FR2776790A1 - Storage and processing of data relating to food production and processing - Google Patents

Abstract

Data relating to production and processing of food products are stored on a central data base (1). Data is input by producers (2) and processors (3) using specific access codes. The information is organized by a computer (5) and can be accessed (4) by consumers. An Independent claim is given for the process using the described hardware.

Description

- i - 2776790 The present invention relates to a device intended for

  allow to trace the history of a food product within a production, processing and marketing chain comprising producers of the basic product and one or more intermediaries to transform it and offer consumers the

end product thus transformed.

  Intermediaries can be traders,

  processing industries, shops or restaurants.

  To inform beef consumers about the origin of the meat offered to them in trays, we have already proposed installing interactive terminals allowing them to immediately view information on the producer, from

  a code appearing on a label affixed to the tray.

  However, this known device does not allow an authorized body to monitor the entire production, processing and marketing chain in order to quickly ascend it in the event that the product offered to consumers is not satisfactory, in particular view to determine the part of the sector

  who is responsible for the quality problem.

  In particular, when the unsatisfactory product is likely to affect the health of consumers, it is very important to determine the origin of the problem as soon as possible. It is also important to know which part of the industry is responsible for possible compensation for the

harm caused.

  The object of the present invention is to ensure, in a simple and effective manner, the traceability of food products within

  a production, processing and marketing sector.

  It achieves this thanks to a device characterized by the fact that it comprises: - sets of terminals available to producers and or intermediaries, - a database capable of being linked to said terminals for the transfer of information, - information support means respectively associated with each batch of the basic product, from an intermediary and the final product offered to the consumer,

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  - information processing means connected to the database and / or terminals and arranged to: - organize the database into hierarchical access levels and control access, - allow each producer, after recognition of a specific access code, to enter and / or modify data relating to the production of the basic product, - to allow each intermediary, after recognition of a specific access code, to enter and / or modify data relating to the operations carried out by him on each batch, - issue to at least one intermediary, when the data relating to a batch have a predetermined degree of completeness, a code certifying the traceability of this batch with regard to upstream of the sector, - allow an authorized user, such as a control body, after recognition of a specific access code, to have access to all the information relating to the sector re production, processing and marketing, the product being identified when accessing the database thanks to the information

  present on the associated information support means.

  In a particular implementation of the invention, the device further comprises a set of terminals available to consumers and said information processing means are arranged to allow access by consumers to part of the data entered. by producers and listed in the database

  given as non-confidential.

  Still in a particular implementation of the invention, the processing means are further arranged to prohibit each producer or intermediary from having access to data concerning the downstream or upstream of the sector and listed in the database. of data

as confidential.

  Another subject of the invention is a method making it possible to trace the history of a food product within a production, processing and marketing chain, characterized in that it comprises the steps consisting in: - providing a database and information processing means linked to this database,

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  - access the database through information processing means using terminals available to producers, access to the database by each producer being effected after recognition of a code d '' specific access, - input by each producer data relating to the production of each batch of the basic product delivered to an intermediary, this data making it possible to know the particularities of this batch, - associate with each batch of the basic product thus delivered information support means carrying identification data making it possible to identify, after using the database, the producer, and the characteristics of the batch in question, access the database through said processing means information using terminals available to intermediaries, access to the database by each intermediary being effected after recognition of a specific access code , - have each intermediary enter data relating to the operations carried out by him on each batch, - issue to at least one intermediary, when the data relating to a batch have a predetermined degree of completeness, a code certifying the traceability of this batch in as regards the upstream of the sector, - access, through said information processing means, in the event of a quality problem and after recognition of a specific access code made available to an authorized user such as an inspection body, to all. data recorded in the database to determine the origin of the quality problem after having carried out, if necessary, cross-checks. In a preferred implementation of the invention, the method further comprises the step of: - accessing the database through said information processing means using terminals available to consumers , consumers having access only to data listed as being non-confidential in the database, the final product being identified by identification information recorded on associated information support means, this

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  identification information being constituted for example by the code

  certifying the traceability of the lot to which this final product belongs.

