Implementation Of Traceability Research Articles

Halal food sustainable traceability framework for the meat processing industry

Purpose This study aims to propose a framework for Halal Food Sustainable Traceability, with the purpose of investigating the implementation of traceability and sustainability within organizations operating in the halal food industry as well as exploring the impact of these practices on organizational performance. This study examines the meat processing sector in Indonesia, focusing on medium to large-scale industrial operations. The rationale for this investigation stems from Indonesia’s substantial potential in the competitive worldwide halal food industry. Design/methodology/approach The research framework has been developed by an extensive review of relevant literature, with a specific emphasis on the cycle of the halal food sustainable traceability framework. This cycle encompasses four key stages, including the roles played by authorities, the process of standardization, the implementation phase and the importance of collaboration. The study analyses and validates data using partial least square-structural equation modeling and empirically tests the theoretical framework using 109 Indonesian halal food industry data. Findings The research identifies potential obstacles and difficulties that may arise during different phases of the halal food sustainable traceability framework. Concerns regarding authority, standardization, implementation and collaboration are among these. In addition, strategies for overcoming these obstacles are deliberated upon, including knowledge sharing, transparency, ongoing reporting and strategic collaboration. Originality/value The present study introduces a Halal Sustainable Traceability Framework that incorporates the principles of halal, traceability, sustainability and their effects on organizational performance. This study offers significant perspectives on the difficulties and resolutions pertaining to the traceability and sustainability of halal food in Indonesia.

An improved implementation of metrological traceability concepts is needed to benefit from standardization of laboratory results.

Non-harmonization of laboratory results represents a concrete risk for patient safety. To avoid harms, it is agreed that measurements by in vitro diagnostic medical devices (IVD-MD) on clinical samples should be traceable to higher-order references and adjusted to give the same result. However, metrological traceability is not a formal claim and has to be correctly implemented, which in practice does not happen for a non-negligible number of measurands. Stakeholders, such as higher-order reference providers, IVD manufacturers, and External Quality Assessment organizers, have major responsibilities and should improve their contribution by unambiguously and rigorously applying what is described in the International Organization for Standardization 17511:2020 standard and other documents provided by the international scientific bodies, such as Joint Committee on Traceability in Laboratory Medicine and IFCC. For their part, laboratory professionals should take responsibility to abandon non-selective methods and move to IVD-MDs displaying proper selectivity, which is one of the indispensable prerequisites for the correct implementation of metrological traceability. The practicality of metrological traceability concepts is not impossible but relevant education and appropriate training of all involved stakeholders are essential to obtain the expected benefits in terms of standardization.

Combination of fingerprint and chemometric analytical approaches to identify the geographical origin of Qinghai-Tibet plateau rapeseed oil

Verification of the geographical origin of rapeseed oil is essential to protect consumers from fraudulent products. A prospective study was conducted on 45 samples from three rapeseed oil-producing areas in Qinghai Province, which were analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. To assess the accuracy of the prediction of origin, classification models were developed using PCA, OPLS-DA, and LDA. It was found that multivariate analysis combined with PCA separate 96% of the samples, and the correct sample discrimination rate based on the OPLS-DA model was over 98%. The predictive index of the model was Q2 = 0.841, indicating that the model had good predictive ability. The LDA results showed highly accurate classification (100%) and cross-validation (100%) rates for the rapeseed oil samples, demonstrating that the model had strong predictive capacity. These findings will serve as a foundation for the implementation and advancement of origin traceability using the combination of fatty acid, phytosterol and tocopherol fingerprints.

Analytical performance specifications for combined uncertainty budget in the implementation of metrological traceability.

In addition to the correct implementation of calibration traceability, the definition and fulfillment of maximum allowable measurement uncertainty (MAU) are essential in assuring that laboratory measurements are clinically usable. Across the entire calibration hierarchy, three major contributors to the measurement uncertainty (MU) budget are identified, starting with the higher-order reference providers, extending through the in vitro diagnostic (IVD) manufacturers and their processes for assigning calibrator values, and ending with medical laboratories generating the random variability of results reported to clinicians. To understand if it is possible to achieve MAU and, consequently, to fix the possible drawbacks, the definition of combined MU budget limits across the entire calibration hierarchy has a central role. In particular, quality specifications for MU of reference and commercial calibrator materials should be defined according to the MAU on clinical samples. All involved stakeholders (i.e., higher-order reference providers, IVD manufacturers, medical laboratories) should be prepared to improve their performance whenever the clinical application of the test is made questionable by the failure to achieve MAU.

