Sep 18, 2023
A new paper describes the data used to obtain environmental impacts – calculated by using life cycle assessment (LCA) – of the production of Feta, from cradle to consumer. It includes (sheep and goat) milk production, transformation into cheese, packaging and transport to wholesalers, stores, and consumers. The raw data have mainly been obtained through interviews and surveys with Greek cheese and milk producers working in a cooperative (seven sheep livestock and one goat livestock) and complemented by literature. This work was carried out within FAIRCHAIN’s Greek Case Study, where blockchain technology is used to improve communication of product attributes to consumers.
Samuel Le Féon, Andreas Papadakis, Gwenola Yannou-Le Bris, Julie Auberger, Dimitrios Chatzitheodorou, Joël Aubin, Caroline Pénicaud, Life cycle inventory and life cycle impact assessment datasets of PDO Feta production in Stymfalia region, Greece, Data in Brief, Volume 48, 2023, 109207, ISSN 2352-3409, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2023.109207
May 31, 2023
The FAIRCHAIN Blockchain solution is being evaluated as part of the Greek case study at the Stymphalia dairy premises. It concerns yogurt and feta cheese productions. Measurements are taken and the information is made available using QR codes, printed for piloting purposes on the new packaging of the products. Piloting users (and a few consumers) are led after scanning the QR to our FAIRCHAIN trustworthy, Blockchain-based traceability solution. The case study plans to contact one more retail (supermarket) to present our work and the Greek competent authority for food safety.
Nov 7, 2022
After two successful co-creation workshops – the goal-defining workshop in June 2021 and the implementation workshop in January 2022 – and an intense design and implementation period, the first version of the ICT platform for trustworthy traceability information on Feta cheese production is available.
Information from key phases, including milk collection, milk mixing and cheese processing operations is captured using the ICT system and registered in Blockchain. Blockchain, an innovative technology being piloted in food industry, allows for immutability and integrity of the information.
The usage of Blockchain, as a decentralized ledger, presents technological and organizational challenges, e.g. related to data volumes that can be handled. The combined usage of private (project – based) and public (Ethereum testnet) along with optimized data management and coding techniques employed in the case study, contribute to its smooth usage.
The case study is well aligned with the tectonic changes in the Ethereum landscape in terms of consensus algorithms. The Merge, executed on September 15, 2022, completed Ethereum’s transition to proof-of-stake consensus, officially deprecating proof-of-work and reducing energy consumption by ~99.95%.
The case study’s ‘smart contracts’ (i.e. computerized rules executed in Blockchain verifying that the operational parameters comply with the legislation framework and best practices) are PoS compliant, while we are currently migrating from Ropsten testnet to the new recommended testnet Goerli.
Stay tuned, as in the coming months the platform will be further enhanced and piloted.
Text and image contributed by Andreas Papadakis –
Oct 23, 2022
FAIRCHAIN results were presented by Synelixis at Agrotica – the leading exhibition event in Greece in the agro-economic sector and the largest trade fair in the Balkans and the Southeastern Mediterranean for agricultural machinery, equipment, and supplies. The event was held on 20-23 October 2022 in Thessaoliniki, Greece.
A dedicated presentation of the current Greek case study results was given, demonstrating the application of the Blockchain in traceability applications in the dairy and smart agriculture sectors. This work is well-aligned with Synelixis’ commercial activities (including SynField and SynAir), which are planned to be employed in the piloting phase of the CS.
Jan 27, 2022
Breeders, producers, processors, representatives from retail, logistics, ICT and consumers participated in the implementation workshop of FAIRCHAIN’s Greek case study. The Feta cheese process has been demonstrated and discussed with the participants using the pilot system. Liaison with the H2020 PROTEIN project has also been established.
Dec 15, 2021
By Andreas Papadakis, SYNELIXIS
Local dairy production can have competitive advantages, including the use of locally produced milk, compliance with traditional processing methods resulting in richer taste, maintenance of nutritional value, and possibilities of customized products. Such intermediate food chains are typically characterized by more active human involvement, and the potential for transparency in the role of the stakeholders. Challenges also exist, related to the limits of economy of scale, the dependence on local production and conditions, and the difficulties in ‘proving’ the competitive advantages to increasingly demanding customers. The last challenge is the rationale of the Greek Case Study of the FAIRCHAIN project.
SYNELIXIS, a high-tech SME providing innovative ICT solutions and platforms in smart agriculture (SynField) and other areas, and STYMFALIA a local dairy producer with established products offered in Greece and abroad, will employ the Ethereum Blockchain technology to capture operational information to ‘vouch for’ the competitive advantages of local dairy production. This information will be offered to consumers and other interested stakeholders in a trustworthy manner.
The case study involves the production of Feta cheese, a well-known Greek product of protected origin, defined by the national legislation framework and offered locally and abroad, as well as a special type of sheep-milk yoghurt. The (infrequent) cases of fraudulent feta cheese production, identified nationally and abroad, reinforce the need for trustworthiness.
The two partners are carefully analysing milk collection and cheese processing operations to capture data related to high-level characteristics appreciated by consumers. Blockchain, a technology being piloted in the food industry, presents a set of challenges including the need for near real-time data extraction and processing, the need to rationalize the level of data fine-graining, the inevitable overhead upon internal dairy processes and the presentation of the info to consumers in a meaningful and comprehensive manner. The Case Study already had a successful goal-creation workshop, in June 2021, validating the need for such a solution and providing insight for adaptation and improvement of the requirements and the specifications.
