To patent or not to patent: challenges and solutions to the patent ban on new genomic techniques plant in EU

The spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Europe has induced EU policy makers to implement a mandatory traceability and labeling system in the beef supply chain. This paper analyzes consumer and retailer attitudes toward this system. Data used in the study were collected through two surveys of consumers and retailers in the province of Aragon, Spain, in 2002. Consumer and retailer attitudes toward beef traceability are examined to identify main underlying factors. Using these factors, consumers and retailers are segmented into homogenous groups according to their attitudes toward traceability for beef. Results indicate that both consumers and retailers highly value the positive aspects related to the traceability and labeling system for beef, and they value the possible disadvantages to a lesser extent. The bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) crisis, reinforced by other events such as the outbreak of foot and mouth disease, caused a loss of confidence in the safety of meat products, especially beef, by many EU consumers. Consequently, the consumption of beef has declined. To regain consumer confidence in beef safety necessary for the stability of the beef market, the EU has developed a system for identification and registration of cattle and a compulsory traceability and labeling system that allows the flow of product information through out the supply chain, from farmer to consumer. The new regulation requires EU members to cre

Due to food scandals that shocked the retailer markets, traceability systems were advocated to regain consumers’ confidence and trust. However, while traceability systems can be more easily explored in modern markets, almost no traceability system can be found in traditional markets in Taiwan, especially when buying meat products. This study explored the preference and the willingness-to-pay (WTP) for traceability information of pork products in traditional markets in Taiwan. The random utility theory (RUT) with the contingent valuation method (CVM) was adopted to examine the total of 1420 valid responses in Taiwan. Results show that 80% of traditional market consumers are willing to pay more for traceability information of pork products. Specifically, when consumers (1) know the market price of pork, (2) do not often buy food in the traditional market, (3) live in south or north regions of Taiwan, (4) have a flexible buying schedule, (5) are aware of food safety due to frequently accessing health-related content through media, or (6) think pork grading is very important, they would tend to choose meat products with traceability information. The implication of this study suggests that there is an urgent desire for food safety labeling and traceability information system in traditional markets in Taiwan. Especially, those who usually shop in the higher-price markets are willing to pay the most for this traceability information.

Product traceability is an effective technical solution to control and address product quality and safety issues, enabling consumers to fully know the full range of aspects of product flow. At present, the mainstream product traceability platform has the risk of system centralization, data being maliciously altered or destroyed. Blockchain can be effectively used in the supply chains to solve the above problems. The platform suitable for traceability system application based on Hyperledger Fabric was selected, designed a product traceability technical solution and a product traceability system solution prototype. The program content includes product traceability business requirements, architecture of traceability system, blockchain data storage scheme, transaction method and consensus mechanism, inquiry of traceability result etc. The platform of the product traceability blockchain based system in experimental environment is built and the query and verification process of the traceability on the blockchain traceability system is realized and tested, which proves the feasibility of the system.

The food incidence of polychlorinated biphenyls in farmed Atlantic salmon in Canada and its subsequent effects on the demand for farm-raised salmon has induced policymakers and stakeholders to develop new policies on food safety. This article analyzes consumer attitudes toward mandatory traceability and labeling systems for farmed Atlantic salmon in Newfoundland and Labrador. It identifies factors affecting consumers' decisions to purchase the product. Results show that consumers, on average, perceive the benefits of traceability and labeling systems on farm-raised Atlantic salmon in spite of its driving up the product price.