Viabilidade do uso de drone aplicado no mapeamento da pesca artesanal comercial: um estudo de caso na Baía de Sepetiba, Rio de Janeiro

ABSTRACT: This article presents an experimental study to verify the feasibility of using the emerging UAV technology in the mapping of fishing grounds exploited by artisanal fishing in Sepetiba Bay, in the south of the state of Rio de Janeiro-Brazil, aiming to better understand the functionality and information generated by the equipment, and whether the data can help improve local fisheries management and also provide information for the implementation of simplified traceability for regional fish. The study area included four locations, Ilha da Madeira, Vila Geny, Coroa Grande and Ponte Preta, all located in Sepetiba Bay, located in the municipality of Itaguaí, in the southern region of the state of Rio de Janeiro. The aerial mapping was carried out in September, October and November 2017, between 10 am and 12 pm (GMT-3), employing a Phantom 3 Professional UAV (DJI, Shenzhen, China), Anac Brasil registration number PP-011092014. The onboard camera a DJI 4K Edition Sony Exmor R Model IMX117: 7.81mm equipped with a CMOS sensor dimension of 6.2 mm, 4000 x 3000 12 megapixel resolution, with an f/2.8 lens and field of view (FOV) of 94, having a focal length of 14mm. Images were collected perpendicularly to the main plan. Flight height was set at 80 m, flight speed was determined based on the overlap of 80%, dimension of area to be mapped, and battery life. Hence, the operator utilized a average flight speed of 25 km/h. ground sample distance (GSD) was 1.20 cm/px. and an overlap of 80% between images was established to avoid possible failures and orthomosaic information gaps. For each fishery mapped, standard software processing was carried out, which consists of: aligning the photos, creating a point cloud, creating a digital elevation model, and finally the orthomosaic itself. Once processed, the orthomosaics were exported from Agis Soft Photo Scan Professional to Google Earth (Google Inc.), where it is possible to make a more comprehensive assessment of fisheries in a much more practical and faster way. A total of four flights were carried out, one for each study area, averaging 10 minutes each. As a result, the technology proved to be viable to apply, since it made it possible to identify and map the areas defined for this research, generating data such as distance and, characteristics of the place, which could be used to track the fish caught and landed, in addition to enabling the monitoring of vessels and fishing, and thus improve the management of local fisheries.

Prospects for the use of Gaussian quadrature to determine the mean integral refractive index of air by its local values measured at two points of the trace

The Earth’s atmosphere has a significant impact on the results of laser range measurements on near-earth traces. This influence is caused by the dependence of the laser signal propagation speed on the refractive index of the air, which varies along the measured trace. Correct accounting of this influence is important for the implementation of metrological traceability of linear measurements from a length measurement standard to distance measurements in large-scale construction, geodesy, geodynamics, navigation, etc. To ensure the required accuracy of such measurements, their results shall be corrected by introducing a correction for the mean refractive index of air along the signal trajectory.
 The simplest and most commonly used method for determining this correction is based on the representation of the integral of the refractive index by the quadrature trapezoidal formula in its simplest form, which requires the determination of only two local values of the refractive index at the endpoints of the trace. The accuracy of this method is often insufficient. In this regard, this paper presents the results of the research that will further substantiate a more accurate model for determining the correction under discussion based on two local refractive index values. The proposed model is based on the use of Gaussian quadrature, for which local values are determined not at the end points of the trace, but within the integration interval.

