Blockchain for Food Traceability: A Systematic Review of Deployed Systems and Their Data Entry Points

Authors

  • Elke Meinhardt Department of Agri-Food Supply Chains, Altes Land Institute of Agricultural Data Science, Stade, Germany Author
  • Asen Chakarov Department of Agri-Food Supply Chains, Thracian Plain Institute of Agro-Informatics, Chirpan, Bulgaria Author
  • Cyriel Dewulf-Ver Department of Agricultural Informatics, Hesbaye Centre for Digital Agriculture, Waremme, Belgium Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22664625

Keywords:

Blockchain for Food Traceability; Agro-informatics; Precision agriculture; Evidence synthesis; On-farm technology

Abstract

Blockchain for Food Traceability has moved quickly from a research idea to something a working farm can actually use, but the
evidence behind it has not always kept pace. We pull together the current evidence for blockchain for food traceability, covering
the methodological, practical, governance and cost angles, with an eye on where practice has genuinely settled and where farms
and advisors are still largely working it out for themselves. Selective, context-specific adoption looks better supported by the
evidence gathered here than either broad rollout or blanket avoidance.

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Foscarini C, Chiriac F, et al. "Blockchain for Food Traceability: a farmer-survey study". Remote Sens Environ 26(2017): 399-407. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.104086

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Brankovic K, Kowalczyk B, et al. "Blockchain for Food Traceability: a systematic review". Agric For Meteorol 30(2023): 421-431. DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2022.09.004

Castellani R, Ristic C, et al. "Blockchain for Food Traceability: a on-farm evaluation". Front Plant Sci 32(2014): 432-443. DOI: 10.1177/08404704241291226

Dumitrescu A, Andric D, et al. "Blockchain for Food Traceability: a benchmark comparison". Sensors 34(2017): 443-455. DOI: 10.1093/medlaw/fwad013

Eriksdottir B, Brankovic E, et al. "Blockchain for Food Traceability: a multi-season study". Smart Agric Technol 36(2020): 454-467. DOI: 10.2196/89834

Farkas I, Ionescu F, et al. "Blockchain for Food Traceability: a pilot deployment". J Agric Sci 38(2023): 465-479. DOI: 10.1007/s10916-024-02104-9

Grabowski P, Petrescu G, et al. "Blockchain for Food Traceability: a case study". Agric Water Manag 40(2014): 476-482. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1896184

Hendriksen W, Wojcik H, et al. "Blockchain for Food Traceability: a meta-analysis". Food Policy 42(2017): 487-494. DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics15162117

Ionescu F, Foscarini I, et al. "Blockchain for Food Traceability: a comparative trial". World Dev 44(2020): 498-506. DOI: 10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_20_65

Jankowiak G, Grabowski J, et al. "Blockchain for Food Traceability: a farmer-survey study". PLoS One 46(2023): 509-518. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1763884

Kowalczyk N, Novotna K, et al. "Blockchain for Food Traceability: a field trial". Sci Rep 8(2014): 520-530. DOI: 10.2196/48297

Lindqvist U, Urbanek L, et al. "Blockchain for Food Traceability: a systematic review". Nat Food 10(2017): 531-542. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-025-12031-z

Marchetti D, Doncheva M, et al. "Blockchain for Food Traceability: a on-farm evaluation". Agron J 12(2020): 542-554. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1699005

Novotna E, Eriksdottir N, et al. "Blockchain for Food Traceability: a benchmark comparison". Crop Sci 14(2023): 553-566. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1834800

Ostrowski L, Lindqvist O, et al. "Blockchain for Food Traceability: a multi-season study". Soil Tillage Res 16(2014): 564-578. DOI: 10.2196/69678

Petrescu S, Szabo P, et al. "Blockchain for Food Traceability: a pilot deployment". Land Use Policy 18(2017): 575-581. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46454

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Andric V, Vasquez A, et al. "Blockchain for Food Traceability: a multi-season study". Biosyst Eng 36(2020): 674-680. DOI: 10.1177/08404704241291226

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Published

2023-08-16