Today, Norwegian seafood producer Kvarøy Arctic said it joined the IBM Food Trust to enable blockchain traceability of its farmed Arctic salmon.
Fish farming or aquaculture represents nearly half of the total global fish production. However, there are some inherent problems in the industry, such as using additives, chemicals, and hormones to raise fish. Cancer-causing agent formaldehyde is often used as a disinfectant. Hence aquaculture farms with good practices are keen to differentiate themselves.
For example, Kvarøy says its open ocean farms have half the population density than conventional farms, giving them more space to swim.
Leveraging IBM Food Trust, Kvarøy Arctic will enable its corporate customers, such as certain Whole Foods Market stores in the U.S. and Canada, and a few restaurants to view the provenance of fish by scanning a QR code. Buyers will be able to see the farms’ images and videos and check the farming practices used by Kvarøy Arctic.
Apart from provenance and farming practices, the solution will also allow buyers to check the feed used to raise the salmon. Kvarøy Arctic said it was working with its feed provider BioMar to upload supply chain data on the blockchain.
The goal here is to create an immutable record of the grade of feed used, the population and density of the habitats the salmon were raised in, their age, and harvest date, among other things. While traceability details are only available for corporate customers as of now, the company plans to launch a consumer app soon.
“Blockchain is the future when it comes to ending fraud in the seafood industry. It is a level of transparency that shows our dedication to being the best of the best,” said Alf-Gøran Knutsen, CEO of Kvarøy Arctic.
Family-run business Kvarøy Arctic is exploring blockchain to ensure food safety and prove its sustainability practices. The company says the Aquaculture Stewardship Council has certified its sustainable farming methods, and the American Heart Association accredits its Atlantic salmon produce.
IBM Food Trust has numerous global companies signed up on its platform. Raw Seafoods, National Fisheries Institute and Sustainable Shrimp Partnership are using Food Trust blockchain to track and trace seafood.
EY Skye, a Norwegian IT consultancy acquired by EY, has built a salmon tracing blockchain platform.