An empirical study of cold chain issues and performance: Applying structural equation modeling

AbstractThe food industry suffers from huge wastage and losses in food products, and reducing this waste and loss is an issue in the food industry. Improvement in cold chain performance will result in the minimization of food losses and wastage. The reason for this review is to look at the causal connection between different issues with cold chain performance through empirical validation. According to the goal of the review, seven theories were proposed dependent on a thorough writing survey on issues in the cold chain of the frozen food industry. Evidence was found for proposed speculations. The results of hypothesis testing showed infrastructural facility, safety and quality, awareness and handling practices, and responsiveness to positively influence cold chain performance while increased efforts are required for appropriate implementation of integration, sustainability, and traceability. While the performance of the supply chain and parameters affecting it has been a critical exploration theme for more than many years, scarcely any examination has been led that centers explicitly on issues considered synergistically.

Validation of metrological traceability of the new generation of Abbott Alinity alkaline phosphatase assay.

Recently, Abbott Diagnostics marketed a new generation of Alinity enzyme assays, introducing a multiparametric calibrator [Consolidated Chemistry Calibrator (ConCC)] in place of or in addition to factor-based calibrations. For alkaline phosphatase (ALP), both calibration options are offered, i.e.,with ConCC (ALP2) and with an experimental calibration factor (ALP2F). Both options are declared traceable to the 2011 IFCC reference measurement procedure (RMP). Before to replace the old generation (ALP1) with the new one, we decided to validate the trueness of ALP2/ALP2F. Three approaches were employed: (a)preliminary comparison on 48 native frozen serum samples with ALP1, of which traceability to RMP was previously successfully verified; (b)examination of three banked serum pools (BSP) with values assigned by RMP; (c)direct comparison with RMP on a set of 24 fresh serum samples. Bias estimation and regression studies were performed, and the standard measurement uncertainty associated with ALP measurements on clinical samples (uresult) was estimated and compared with established analytical performance specifications (APS). ConCC commutability was also assessed. A positive proportional bias was found with both ALP2 and ALP2F when compared to ALP1 and RMP. This positive bias was confirmed on BSP: in average, +13.1 % for ALP2 and +10.0 % for ALP2F, respectively. uresult were 13.28 % for ALP2 and 10.04 % for ALP2F, both not fulfilling the minimum APS of 4.0 %. Furthermore, ConCC was not commutable with clinical samples. Our results unearth problems in the correct implementation of traceability of Alinity ALP2/ALP2F, with the risk for the new assay to be unfit for clinical purposes.

Tracing or not: How can the supplier of geographical indication products benefit from different traceability strategies?

Geographical Indication (GI) products are known for their unique product qualities and good reputations. However, there are many deceptive products on the market that diminish consumers’ enthusiasm for making purchases. To alleviate consumers’ concerns, a trustworthy and reliable traceability certification is needed. The issue of how to implement traceability strategies in the supply chain deserves attention, based on consumer preferences for traceability and their independent channel choice. In this paper, we construct a secondary supply chain consisting of suppliers and retailers and study the optimal prices and traceability strategy of the supply chain under three channel structures, considering consumer preferences for traceability and their independent channel choice. By comparing the optimal profits of the supplier and the retailer under different channels, we obtain the conditions for implementing the traceability strategy and the specific traceability levels. To be more realistic, this paper also considers the effect of market power on the initial model. We compare the Pareto optimization regions under different scenarios. The results show that the implementation of traceability is conditional and that consumer traceability preferences, traceability costs, and channel substitutability are closely related. In some scenarios, either the bargaining game or the Stackelberg game can achieve Pareto optimization.

Explainability techniques applied to road traffic forecasting using Graph Neural Network models

In recent years, several new Artificial Intelligence methods have been developed to make models more explainable and interpretable. The techniques essentially deal with the implementation of transparency and traceability of black box machine learning methods. Black box refers to the inability to explain why the model turns the input into the output, which may be problematic in some fields. To overcome this problem, our approach provides a comprehensive combination of predictive and explainability techniques. Firstly, we compared statistical regression, classic machine learning and deep learning models, reaching the conclusion that models based on deep learning exhibit greater accuracy. Of the great variety of deep learning models, the best predictive model in spatio-temporal traffic datasets was found to be the Adaptive Graph Convolutional Recurrent Network. Regarding the explainability technique, GraphMask shows a notably higher fidelity metric than other methods. The integration of both techniques was tested by means of experimental results, concluding that our approach improves deep learning model accuracy, making such models more transparent and interpretable. It allows us to discard up to 95% of the nodes used, facilitating an analysis of its behavior and thus improving the understanding of the model.

