Seafood company Bumble Bee Foods has started using blockchain technology to track the journey of yellowfin tuna, from Indonesian waters to store shelves.
Using technology from software firm SAP, consumers can access the origin and history of Natural Blue yellowfin tuna – which is produced by Bumble Bee Foods’ subsidiary Anova – by using smartphones to scan a QR code on the product package.
The blockchain technology provides instant information about the fish-to-market journey, including the size of the catch, point of capture and the fishing community that caught it – as well as insights to verify authenticity, freshness, safety, fair trade fishing certification and sustainability.
San Diego-based Bumble Bee said it aims to improve seafood traceability as more consumers want to know if their food is sustainably sourced.
“With SAP, we have the ability to track fish the moment it’s caught and as it travels around the world, telling the story of each tuna while positively impacting ecosystems and the lives of the people all the way down the line,” said Bumble Bee Foods chief information officer Tony Costa.
“Bumble Bee has long been an industry leader in tracing its seafood products, and the addition of SAP’s blockchain technology allows us to further elevate our efforts in complete transparency with consumers and customers, providing assurance that their fish is fresh and it’s been sourced fairly according to our commitments to the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation.”
Bumble Bee said blockchain is the safest possible way to share data between parties because it is incorruptible and verifiable.
“This solution is an example of how blockchains can be used to revolutionise the future of food,” said Oliver Betz, global head and senior vice president of SAP Innovative Business Solutions.
“It creates transparency and traceability across the food supply chain, from the ocean, across the cold chain, to the warehouse, store and our table. When we help enterprises like Bumble Bee to make innovation real, we support the consumer’s need to know and reinforce their faith in the brands they trust.”
Natural Blue tuna steaks by Anova can be found in 12oz bags at retailers in the US including Albertsons, Hy-Vee, Price Chopper and Safeway.
Last week, French supermarket Carrefour said it is using blockchain technology to let consumers trace information about the source of its milk products.
The technology allows shoppers to see the GPS coordinates of farmers whose animals’ milk was collected, get information about the cows’ feeds, find out exactly when the milk was collected and where it was packaged.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024