The EU’s regulatory framework for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) was developed for “classical” transgenic GMOs, yet advancements in so-called “new genomic techniques (NGTs)” have led to implementation challenges regarding detection and identification. As traceability can complement detection and identification strategies, improvements to the existing traceability strategy for GMOs are investigated in this study. Our results are based on a comprehensive analysis of existing traceability systems for globally traded agricultural products, with a focus on soy. Alternative traceability strategies in other sectors were also analysed. One focus was on traceability strategies for products with characteristics for which there are no analytical verification methods. Examples include imports of “conflict minerals” into the EU. The so-called EU Conflict Minerals Regulation requires importers of certain raw materials to carry out due diligence in the supply chain. Due diligence regulations, such as the EU’s Conflict Minerals Regulation, can legally oblige companies to take responsibility for certain risks in their supply chains. They can also require the importer to prove the regional origin of imported goods. The insights from those alternative traceability systems are transferred to products that might contain GMOs. When applied to the issue of GMOs, we propose reversing the burden of proof: All companies importing agricultural commodities must endeavour to identify risks of unauthorised GMOs (including NGTs) in their supply chain and, where appropriate, take measures to minimise the risk to raw material imports. The publication concludes that traceability is a means to an end and serves as a prerequisite for due diligence in order to minimise the risk of GMO contamination in supply chains. The exemplary transfer of due diligence to a company in the food industry illustrates the potential benefits of mandatory due diligence, particularly for stakeholders actively managing non-GMO supply chains.

Namibia suffered the worst outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in 40 years during 2015. The entire Northern Communal Areas were quarantined with a complete ban being enforced on the movement of all cattle to and from these areas. The Namibian Livestock Identification and Traceability System (NamLITS) was used to minimize the impact of this outbreak and made free trade possible once again by using its advanced functionalities illustrating its effectiveness.

Combating product label misconduct: The role of traceability and market inspection

Traceability has become an important feature in supply chain management. It can be adopted to identify the sources of many quality problems. In this paper, we develop a game theoretical model to study the role of traceability in combating product label misconduct. Specifically, we consider an industrial organization that assigns product labels to its members to certify their products in an output market. However, a member of the organization may choose to sell its product label to an unregulated party that makes unqualified units. The organization can choose between a traceable product label system and an untraceable one. The former has the advantage of identifying the responsible member when the inspection detects an unqualified unit. We derive the optimal inspection polices of the two product label systems and demonstrate that the organization may incur a higher cost by adopting the traceable rather than untraceable label system. This non-intuitive result indicates that without a proper management mechanism in place, the adoption of a traceable product label system may backfire. We extend our base model and show that our main insights are robust in various settings.

The China market for traceable food has developed gradually over the past decade. This study surveyed 1380 consumers in seven pilot cities designated by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce for the construction of a meat and vegetable circulation traceability system. A choice-based conjoint analysis and multinomial logit model were used to study consumer preferences and demand for traceable pork attributes. The results demonstrated that certification of traceable information was the most important characteristic, followed by appearance and traceable information. Significant heterogeneity was observed in consumer preferences for the attributes of traceable pork. Consumers’ preferences for traceable attributes were significantly influenced by age, income level, and education level. Based on these results, we suggest that the government should strengthen the promotion of scientific knowledge regarding traceability systems, and encourage and support the production of traceable food with different traceability levels and different certification types. Moreover, the development of food traceability systems should be combined with a labeling system for quality certification.

The food industry is becoming more customer-oriented and needs faster response times to deal with food scandals and incidents. Good traceability systems help to minimize the production and distribution of unsafe or poor quality products, thereby minimizing the potential for bad publicity, liability, and recalls. The current food labelling systems cannot guarantee that the food is authentic, good quality and safe. Therefore, traceability is applied as a tool to assist in the assurance of food safety and quality as well as to achieve consumer confidence. This paper presents comprehensive information about traceability systems and the evolution concerning the actors involved and the information about safety and quality in the food supply chain administrated within the systems. Some inventive factors, which influence the traceability systems adoption, are underlined.

The safety of animal products has always been the focus of people's attention, especially the frequent occurrence of food safety problems in recent years, which has caused a series of bad social impact, and the traceability system of the whole industry chain is a solution to the food safety problem. Based on the analysis of the problems existing in the application of traditional traceability system, we combine the advantages of blockchain and Internet of Things technology. This paper proposes a framework of livestock products traceability system based on blockchain and Internet of Things, and discusses the key technologies of system implementation to ensure the integrity, reliability and security of traceability information from the technical level. The system is an effective solution to enhance the reliability of traceability information and ensure the integrity of information.