Implementing metrological traceability of C-reactive protein measurements: consensus summary from the Joint Committee for Traceability in Laboratory Medicine Workshop.

The Joint Committee for Traceability in Laboratory Medicine (JCTLM) currently lists the secondary commutable certified reference material (CRM) ERM DA-474/IFCC (DA-474) "C-Reactive Protein in Human Serum" and two generic immunoassay-based method principles as the basis for implementing the metrological traceability of C-reactive protein (CRP) measurements by end-user measurement procedures used by medical laboratories. The current metrological traceability has produced well harmonized results for clinical samples among different end-user measurement procedures. New higher-order pure substance and secondary commutable CRMs have been nominated for listing by the JCTLM. However, the data supporting performance of these new candidate CRMs, including use of new mass spectrometry based candidate reference measurement procedures (RMPs), was not clear regarding the influence that introducing these new CRMs would have on the current well harmonized results achieved with the existing metrological traceability to DA-474. The clinically relevant CRP measurand in blood serum or plasma is a pentamer of identical subunits, which adds complexity to the application of higher-order CRMs and RMPs. The JCTLM convened a workshop in December 2022 to review the appropriate implementation of metrological traceability of CRP measurements. The workshop consensus was that the extent-of-equivalence data must include considerations about the impact of a new CRM when used for its intended purpose in the calibration hierarchies of existing end-user measuring systems; and that a new RMP must compare results with another existing well validated candidate RMP or with a globally available end-user measurement system.

Apprehending traceability implementation in support of sustainable value chains: A novel analysis framework for the fashion industry

The fashion sector is a major globalised industry, relying on production and consumption models, which have prompted tremendous negative externalities over the last few decades. The industry has been considered a significant contributor to global ecological challenges along with serious social damages, recognising it as a potential high-priority sector in the wake of a transition towards sustainable development. In this regard, enhancing traceability along the value chain has been identified as a primary concern to support sustainable production and consumption patterns. However, research remains nascent and extremely fragmented. An ambiguity is surrounding traceability due to its inheritance from the quality management field, which is still essentially conceived from an exclusive supply chain perspective. No study has attempted to comprehensively explore its implementation to promote sustainable value chains in the industry and the scarce frameworks available show limitations in acknowledging this emerging issue. This prevents the examination of the extant knowledge for research and practice. In order to address this gap, a systematic literature review was conducted pertaining to the fashion sector. Employing an iterative and inductive analysis, while considering previous theoretical developments on traceability, a novel analysis framework was developed based on the identification of three recurring and interrelated dimensions (objectives, scope, and action levers) to apprehend its implementation for supporting sustainable value chains in the industry. Accordingly, the main findings from the literature were elicited, thereby providing useful initial knowledge to support the advancement of research and practice on this significant matter in the industry.© 2001 Elsevier Science. All rights reserved.

Managing food security using blockchain-enabled traceability system

PurposeFood insecurity is a major concern for developing economies. Operational inadequacies get introduced with unorganized interactions among stakeholders in the food supply chain, affecting social, economic, environmental and operational (SEEO) aspects of a nation. This study analyzes India's largest food safety net program, Public Distribution System (PDS) and develops a perception-based model, mapping the root causes (of food insecurity) with possible solutions. The novelty lies in leveraging blockchain in the implementation of food traceability system.Design/methodology/approachSoft system methodology (SSM) is used to identify and analyze problems in PDS, leveraging the learning and inquiry process. It relies on system thinking and action research to create a defendable and rational model, which helps in proposing recommendations for addressing the problem.FindingsBlockchain-enabled food traceability system increases transparency, thus enabling the fulfillment of basic food necessities for beneficiaries.Practical implicationsThe proposed model enables policymakers to build a profound understanding of existing operational issues and provides insightful recommendations for making informed decisions to deal with the grave issue of food insecurity.Originality/valueUnlike previous studies, this research attempts to understand operational inefficiencies during interactions among stakeholders. It proposes a perception-based conceptual model for the final implementation at the ground level. It also reveals significance of three systems: a delivery system, an enabling system empowering delivery system and a criteria system to control and monitor processes. This study thus bridges an important gap in the literature by proposing a blockchain-driven traceability system, under the control of criteria system, through the integration of system-thinking and action-research approach.