  The invention will be better understood in view of the description which

  follows, with reference to the accompanying drawing, of a non-limiting example of implementation in the case of a production, processing and

  marketing of potatoes.

  The device shown in the drawing comprises a database 1, a first set of terminals 2 available to potato producers, a second set of terminals 3 available to the processing industries and other intermediaries downstream of the sector , a third set of terminals 4 available to consumers, and means of

information processing 5.

  The database 1 is constituted by means known in themselves, making it possible to save data, such as for example

  magnetic tape, hard disk or optical disk memories.

  The information processing means 5 are constituted by a computer arranged to record and read the information stored in the database 1 and to provide the interface between

  the different sets of terminals and this one.

  The terminals of each set 2, 3 or 4 can be of any type known per se, for example microcomputer, passive terminal, or telephone handset, and are connected to the computer 5 permanently or temporarily only for the data exchange by any suitable connection means such as fiber optic or line

telephone for example.

  The processing means 5 are adapted if necessary to

  deliver information in voice form.

  The processing means 5 are further arranged to

  organize access to database 1 into hierarchical levels.

  More precisely, in the example described, the processing means 5 only allow each producer, having entered a specific access code, to enter into the database 1 information relating to his agricultural holding and to the particularities of production of each batch, for example to indicate the size and location of the plot concerned, the precedents for this plot, the presence of irrigation facilities, the origin of the water, the quantity of water supplied, the soil treatments carried out on

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  the plot (insecticide, nematicide, etc.), the organic matter spread over the plot as well as their origin, the variety of the cultivated product, the origin of the seeds, the implantation treatments, the fertilizations provided, the phytosanitary treatments carried out (herbicide, insecticide, fungicide, etc.) the harvest conditions,

  storage conditions if any, etc ...

  The information given by the producer is thus

  listed plot by plot in database 1.

  In addition, the information making it possible to identify each batch of the basic product delivered by the producer to an intermediary downstream of the chain is carried on information support means

associated with the lot.

  These information support means are for example in the form of a delivery slip transmitted with each batch of the basic product, in this case with each bag or truck of apples

  earth if these are delivered in bulk.

  Before each new delivery the producer receives information processing means 5 a new batch number, so as to be able to distinguish products from the same plot

  but delivered on different dates.

  The information which is carried on the information support means may include three numbers or identifying codes

  respectively the farmer, the plot and the lot.

  Intermediaries, for example those who store potatoes, peel them, cut them, freeze them or incorporate them into dishes intended to be offered to the final consumer, receive the batches from the various producers with the associated identification data and treat each lot

  whose characteristics are recorded in the database 1.

  In particular, the intermediary can enter, in particular into the database, the manner in which reception is carried out, if there is dry or water unloading, if there is a post-harvest treatment, pre-cooling. , washing, or rinsing, draining,

  brushing, sorting, calibration etc ...

  Each intermediary, after entering a specific access code, can only save in database 1 the information relating to the treatment (s) suffered by each batch received

  from a producer or other intermediary upstream of the sector.

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  The information processing means 5 are arranged so as to prevent producers and intermediaries from modifying

  data relating to products already delivered and / or processed.

  As a variant, the information processing means 5 are arranged to record in the database all the modifications made to the information previously entered by the

producers and intermediaries.

  This avoids that in the event of a quality problem, the producer or the intermediary which is the cause can modify the

  data which establishes its responsibility.

  The products from each intermediary are associated with identification information carried by information support means such as a barcode 7, which then makes it possible to establish the link between the batch of the basic product and each batch of product from an intermediary located upstream of the sector, thanks to the

data 1.

  This bar code 7 includes a code certifying the traceability of the batch, assigned by the information processing means 5 as soon as the data concerning this batch and which have been communicated by the stakeholders upstream of the sector have a degree of

sufficient completeness.

