Neogen Corporation has collaborated with food industry blockchain pioneer Ripe Technology Inc., recognized as ripe.io, to accommodate innovative blockchain technology for use with its food safety diagnostics and animal genomics.

A blockchain is a kind of digital technology that “chains” together “blocks” of data in such a way that it generates a permanent, unchangeable record. In the food and livestock industries, blockchain could be utilized to build a history of products and animals as they go over their whole production cycles.

“Blockchain has tremendous potential throughout the food and livestock industries, both to verify the authenticity of premium products, such as cage-free eggs, and enhance the traceability of issues that require correction, such as those that lead to product recalls,” John Adent, Neogen’s chief executive officer, stated in a press release.

“Blockchain technology has a lot to offer both our food safety diagnostic and animal genomic customers, as the technology permanently connects a tremendous amount of potentially critical data, including results from Neogen’s tests, to a food product or animal.”

Adent said there are myriad possible advantages to adopting the technology.

For instance, the genomic profile of a dairy cow could be combined with the feed the animal eats, barn environment, its medical history, quantity, and quality of the milk it produces.

Blockchain can serve to optimize the complete supply chains of many of the markets that Neogen assists, Adent stated.

“ripe.io is the perfect partner for us as we work to adapt the technology to our industry,” he added. “They have real-life experience with working with food producers, food distributors, restaurants, and food retailers — all key market segments for us.”

Raja Ramachandran, chief executive officer at Ripe Technology, said he is delighted that Neogen elected the company as their blockchain and ledger technology partner.

“Neogen’s diagnostics and DNA expertise can add the highest degree of transparency, and factual correctness for critical issues around authenticity and accuracy on food recalls. We believe this will change the game in food transparency for improved quality assessment from the beginning of the supply chain to customers.”

The blockchain technology will initially be separate from Neogen’s recently declared Neogen Analytics platform. Nevertheless, when fully integrated, the company understands the two technologies can form the basis for advanced data-driven decisions for its consumers.

Neogen Analytics is a platform that will allow Neogen consumers to automate food safety workflows and continuously observe and analyze food risk data produced by the company’s food safety diagnostic products.

By automating and combining multiple data points through diagnostic testing in a production facility, the food safety data analytics platform allows food producers and processors to provide their data to build a holistic picture around regions of risk that can lead to operational decisions.

Ripe Technology is an American-based company bringing blockchain to the food industry. Neogen Corporation develops and sells products committed to food and animal safety.