Traceability adoption in dry fish supply chain SMEs in India: exploring awareness, benefits, drivers and barriers

The illegal harvesting of seafood and the mislabelling of dry fish products have become more prominent in recent years. Traceability in the dry fish supply chain deserves research attention, especially among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in a developing country like India. To implement the traceability system, it is necessary to identify the variables and their inter-relationships that influence traceability in a food supply chain. This research aims to identify the awareness, benefits, drivers, and barriers that affect traceability adoption in the dry fish supply chain. Data were collected from 226 dry fish supply chain stakeholders through a cross-sectional survey (both online and offline) in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, two central maritime states of India. A conceptual model is developed, and the inter-relationship among the factors underlying the traceability implementation is analysed through correlation matrices and multiple regression modelling. The results show that the Indian dry fish stakeholders moderately understand the traceability system. Product safety and quality are identified as the primary benefits of traceability, while quality concerns and food safety regulations are observed as primary drivers. The significant barriers are the cost of a traceability system, lack of a co-ordinator and lack of government support.

Use of information technology for traceability and quality control: Case study in a Brazilian winery

Food safety and quality are current demands from consumers and markets, which ends up being reflected in the wine sector and throughout its chain. However, they can pose operational challenges, especially for small or medium-sized wineries. This study aims to develop the traceability of the grape used in wine production supported by information technology in a winery situated in Garibaldi, RS, Brazil. The study was carried out in three phases: protocol development, implementation of an information system and evaluation of the results, identifying opportunities and barriers. A standard protocol for the grapes traceability was developed, considering data from grape cultivation, delivered grape quality assessment and grape processing control parameters until bottling. Demetra software was deployed, developed by Elysios. The implementation of traceability and the information system will be a step towards obtaining international certifications. The study contributes to bringing international standards of food safety and quality to the Brazilian context. In this sense, the study contributes to expanding the applied knowledge on the field and to support professionals and wineries in the development of strategies for the implementation of traceability systems.

The Impacts of Government Subsidies and Consumer Preferences on Food Supply Chain Traceability under Different Power Structures

After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the sustainability of the food supply chain (FSC) was greatly challenged. Enterprises and governments have taken various measures to enhance the resilience of the FSC and to achieve sustainable development. Product traceability systems are an important tool for improving the resilience of the FSC and for dealing with its risks. In this study, we developed a two-stage supply chain consisting of a manufacturer and a retailer to investigate how government subsidies, power structures, and consumer preferences affect the decisions involved with FSC traceability. Manufacturer–Stackelberg (MS) and retailer–Stackelberg (RS) power structures—with and without government subsidies—were constructed using game theory, and the equilibrium solutions of the four models were compared and analyzed. The research shows that (i) government subsidies have a positive effect on FSC traceability investments, benefiting both the manufacturer and the retailer; (ii) a retailer-dominated supply chain is more conducive to product traceability, which will benefit the retailer, and when the consumer traceability preference reaches a certain threshold, the manufacturer will also benefit; and (iii) government subsidies have a significant incentivizing effect on retailer-dominated supply chain traceability. Finally, we provide an example to analyze and compare the differences between decision-making processes and profits under various consumer preference scenarios. In conclusion, the government should provide subsidies, and the retailer needs to dominate the supply chain and improve consumer traceability preferences. The research in this paper provides insight into the implementation of traceability in the FSC for management.

Harmonization Status of Serum Ferritin Measurements and Implications for Use as Marker of Iron-Related Disorders.

