BEIJING, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As Walmart
(NYSE: WMT) opened its new Walmart Food Safety Collaboration Center
in Beijing today, IBM (NYSE: IBM),
Walmart and Tsinghua University announced a collaboration to
improve the way food is tracked, transported and sold to consumers
across China. By harnessing the
power of blockchain technology designed to generate transparency
and efficiency in supply chain record-keeping, this work aims to
help enhance the safety of food on the tables of Chinese
consumers.
Food authentication and supply chain tracking is a critical step
to quickly finding and helping address sources of contamination
around the world. Early indications are that Blockchain presents an
innovative new way to accomplish these goals. It provides a
permanent record of transactions which are then grouped in blocks
that cannot be altered. It could serve as an alternative to
traditional paper tracking and manual inspection systems, which can
leave supply chains vulnerable to inaccuracies.
With blockchain, food products can be digitally tracked from an
ecosystem of suppliers to store shelves and ultimately to
consumers. When applied to the food supply chain, digital product
information such as farm origination details, batch numbers,
factory and processing data, expiration dates, storage temperatures
and shipping detail are digitally connected to food items and the
information is entered into the blockchain along every step of the
process. Each piece of information provides critical data points
that could potentially reveal food safety issues with the product.
The information captured in each transaction is agreed upon by all
members of the business network; once there is a consensus, it
becomes a permanent record that can't be altered. This helps assure
that all information about the item is accurate.
The record created by the blockchain can also help retailers
better manage the shelf-life of products in individual stores, and
further strengthen safeguards related to food authenticity.
The collaboration of Walmart, IBM and Tsinghua University takes
advantage of the distinctive strengths of each member of the team.
Scientists from IBM Research - China are among the leading edge technologists
at IBM now in the forefront of the rapid evolution of blockchain.
Working alongside top talent in transaction security and
authentication technology from Tsinghua University and with
Walmart's expertise in supply chain, logistics and food safety,
they are creating a new model for food traceability, supply chain
transparency and auditability using IBM Blockchain based on the
open source Linux Foundation Hyperledger Project
fabric.
"Advanced technology has reached into so many aspects of modern
life but it has lagged in food traceability, and in particular in
creating more secure food supply chains. Our collaboration with
Walmart and Tsinghua University is a step of global significance to
change that," said Bridget van
Kralingen, Senior Vice President, Industry Platforms, IBM.
"Food touches all of us, everywhere, so we are experimenting in
China with Walmart and Tsinghua
given the size and scale of food consumption in this
country."
"As advocates of promoting greater transparency in the food
system for our customers, we look forward to working with IBM and
Tsinghua University to explore how this technology might be used as
a more effective food traceability solution," said Frank Yiannas,
Vice President, Food Safety, Walmart.
"China's rapid economic growth
has led to massive opportunities for innovation, but it has also
presented quality of life challenges, including helping to assure
that food sold in the country is safe to eat," said professor Chai
Yueting from the National Engineering Laboratory for E-Commerce
Technologies, Tsinghua University. "Similarly, we have been working
with IBM on projects such as Green Horizons to address
environmental challenges. Tsinghua University is also committed to
in-depth research of food safety – one of the most important areas
that the world is focusing on. We believe the work with IBM and
Walmart can serve as a global model for others to follow and
replicate."
For more information about IBM Blockchain, visit
www.ibm.com/blockchain.
Media Contacts:
Hannah Slocum
IBM
978 877 0105
hslocum@us.ibm.com
Rebecca Lui
Walmart
408-505-9032
rlui@walmart.com
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SOURCE IBM