Vietnamese Seafood Producers Look to RFID

FXA Group already works with two Thai shrimp exporters that began using low-frequency (LF) RFID passive tags, operating at 134.2 kHz and complying with the ISO 11785 standard, in order to trace shrimp exports back to their point of origin. The system better allows the exporters to react quickly, to track contaminated shrimp in the event of a food recall, as well as to make their food-processing steps more efficient (see Thai Shrimp Exporters Use RFID for Automation, Traceability).

Until food can be closely tracked throughout the supply chain, its safety can not be verified, nor can a contamination source be quickly pinpointed. Earlier this year, salmonella poisoning originating in a peanut processing plant killed nine people and sickened 27,000 in the United States. In October 2007, the same type of bacteria sickened 15,000 U.S. residents after they ate pot pies produced by ConAgra and other food companies.

Seafood sold in the United States must already carry a country-of-origin label, but the U.S. Congress is currently considering a number of bills, promoted by the American Public Health Association and other public health groups, aimed at improving food safety (see Health Advocates Demand FDA Improvements. While tracking seafood shipments with passive RFID tags or bar codes would not enable producers to verify the temperature conditions in which those products are kept, Chang concedes that it would be an important first step toward making the movements of seafood exports through the supply chain more transparent. Eventually, he says, these producers might use battery-assisted or active RFID tags with integrated temperature sensors in order to both track the location of shipments, and ensure that they remain properly refrigerated during storage and transport.

Chang says that IBM's global presence—the company operates in 170 countries—bolsters its position in offering traceability solutions around the world, both for food products and for pharmaceuticals (see IBM Adds E-Pedigree Features to WebSphere RFIDIC). Drugmakers also face increasing regulations to improve product tracking and safety.

"We're hoping our work with VASEP will be a model for other countries" looking to improve food traceability, Chang states. "To solve a problem as global as food safety, it'll require collaboration between government, industry groups and technology providers such as IBM."