In this pilot, tools enabling authenticity verification are created for milk products. An item-level track and trace solution is being implemented which can track and trace items and their raw materials at product level. The purpose of the pilot is to implement a data collection chain targeting the weak points of the dairy supply chain, where each individual product has its own authentication process. Raw material information is collected, including elements such as the origins, manufacturers, ingredients and shelf life of each product. This information is included in a single QR code that can be used to obtain information about the product at different stages of the supply chain. The accuracy of the information can be determined at different levels (consumer, authority, etc.). The pilot is also implementing a simple blockchain-based product lifecycle management to support authenticity verification. A smaller pilot will be implemented in Christmas 2024 and a larger one in summer 2025. The developed solutions will also be piloted in cereal chain in a brewery at the same time. This solution will help to provide information on the origin and quality of dairy products so that consumers are able to verify this information first hand. The pilots will benefit different actors of the food chain including manufacturers and authorities.

The digital transformation of vertical sectors, including agriculture and supply chain management, has significantly relied on the proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and the increasing availability of data-driven services. The complexity of those systems, however, pose significant challenges in ensuring reliable and resilient tracing and tracking capabilities of the transported commodities. Leveraging IoT technologies through a data-driven framework that is capable of handling unexpected events with accurate and timely information is an essential design principle. WATSON proposes two basic key components:

1. Implementation of the WATCHER component that:
   a.    Establishes the Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) Connectivity. It is responsible for establishing and maintaining connection with the MQTT server.
   b.    Enables subscription to the topics. It is responsible for the subscription to specific MQTT topics where IoT sensing devices publish their data.
   c.    It performs data collection: It is responsible to identify and extract the actual information from the MQTT payload.
2. Implementation of the Electronic Product Code Information Services (EPCIS) component that:
   a.    Conducts the data processing: It is responsible for aligning with the EPCIS standard by aggregating the data over time intervals.
   b.    Performs data control and check. It ensures whether the collected measurements are within the specified ranges and performs checks to validate the data.
   c.    Stores the data.

Practitioners can use this to optimise routing and scheduling of the food commodities transportation through data-driven decision making, resulting in cost savings for the operations, improved business continuity, increased competitiveness, better compliance management, and adaptability to changing market conditions.
 

Food chains are typically complex, and they involve multiple stakeholders and processes from the collection of the raw material to its transformation to generate the final product. Such processes typically involve multiple parties and consist of different steps. The execution and completion of each step is supported by measurements of parameters retrieved using standalone measuring devices or Internet of Things (IoT) platforms. On top of such processes, a rich portfolio of applications can be designed using process-related data, either to provide information to stakeholders and /or consumers (e.g. in the context of traceability offerings) or to perform validations (for food fraud confrontation). The exchange of data among processes, services and applications is challenging due to the different semantics and formats employed or expected by data sources and consumers respectively. 
In the context of WATSON project, the project team is working on interoperability solutions for modelling parameters and respective values involved in food chains (of the project). The solution leverages and extends ETSI Smart Applications Reference for agriculture and food domains (saref4agri) and H2020 DEMETER Agriculture Information Model (AIM) according to the needs of WATSON chains. Interoperability will facilitate the binding of data sources and data sinks for more advanced and rich services, retrieving and transforming ad hoc data to standard-based information.

Concerns about food safety and traceability have increased significantly due to greater awareness about climate change and news about food fraud. In addition to the societal aspects, there is also the economic axes with food fraud amounting to billions of euros per year in the EU alone. For example, according to the European Commission's science and knowledge service, wine fraud costs the regular EU wine sector an estimated 1.3 billion euro per year, around 3% of the total sales value. Public authorities are seeking to overcome these issues by performing controls and checks, resorting to food analysis in a laboratory context. While these are precise and robust, they are expensive, destructive, and done on a sampling basis. 
WATSON aims to research and access the applicability of a set of food scanning tools to complement current procedures, through flexibility, democratisation, and augmented coverage of the value chains. These tools are diverse in scope, including: 

1. Target food product (meat, olive oil, honey, wine).
2. Technology (from RGB images to mass spectrometry).
3. Cost and flexibility (from mobile apps to infra-red sensors).
4. Precision (coarse analysis for assisting visually impaired consumers to DNA analysis).
5. Portability (from mobile devices to lab equipment). 

The potential of the tools is augmented by their integration in the WATSON platform, acting as data sources for triggering actions from food safety authorities and promote traceability by covering different stages of the value chains. The tools being researched along with acquired data will also undoubtedly promote further developments and promote the cross-food product applicability.
 

