Suppliers
Your CHAIN-TRACE enabled software prints the QR code on the bill of lading, invoice, case or pallet label. You decide what information is shared. See how traceability data is captured.
Fresh produce blockchain traceability
CHAIN-TRACE lets fresh produce suppliers prove the provenance of their produce and protect their IP, sharing only the information they choose – at zero cost to the supplier. No new software, hardware, consulting, training or configuration.
One code, three audiences
Purchasers
Scan the QR for instant verification and traceability details. No username, no password, no app and no registration. View a sample purchaser verification.
End consumers
Scan the QR on the consumer pack to see the supplier's chosen traceability and marketing information, and send product feedback. View a sample consumer verification.
Verify a CHAIN-TRACE key
Every code resolves to a verification report confirmed by multiple nodes. Try the samples: purchaser report and consumer report.
About CHAIN-TRACE
CHAIN-TRACE is a consortium of industry interests promoting transparency, trust and traceability of food, fresh produce and seed stock. The goal is a flexible, low-cost service that traceability software vendors can build into their products.
- Global nodes for redundancy
- Designed for food and fresh produce business applications
- Network engineered on Hyperledger Fabric
- Public verification interface, permissions based
Pricing model for software vendors
How a CHAIN-TRACE record is created and verified.
Supplier data packaged
Vendor software prepares a traceability file from a batch, invoice or other supply chain data and sends it to the CHAIN-TRACE API. The file can contain any data.
New blockchain record
CHAIN-TRACE encrypts and stores the file off-chain. The new blockchain record holds supplier, product (if singular), record type, file hash and file name.
Purchaser or consumer verification
Anyone with the code verifies it through the web portal or by scanning the QR. Multiple nodes confirm the record. The vendor's client decides which data purchasers and consumers see.
Historical retention
Blockchain records and file packages are purged after 4 years, matching food traceability retention requirements.
What goes in the traceability package
The package is stored off-chain; only its hash goes on-chain, so the stored file can always be checked against the chain record. It can hold any number of files – shipping documents, invoices, batch traceability and recall data, supplier details, verifications, QC and lab tests – in DOC, PDF, XLS, JPG and similar formats. PDFs display directly in the CHAIN-TRACE portal. HTML and dynamic content are rejected automatically.
Software vendors may not charge their clients extra to use CHAIN-TRACE and must build the API in so producers need no extra configuration, training or hardware. Single file limit 200 KB; more storage on application.
Governance of CHAIN-TRACE
Consortium
The CHAIN-TRACE consortium agrees on development and standards.
Development
Consortium members supply the development resources that build and test prototypes.
Analytics
Members trial new platform configurations and feed results back, iteration by iteration.
Go live
Once the consortium approves, the new configuration is pushed to every node worldwide.
New consortium members need approval from the founding members and must provide technical development services and financial support where vendor subscriptions don't cover operating costs. Membership requires a $250k token purchase.
Industries supported by CHAIN-TRACE
Background: how produce traceability platforms are designed
Research platforms for fruit and vegetable traceability typically identify three actors: the end consumer, who can look up any lot without logging in; operators, who record activities such as harvest, transport and treatment; and a platform administrator who manages the organizations in the chain. They combine a blockchain (for the lot and activity records that must stay immutable) with an ordinary database (for product, organization and measurement data). CHAIN-TRACE uses the same on-chain / off-chain split. Read the full study in Computers (MDPI), 2024, or our guide to on-chain vs off-chain traceability.
Learn more about fresh produce traceability
- Fresh produce traceability guideLot codes, CTEs and KDEs, one-up one-down, recalls.
- FSMA 204 Food Traceability RuleWhat US produce suppliers must record, and by when.
- QR codes & GS1 Digital LinkPutting traceability on the pack with 2D barcodes.
- On-chain vs off-chain traceabilityWhat belongs on a blockchain and what doesn't.
- Recalls & mock recallsRun a recall in minutes, not days.
- PTI case labels & voice pick codesThe North American produce case label explained.
- How blockchain improves traceabilityProvenance, sensors, authentication and insight.
- CHAIN-TRACE fresh produce appThe software that creates CHAIN-TRACE records.
- Producepak – video & pricingWatch the video and book a demo.
Further reading
- Building a transparent supply chain – Harvard Business Review
- Hyperledger Fabric – the framework CHAIN-TRACE is built on
- Walmart food traceability on Hyperledger
- Blockchain in food supply chains – World Economic Forum
- Blockchain traceability research review – Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
- Fresh fruit & vegetable traceability guideline – GS1
Questions
What does CHAIN-TRACE cost a supplier?
Nothing extra. Suppliers use CHAIN-TRACE through their CHAIN-TRACE enabled software, such as Producepak, with no new hardware, consulting, training or configuration.
Does a purchaser need an app or login?
No. Purchasers and consumers scan the QR code with a phone camera. There is no app, username, password or registration.
What is stored on the blockchain?
The blockchain record holds the supplier, product (when singular), record type, file name and file hash. The traceability file itself is encrypted and stored off-chain.
How long are records kept?
Blockchain records and their file packages are purged after 4 years, in line with food traceability record requirements.