Digital and Genetic Tools for a Safe Extra Virgin Olive Oil Value Chain in Italy
The extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) pilot implemented innovative, certifiable technologies to support all stakeholders in achieving effective traceability across the value chain.
Blockchain, an Early Warning System (EWS), a Digital Food Product Passport (DFPP), and DNA-based fingerprint analysis were made interoperable to collect and monitor qualitative and quantitative production data at four key points in the chain—from the field to the bottled product.
Sustainable and portable DNA extraction and genetic authentication technologies, when integrated with tamper-proof digital systems, ensure the absence of adulteration before the product reaches the consumer.
Through the DFPP and EWS, stakeholders and control authorities can perform cross-checks for safety assurance and fraud risk assessment.
The system also allows consumers, via a QR code on the bottle, to verify the authenticity of the label information, ensuring full transparency regarding the EVOO's origin and production history—from raw material to shelf—in compliance with food safety and data protection regulations.
The holistic approach adopted in selecting and integrating these traceability tools represents a major technological advancement. It enables new applications for real-time monitoring and traceability, supporting both upstream and downstream controls and enabling anomaly detection without disrupting the production process.
The system should now be further implemented and validated within comprehensive, transferable technological development programmes to ensure its scalability and integration within the agri-food sector.
WATSON
Completed | 2023-2026
- Main funding source
- Horizon Europe (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
- Geographical location
- Ireland, France, Italy, Greece, Finland, Denmark, Other, Portugal, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain, Cyprus, Belgium, Slovenia, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria