Blockchain Technology in Food Safety Governance

Abstract

The blockchain technology is widely considered as “a symbol of the Fourth Industrial Revolution”. As a “machine of trust”, blockchain can contribute to safer food supply chains, the key of which is the trust between food producers and consumers. The paper presents case studies to examine the effectiveness and advantages of applying blockchain technology in food safety governance, as well as its influences on all related participants in the supply chain. This study demonstrates that there is great potential for the blockchain technology, due to its unique characteristics of openness, transparency, sharing and security, to improve the food safety governance.