Serum ferritin is considered a suitable biomarker of iron-related disorders. However, data about the comparability of results among commercial measuring systems (MSs) are contradictory. We performed an intercomparison study aimed at verifying the current interassay variability and its impact on clinical application of the test. Obtaining this information is vital because manufacturers continue to claim calibration alignment to different WHO preparations, which are not related to each other in terms of traceability. Four widely used MSs were evaluated. The interassay agreement was verified using 39 human serum pools. The recovery of WHO International Standard (IS) 94/572 (the only reference material available at the time of the study) was evaluated, after assessing the material commutability. Finally, an approach for harmonizing ferritin results was proposed. Highly significant differences (P < 0.00001) among ferritin concentrations assayed by different MSs were detected and the interassay CV (median 22.9%; interquartile range 21.8-25.5) overlapped the desirable intermethod bias (24.6%). IS 94/572 was commutable for use only with Access and Centaur, with Access being the only MS correctly recovering its assigned value. Accordingly, we used regression data against Access to recalibrate MSs, indirectly aligning them to IS 94/572, with a substantial improvement in degree of harmonization and traceability to higher-order reference. The harmonization among evaluated ferritin MSs is far from optimal, with the implementation of traceability to different WHO ISs being a factor of confusion. A recalibration approach, however, would permit measurement harmonization, allowing the use of common decision thresholds.

Metrological research of a reference installation based on a high-pressure vessel

The urgency of development and metrological research of reference installations based on high-pressure vessels, which meet the requirements of the implementation of traceability of instruments for measuring gas volume and gas volume flow rate, is considered. The operation algorithm of the specified reference installations when transferring the unit of gas volume to the gas meters under consideration is studied. Based on the algorithm and features of the operation of PVTt-type standards, a list of the analysed uncertainties of type A is formulated when estimating the volume of the calibrated high-pressure vessel; when measuring the absolute pressure and absolute temperature of gas due to the influence of instability of pressure and temperature on the gas meter under consideration due to the presence of a temperature gradient in the vessel. Uncertainties of type B, which are determined by metrological characteristics of measuring instruments, as well as the uncertainty of parameters evaluated by means of calculation, in particular the compressibility factor of the working environment, the influence of water vapour on the working environment and the influence of the discreteness of the device for collecting information about measurements from the gas meter are considered.&#x0D; Formulas to quantify the combined uncertainty of measuring the volume of the calibrated vessel, the absolute pressure and absolute temperature as well as to calculate the air compressibility factor for the operating conditions of the installation are given. These parameters are the absolute pressure and absolute temperature of the gas and the compressibility factor of the working environment in the vessel at the beginning and at the end of the reproduction of the reference volume as well at the inlet of the gas meter. The expressions for calculating the combined and expanded uncertainties of PVTt-type standards are given.

Korean actions taken for implementation of measurement traceability in laboratory medicine

Korean actions taken for implementation of measurement traceability in laboratory medicine

Metrological traceability and clinical traceability of laboratory results- the role of commutability in External Quality Assurance.

The role of an External Quality Assurance (EQA) program is generally seen as providing a service to routine laboratories that their analytical performance is satisfactory and stimulating corrective action in the event of poor results. It is recognised that an ideal EQA program uses materials that are commutable with patient samples and have values assigned by higher-order reference methods. Despite this, most routine EQA programs use materials without verified commutability and use consensus means (based on either peer group or all laboratories) as target values. We propose an ongoing role for EQA programs using non-commutable materials and consensus targets to support the measurement services of routine laboratories. This is provided the relevant comparators supplied by the laboratory, e.g. reference intervals and clinical decision points, are based on the same or equivalent measurement system as is used by the laboratory. Materials without verified commutability often have certain practical advantages, which may include the range of analyte concentrations, verified stability, replicate samples and, significantly, lower costs. Laboratories using such programs need to be aware of the limitations, especially comparing results from different measurement systems. However, we also recognise that as well as individual laboratories, data from EQA programs informs manufacturers, professional organisations, clinical guideline writers and other medical bodies For consideration beyond an individual laboratory, proper assessment of differences between measurement systems (results harmonization) and demonstration of correct implementation of metrological traceability (methods trueness) become vital, and for that purpose, commutability of EQA materials and traceability of target values are required.