In the context of epidemic prevention and control, food safety monitoring, data analysis and food safety traceability have become more important. At the same time, the most important reason for food safety issues is incomplete, opaque, and asymmetric information. The most fundamental way to solve these problems is to do a good job of traceability, and establish a reasonable and reliable food safety traceability system. The traceability system is currently an important means to ensure food quality and safety and solve the crisis of trust between consumers and the market. Research on food safety traceability systems based on big data, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things provides ideas and methods to solve the problems of low credibility and difficult data storage in the application of traditional traceability systems. Therefore, this research takes rice as an example and proposes a food safety traceability system based on RFID two-dimensional code technology and big data storage technology in the Internet of Things. This article applies RFID technology to the entire system by analyzing the requirements of the system, designing the system database and database tables, encoding the two-dimensional code and generating the design for information entry. Using RFID radio frequency technology and the data storage function in big data to obtain information in the food production process. Finally, the whole process of food production information can be traced through the design of dynamic query platform and mobile terminal. In this research, the food safety traceability system based on big data and the Internet of Things guarantees the integrity, reliability and safety of traceability information from a technical level. This is an effective solution for enhancing the credibility of traceability information, ensuring the integrity of information, and optimizing the data storage structure.

It is generally recognized that the use of physical and digital information-based solutions for tracking plastic materials along a value chain can favour the transition to a circular economy and help to overcome obstacles. In the near future, traceability and information exchange between all actors in the value chain of the plastics industry will be crucial to establishing more effective recycling systems. Recycling plastics is a complex process that is particularly complicated in the case of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic because of its versatility and use in many applications. This literature study is part of a larger EU-funded project with the acronym ABSolEU (Paving the way for an ABS recycling revolution in the EU). One of its goals is to propose a suitable traceability system for ABS products through physical marking with a digital connection to a suitable data-management system to facilitate the circular use of ABS. The aim of this paper is therefore to review and assess the current and future techniques for traceability with a particular focus on their use for ABS plastics as a basis for this proposal. The scientific literature and initiatives are discussed within three technological areas, viz., labelling and traceability systems currently in use, digital data sharing systems and physical marking. The first section includes some examples of systems used commonly today. For data sharing, three digital technologies are discussed, viz., Digital Product Passports, blockchain solutions and certification systems, which identify a product through information that is attached to it and store, share and analyse data throughout the product’s life cycle. Finally, several different methods for physical marking are described and evaluated, including different labels on a product’s surface and the addition of a specific material to a polymer matrix that can be identified at any point in time with the use of a special light source or device. The conclusion from this study is that the most promising data management technology for the near future is blockchain technology, which could be shared by all ABS products. Regarding physical marking, producers must evaluate different options for individual products, using the most appropriate and economical technology for each specific product. It is also important to evaluate what information should be attached to a specific product to meet the needs of all actors in the value chain.

Abstract: The Indian cosmetics industry has undergone a significant transformation with the implementation of the Cosmetics Rules 2020, which seek to align the country';s regulatory framework with international standards, address local challenges, and ensure consumer safety. These rules cover registration and licensing, labeling and packaging, and stringent safety standards, ensuring the production of high-quality, safe products. This review provides a detailed comparative analysis of India';s new regulations with those in major markets, including the European Union (EU), the United States (US), and Japan, as well as emerging markets such as China, Brazil, and Southeast Asia. The analysis highlights key similarities and differences, identifies areas for further reform, and offers insights into global regulatory dynamics. The review examines critical aspects such as registration and licensing requirements, which are essential for market entry. It also scrutinizes labeling and packaging regulations, which promote consumer transparency. Safety standards are a focal point, given their importance in protecting consumers. The impact of these regulations on India';s cosmetics industry is explored, emphasizing the growing importance of sustainable practices, digital labeling, and traceability systems. These technologies enhance consumer access to product information and ensure product authenticity and safety throughout the supply chain. Furthermore, this review provides a future outlook, suggesting areas for regulatory improvement to support continued industry growth and consumer protection by examining current regulations and emerging trends.

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) approach applied to species identification in mixed processed seafood products