA typing systems have been successfully used, and the vast majority are based on the PCR technique. Advances in next-generation sequencing technologies are expected to greatly expand data range and the amount of information accessible to a DNA analysis. The evaluation and implementation of novel technologies and tools, along with concerted efforts to increase information sharing and to establish standard operating protocols, are main priorities of genetic typing in the agro-food chain.     

Traceability of genetically modified Roundup Ready soybean: A case study on sampling and analytical uncertainty along processing chain

A study on the fate of Genetically Modified (GM) Roundup Ready soybean (RRS) was undertaken on the following products: flour, protein flour, lecithin, crude and refined oil, broken grain, hull and expander of an industrial soybean manufacturing plant, with the aim to evaluate the possible effects of processing on the reliability of control plans. A sampling control plan was applied to all the products of the industrial manufactory plant. The best sampling point was identified based on the lowest impact of the analytical and sampling uncertainty.The best “fit for purpose” sampling point for the accurate evaluation of the Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) concentration measurement was identified in the processed products, e.g. flour and protein flour, thanks to the homogeneity on RRS in the batch and the better yield and quality of the extracted DNA.This study presents a practical approach to assess the two main factors that affect the reliability of the control plans: analytical and sampling uncertainty. The work was undertaken on GM soybean derived products, nevertheless the conclusions we reached could be also applied to verify compliance with GMO labelling threshold.     

Anti-counterfeit code for aquatic product identification for traceability and supervision in China

There are not or weak anti-counterfeit functions in the current traceability system. As a result, the counterfeiters could imitate this system easily. This phenomenon had a large impact on the traceability system construction and on consumer trust in the traceability information. The aim of our research was to construct an anti-counterfeit code for aquatic product identification, for traceability and supervision of aquatic enterprises in the domestic market. The aquatic products batch code (APBC) was in the form of a segmented combination encoding an enterprise identification code, a product code and a check code, which implements a combination of traceability and supervision. An encryption algorithm based on the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) was designed for decimal anti-counterfeit code based on the unique identification of the aquatic trace units. Simulation tests indicated that a diffusion rate of greater than 90% was achieved when the encryption was run four or more times, thereby leading to the implementation of an anti-counterfeiting technique for aquatic traceability, known as “one time, one code”. The anti-counterfeit code combined with GS1 was used in a product label, and the method has a high level of security and is used for supervision and tracing of aquatic products in China.