Blockchain verifies the authenticity of olive oil

An encrypted, decentralised database used to track transactions can document the key steps of a shipment’s lifetime

Spotted: One of the largest olive oil producers in the Southern Mediterranean, Tunisia’s CHO, has teamed up with IBM to verify the authenticity of its Terra Delyssa olive oil. Using IBM’s blockchain technology, an encrypted, decentralised database used to track transactions, the key steps of a shipment’s lifetime can be documented. 

The digital ledger records eight quality assurance checkpoints for each shipment, which include the mill where the olives were crushed, and the facilities in which the oil was filtered, bottled and distributed. Blockchain assures the customer that they are buying legitimate olive oil because its database has multiple copies, held by different parties, where any change to the record has to be agreed upon by everyone involved.

CHO is the latest major food provider to join IBM’s Food Trust, which was launched in 2017 and offers blockchain to track a food supply chain. The network provides opportunities to connect members of the supply chain together, allowing every party involved to share data that provides traceability and food information. Food Trust now has more than 200 members.

Customers will be able to access this information with the November crop, due in shops in March, by scanning a QR code on each bottle with their smartphone. The bottles will be available at retailers in the US, Canada, France, Germany, Denmark, and Japan. 

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