Task T3.2 in the WATSON project focuses on implementing the WATSON platform for data storage and use by various stakeholders of the food supply chain leveraging blockchain technology. Critical information regarding the authenticity of food products will be stored in the blockchain. This information cannot be tampered with, thereby ensuring traceability and food fraud prevention. Different supply chains have similar steps and stakeholders, but the information can vary in each one. Information collection can be carried out using Internet of Things (IoT) devices and smart sensors, through interfaces with the information systems of the involved parties, or by recording control measurements such as DNA tests. Each participant (farmer/primary producer, processor, packager, distributor, wholesaler, retailer, etc.) enters the critical information of their responsibility and can access the critical information of others to ensure transaction transparency. Smart contracts will help automate transactions, while a digital passport will provide the necessary information from the blockchain in a simple and user-friendly manner for every platform user. Using appropriate technological solutions to keep usage costs low or having the main stakeholder/ dominant player in the supply chain bear the cost, can make the platform more acceptable in practice by the involved parties. In addition to those involved in the food supply chain, regulatory authorities can also utilise the blockchain platform to control the authenticity of food products.

By implementing a digital food product passport utilising blockchain technology, food traceability can be revolutionised, ensuring every step from farm to table is meticulously documented in a transparent and secure manner. This innovation yields a plethora of key benefits:

1. Enhanced Trust: Consumers gain unprecedented insight into the journey of their food, fostering trust and confidence in the products they purchase.
2. Combatting Food Fraud: The immutable nature of blockchain records acts as a powerful deterrent against tampering and counterfeit products, guaranteeing authenticity and integrity.
3. Operational Efficiency: Farmers and suppliers streamline their operations through better tracking mechanisms, resulting in reduced losses and optimised supply chain management.

Practical recommendations for the implementation of a food passport:

Food fraud is becoming a big challenge to the supply chain due to multiple types of adulteration, mislabelling, counterfeiting, dilution, etc., which cause damage to public health and economic loss. The food fraud vulnerability could be understood as a weakness that can be exploited by food fraudsters to gain illegal profits. The aim of food fraud vulnerability assessment is to investigate and analyse the vulnerabilities and root drivers of integrity issues within the 6 most important food supply chains in the EU. In total, 131 stakeholders from cereal, dairy, fish, honey, meat, olive oil, and wine value chains were interviewed in the food fraud vulnerability assessment. The three critical elements, including the opportunities, motivations, and control measures, were evaluated in the assessments. In general, the element opportunities received higher scores than motivations and control measures. The honey, olive oil, and wine supply chains had the most highly vulnerable markers, such as the complexity of adulteration of raw materials and the availability of technology to adulterate final products. In many cases, a lack of updated testing equipment at processors or farms and fierce market competition, such as price wars, make food fraud more likely to occur. In conclusion, consumers' health, economic interests, and reasonable profits of stakeholders are all worth protecting. Adequate regulatory guidance and affordable traceability systems are recommended to mitigate food fraud in EU supply chains.

The outcomes of the Watson project's needs analyses (Task 2.3) have been revealed, focusing on the critical domain of fraud prevention systems across six pivotal supply chains (olive oil, wine, honey, meat, dairy, cereal, and fish). Through meticulous interviews conducted from farm to retail, insights directly from industry stakeholders have been unearthed, shedding light on critical challenges and opportunities. Food fraud issues are pervasive, underlining the necessity for tailored systems to effectively manage these risks. Traceability emerges as a paramount requirement for most supply chain participants, emphasising the demand for heightened transparency and accountability. Despite this imperative, many stakeholders exhibit a lack of technological maturity and limited awareness of emerging systems, indicating a notable gap in knowledge and adoption readiness. The integration of advanced technological solutions presents a significant avenue for improvement, although concerns surrounding cost implications and adoption complexities persist. Regulatory consistency emerges as a non-negotiable prerequisite for any prospective system, ensuring conformity and trust within the marketplace. The efficacy of suggested solutions and the cultivation of effective communication channels between business and IT sectors stand as linchpins for successful implementation. Stakeholders have provided invaluable input, shaping the project's trajectory towards innovative solutions bespoke to their needs

Expert interviews were carried out in the 6 WATSON project pilot supply chains to assess their vulnerability and the opportunity to introduce digital traceability tools. Due to contextual difference in the supply chains tackling food fraud requires a diverse set of approaches that include regulation and social and technological innovations. The main conclusions from these interviews have been summarised below:  

A systematic literature review is being carried out to investigate the current state-of-the-art of use of blockchain technology (BCT) in agro-food supply chains to increase traceability and transparency, screening and reviewing about 550 academic articles. Analysis of the data extracted from these articles, in particular the ones that ended up Included in the study (~35/550) is still ongoing. The detailed analysis of these papers will provide insight into the appropriate uses, and suitable implementations, of BCT in supply chains. Preliminary results include the following:

The WATSON project aims to combat the counterfeiting of Norwegian white fish by developing a blockchain-based platform that ensures product authenticity and quality. The platform will secure data sharing through blockchain technology, collect real-time data from Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, and provide reliable access to this data via non-copyable labels, such as QR codes and near field communication (NFC) tags. These measures will ensure that all information is exchanged securely across the supply chain, maintaining privacy and security.
The main practical recommendation for fishermen and end-users is to implement this blockchain solution to guarantee the origin and quality of their fish products. By adopting this technology, stakeholders can prevent species substitution and adulteration, ensure ethical trade practices, and meet the environmental standards necessary for global export.
The solution offers substantial benefits to practitioners. The platform expected to slash the number of illegally sold fish by over 70%. Additionally, maintaining the cooling chain will boost fish quality by more than 60%, and the traceability feature is projected to increase consumer willingness to pay more for authenticated fish by over 30%. An increase in turnover of 15% outside the EU and 7% within the EU are also expected.
Practitioners can leverage the secure labels and IoT sensor data to track and verify the fish's journey from the sea to the consumer. This comprehensive approach will not only improve product quality and safety but also foster stronger trust among stakeholders. The result will be an overall enhancement in the efficiency and profitability of the seafood supply chain, meeting the needs of all involved parties.

