Abstract
Food supply chains are considered to be more complex systems than other types of supply chains. This complexity is due to the continuous changes taking place, particularly in ensuring the quality of food products throughout the entire supply chain, from growing, procurement of resources, production, and management of stock, to distribution to the final consumers. For that, food supply chain markets have become more highly developed in the use of modern technologies, and have begun to implement them in their logistical systems to satisfy their customers’ needs. The main objectives of this review are to identify the different technological implementations in different phases of the food supply chain processes and point out the key factors for using technologies to improve the characteristics of the perishable food supply chain. A total number of 137 articles were analyzed in this research to achieve these review objectives. Some of the various technologies found in different phases of the food supply chain were radio frequency identification (RFID), the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, three-dimensional printing (3DP), autonomous vehicles, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These technologies were found in different phases of the food supply chain and improved the efficiency of supplying perishable foods. The review identified different characteristics of the perishable food supply chain. The main finding indicated that technological implementation enhances the efficiency and sustainability of the food supply chains and helps to retain perishable food characteristics.
Highlights
In recent years, with the rapid growth of food industries and radical changes in people’s dietary habits and lifestyles, food awareness has increased for most consumers
The publications selected for this review were based on the technologies that can be used to improve the food supply chain, and they were divided into two main subsections
The review involved the analysis of the ideas presented in various studies related to the implementation of technology, and to identify technologies used in different phases of the food supply chain, such as agriculture, processing, packaging, shipping, and selling, and to evaluate their effectiveness in improving the characteristics of perishable foods
Summary
With the rapid growth of food industries and radical changes in people’s dietary habits and lifestyles, food awareness has increased for most consumers. Modern customers are more concerned about the safety and the quality of the food that they eat. Food safety is understood to encompass food that is free from impurities and substances that may cause the growth of bacteria harmful to people’s safety and lives [1]. The manipulation of food can cause severe damage to the health and safety of community members, and perpetrators are punished with severe penalties to deter such acts from spreading. Food scandals have recently revealed harmful products in the China market, such as “Sudan red,” “clenbuterol,” “Sanlu toxic milk powder,” and “trench oil.”. Food consumers in the China market have lost their trust in the provided food safety and quality. Food safety problems are not limited to China; different cases have been reported in Europe as well, such as Escherichia coli in Logistics 2020, 4, 33; doi:10.3390/logistics4040033 www.mdpi.com/journal/logistics
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