Applications of EPICS in food supply chain management

I'm presenting at the workshop Applications of EPICS in food supply chain management in Oslo 16. November. This workshop is based around the work done by SINTEF Fisheries and Aquaculture, Matis and TraceTracker (where I work) in the eTrace project. I hope to see you there if you are interested in the use of EPCIS for applications like traceability, sustainability, logistics optimization and supply chain management!

Present in the pixels

The eTrace project is over. Just before Easter the project had its final meeting in Gothenburg. The plan was that I should be there presenting How can EPCIS provide faster and more efficient traceability operations and increase the ability to perform precise and reliable recalls in case of food scares. But alas, I had to attend a meeting in the US instead.


But to my surprise I was present in the pixels, as one of the presentations included a picture from a meal we had during that particular pilot in Simrishamn in May last year. And it is me in the picture, using my phone. And the meal was excellent!

Tagging in Iceland

A couple of weeks ago I was in Iceland to run another RFID project. The contect was the same as this project. This time we had more tools available, like handheld RFID scanners with embedded software to compose XML for upload to the project EPCIS.


In the previous project we attached the RFID tags directly to the fish boxes, but this time we tried a different approach. The fish was stored on ice in big tubs. These were stored in a cold store, and they were wet. So instead of trying to get a piece of surface that we could fasten the tag, we attached them to handles in the corners of the tubs with the help of some extra paper tags. So here you see me, dressed up according to the rules of the processing company, giving a tub of Sebastes marinus identity.


These paper tags proved to be very convenient. As the project progressed we could take them off, make notes and so on. Of course, had the use of RFID been integrated into the production, then everything would be automatic. But this was a pilot in a type of chain that is not among the first movers. So we had to do a lot of manual operations, and then we could make notes on the tags that helped us fill in the holes in the traceability model later on.

To cover the different roles of traced items we employed both SGTIN and GRAI type RFID tags. The finished products, that were airlifted to markets in mainland Europe, were equipped with SGTINs, while the tubs with fish and similar vessels that were being used in the productions, were equipped with GRAIs. This way the proper XML can decommission the tags, so that they can be reused later without being related traceability-wise to earlier uses.

Red fish - red fish - red fish

In 2010 Greenpeace added Rose fish to its seafood red list because it is being sourced from unsustainable fisheries. Well, in the middle of August I did some project work in Iceland where they obviously process this fish. I think the ones on this picture were sorted away from production together with some friends.

But I don't think I have ever seen so much fish at the same time. I wouldn't be surprised if the Icelanders could keep us all with fish if they were given the chance, provided of course it was sustainable!

Anyway, given that my hosts keep the project going I expect other Rose fish to end up as EPCs in a EPCIS system before the end of the year.

By the way, in Norwegian Rose fish is called uer.

What happened in Simrishamn?

A couple of entries ago I reported the knitted cover on lampposts in Simrishamn, Sweden.

So why was I there? Well, this was one of multiple visits to this fascinating town were I was participating in a EPCIS based traceability project on behalf of TraceTracker. That link just there covers the project highlights (and I'm the one facing the camera in the picture).

Another memorable thing was that I for the first time since I was in my teens had the pleasure of tasting
bøkling. Now I keep asking for it in Norwegian shops, but so far I have not succeeded.