The meat supply chain is characterised by many stakeholders and a wide variety of products. It also exhibits several vulnerabilities to various kinds of manipulations. Past food scandals have highlighted the complexity of fighting food fraud in a supply chain that is highly dynamic and moves across many borders. The aim of the pilot is to provide an analysis of various levels of vulnerability in the meat chain and to identify gaps in the food fraud vulnerability assessment.
A key vulnerability in the prevention of food fraud is related to the development of analytical methods. This pilot will therefore provide an overview of existing methods covering all possible manipulations at every stage of the supply chain. It will also develop and test a methodological framework to detect and prevent meat mislabelling.
Furthermore, analytical tools such as mass spectrometry, NIR, DNA biochip, DNA barcoding and DNA metabarcoding will be developed or adapted to detect fraudulent practices. The pilot tests include the substitution of beef with beef organs, the substitution of beef with other animal species, the mislabelling of grain-fed as grass-fed beef, and the addition of hydrolysate to poultry. Methods for highly sensitive, targeted High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) - Applications of Tandem Mass Spectrometry (MSMS) and non-targeted mass spectrometric fingerprinting by MALDI Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (ToF MS) are currently being developed using defined test materials. The advantages and disadvantages of the different approaches will be evaluated as well as the suitability for different stakeholders and products along the meat chain. Most of the high-end methods are aimed at the food safety authorities as the main end-user for an expansion of their analytical portfolio, which will strengthen their ability to combat food fraud in the meat sector.

In compliance with current regulations and accredited analyses, this pilot aims to apply genetic approaches for the traceability of the olive oil supply chain, from farm to fork, passing through all stakeholders.
The final objective is to fight against olive oil fraud and defend the consumer by filling the information gap on the label from the beginning, for the analysis and choice of an oil, based on its intrinsic value of quality and identity for specific consumption. The olive oil supply chain will be genetically traced step by step, from the raw materials in the field, to the milling and storage tanks, as well as during the related movements (carriers) up to the bottling, labelling and product for sale (ex post).
The traceability system will involve the development of field/mill portability technologies for high-throughput DNA extraction and molecular characterisation for low-cost genetic profile analysis. Work is underway towards an innovative database, capable of executing complex queries in a robust Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning post-processing pipeline. This will allow for an accurate and automated classification of the genetic profiles of cultivars and olive oils for each batch of a label based on its varieties, creating a “DNA fingerprint”. The most useful data (e.g. geo-localised orchards, date of pressing, bottling, etc.) will be collected and stored in the blockchain platform and will be accessible to interested parties up to the consumer who will have access to the secure olive oil chain via the QR code on the product label. Finally, a digital passport of produced and bottled batches will be created to provide credible and reliable information for a food product tracked in one place.

Honey ranks 3rd in the world for most-faked food just behind milk and olive oil. Moreover, recent studies conducted by the Joint Research Institute (JRC), concluded that practically half of the honey that is commercialised is suspected to have been adulterated and therefore non-compliant with the EU Honey Directive. According to previous studies, the main unfair practices in the honey sector include:

The need for effective traceability in the wine industry has greatly increased in recent years due to the growing consumer awareness of the safety and quality of products they buy, as well as the responsibility of practices involved. The lack of traceability to the origin of a product can cause significant disruptions in the production and distribution of goods but also poses serious fraud risks, and adverse economic consequences. In contrast, the promotion of traceability will contribute to consumer trust. According to the European Commission's science and knowledge service, wine fraud costs the regular EU wine sector an estimated 1.3 billion euro per year, around 3% of the total sales value. To overcome these aspects, public authorities perform controls and checks, which can, however, achieve limited success as they cannot detect the roots of the problem. Moreover, the isotopic analysis performed by authorities must be done in laboratory with expensive equipment and the information is confidential. In WATSON, the wine pilot case focuses on a blockchain-based platform that enables stakeholders to access trustworthy information related to grapes and wine along the supply chain. The technologies used cover secure data sharing, real-time georeferenced data collection from Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, and image analysis techniques. The implementation of IoT technologies for monitoring environmental conditions in the vines and grapes transportation; integration of the information in the digital ledger and with the digital passport; wine colour analysis for information sampling and fast screening; and label processing for assisting visual impaired consumers. The last two focusing on assistance and higher integration of consumers.