Food Safety Distribution Systems Using Private Blockchain: Ensuring Traceability and Data Integrity Verification

Area of Science:

• Food Safety and Supply Chain Management
• Blockchain Technology Applications
• Internet of Things (IoT)

Background:

• Increasing global foodborne illnesses and complex supply chains necessitate robust food safety and traceability measures.
• Traditional traceability systems suffer from data tampering, fragmentation, and compatibility issues.
• Public blockchains present scalability, latency, and privacy challenges for real-time food safety applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and evaluate a private blockchain-based system for real-time food safety monitoring and traceability.
• To address the limitations of traditional systems and public blockchains in food safety contexts.
• To leverage Hyperledger Fabric, GS1 EPCIS standards, and IoT sensors for a secure and efficient solution.

Main Methods:

• Development of a private blockchain system using Hyperledger Fabric and GS1 EPCIS standards.
• Integration of Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled environmental sensors for real-time data collection.
• Implementation of the Raft consensus mechanism for fault-tolerant, high-throughput processing.
• Performance benchmarking using Hyperledger Caliper with a four-node network.

Main Results:

• The system achieved a peak transaction throughput of 230.2 TPS, averaging 207.4 ± 10.2 TPS.
• Latency increased slightly from 259.3 ± 9.5 ms to 278.7 ± 9.1 ms as the network scaled from two to four nodes.
• Block finalization time remained under 3.184 ± 0.113 seconds, with flawless data integrity confirmed over 114,925 transactions.

Conclusions:

• Private blockchain technology offers a viable solution for effective, scalable, and secure food traceability.
• The proposed system enhances transparency and trust across food supply networks.
• This approach demonstrates the potential of integrating blockchain and IoT for improved food safety monitoring.