An RFID-Based Tracing and Tracking System for the Fresh Vegetables Supply Chain

Abstract

The paper presents an innovative gapless traceability system able to improve the main business processes of the fresh vegetables supply chain. The performed analysis highlighted some critical aspects in the management of the whole supply chain, from the land to the table of the end consumer, and allowed us to reengineer the most important processes. In particular, the first steps of the supply chain, which include cultivation in greenhouses and manufacturing of packaged vegetables, were analyzed. The reengineered model was designed by exploiting the potentialities derived from the combined use of innovative Radio Frequency technologies, such as RFID and NFC, and important international standards, such as EPCglobal. The proposed tracing and tracking system allows the end consumer to know the complete history of the purchased product. Furthermore, in order to evaluate the potential benefits of the reengineered processes in a real supply chain, a pilot project was implemented in an Italian food company, which produces ready-to-eat vegetables, known as IV gamma products. Finally, some important metrics have been chosen to carry out the analysis of the potential benefits derived from the use of the re-engineered model.

Redução de perdas nas cadeias de frutas e hortaliças pela análise da vida útil dinâmica

“…Jedermann et al (2009) concluíram que etiquetas semipassivas de RFID podem ser usadas para monitorar a temperatura de alimentos refrigerados, identificar áreas problemáticas e antecipar a solução dos problemas com a emissão de alarmes, sendo boas ferramentas com adequado custo-benefício. Mainetti et al (2013) utilizaram tecnologia de RFID e NFC (Near Field Communication) para a rastreabilidade e o monitoramento de cadeia de abastecimento de hortaliças minimamente processadas, desde a produção até a gôndola do supermercado, nas operações de uma empresa de varejo, na Itália. Vários trabalhos publicados sobre a aplicação de RFID na cadeia de distribuição de alimentos perecíveis enfocam a melhoria no controle da qualidade e na eficiência operacional (GRUNOW; PIRAMUTHU, 2013).…”

Study on Internet of Things-driven Real-time Status Monitoring of Supply Chain Logistics

“…Trebar Mira and Lotric Metka et al [5] solved the problem of monitoring the temperature in fish supply chain by RFID technology. It's also adopted by Mainetti Luca and Mele Francesca et al [6] to settle the problem of vegetable supply chain monitoring. Fan Hua and Wu Quanyuan et al [7] studied the misreading problem of RFID technology to improve the accuracy of RFID data.…”

New techniques and methods for cold chain monitoring and tracking in perishable products

“…Kelepouris et al (2007) proposed an infrastructure using RFID, where it was compared with the traditional lot numbering and internal information systems; it has the advantages of automatic identification, uniform EPC for all partners, small investment in equipment and easily drawn information. (Mainetti et al, 2013a). These tags are made very small so that they can fit inside products for various reasons such as security, anti-theft and individual identification.…”

“…NFC enables devices to share information in less than 4 cm (NFC-Forum, 2014). It operates at 13.56 MHz and currently supports data rates of 106, 212, 424 or 848 Kbit/s (Mainetti et al, 2013a). These tags are made very small so that they can fit inside products for various reasons such as security, anti-theft and individual identification.…”

“…They implemented the usage of NFC in a IV range products supply chain. NFC is proved to work together with a mobile app to allow the linking of plants and traceability information (Mainetti et al, 2013a).…”