  In other words, assigning this code guarantees that

  third parties that the product history can be known with precision.

  Consumers can, by querying the database 1 and entering information identifying the final product, view information relating to production data

  and listed in the database as non-confidential.

  The product can be identified by the consumer by means of a number written on a label or on the packaging, for example the aforementioned code certifying traceability, intended to be entered manually using a keyboard in the terminal or by means of a

  barcode intended to be passed in front of an optical reading system.

  The information accessible to the public is thus constituted by a selection of the data entered by the producers and which are

  considered non-confidential by them.

  In the embodiment described, the information processing means 5 are programmed so that each intermediary can only access data relating to other

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  intermediaries located downstream or upstream of the sector or producers who are listed as non-confidential in

database 1.

  The processing means 5 are arranged to allow an authorized user, such as a control body, after recognition of a specific access code, to have access to all of the information relating to production, processing and the marketing of a product identified by the information carried on

  the associated information support means.

  The database 1 establishes the link between the identification information associated with the product at each stage of the chain and

  between all the data relating to the same batch of the basic product.

  The authorized user can quickly cross-check between the different lots in the event of a quality problem and

  determine which part of the chain is responsible.

  The invention obviously applies to any type of food product.

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Claims (6)

  1. Device intended to make it possible to trace the history of a food product within a production, processing and marketing chain, comprising producers of the basic product and one or more intermediaries for processing and offering the product final thus transformed to consumers, this device being characterized by the fact that it comprises: - sets (2,3) of terminals available to producers and or intermediaries, - a database (1) capable of being connected to said terminals for the transfer of information, information support means respectively associated with each batch of the basic product, resulting from an intermediary and from the final product offered to the consumer, - information processing means ( 5) linked to the database (1) and / or to the terminals, arranged to: - organize the database (1) into hierarchical access levels and control access, allow each prod user, after recognition of a specific access code, to enter and / or modify data relating to the production of the basic product, - allow each intermediary, after recognition of a specific access code, to '' enter and / or modify data relating to the operations carried out by him on each batch, deliver to at least one intermediary, when the data relating to a batch have a predetermined degree of completeness, a code certifying the traceability of this batch in this which concerns the upstream of the sector, allow an authorized user, such as a control body, after recognition of a specific access code, to have access to all the information relating to the production sector , processing and marketing, the product being identified when accessing the database thanks to the information   present on the associated information support means (7).   2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a set (4) of terminals available to consumers and by the fact that said information processing means are arranged to allow access by the - 9 - 2776790   consumers to some of the data entered by producers and   listed in the database as non-confidential.   3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the information processing means (5) are further arranged to prohibit each producer or intermediary from having access to data concerning the downstream or the 'upstream of the sector and   listed in the database as confidential.   4. Method for retracing the history of a food product within a production, processing and marketing chain, characterized in that it comprises the stages consisting in: - providing a database (1 ) and information processing means (5) connected to this database, - access the database through the information processing means using terminals available to producers, l '' access to the database by each producer being effected after recognition of a specific access code, - having each producer enter data relating to the production of each batch of the basic product delivered to an intermediary, this data allowing to know the particularities of this batch, - to associate with each batch of the basic product thus delivered means of information support carrying identification data making it possible to identify, after recourse to the base of data, the producer, and the characteristics of the batch in question, - access the database through said information processing means using terminals available to intermediaries, access to the database by each intermediary carried out after recognition of a specific access code, - enter each intermediary with data relating to the operations carried out by him on each batch, - deliver to this intermediary, when the data relating to a batch present predetermined degree of completeness, a code certifying the traceability of this batch as far as the upstream of the sector is concerned, - accessing, through information processing means, in the event of a quality problem, after recognition of a specific access code made available to an authorized user - 10 - 2776790   such as an inspection body, to all the data recorded in the database to determine the origin of the problem   quality, after having carried out, if necessary, cross-checks.   5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that it further comprises the step consisting in: - accessing the database through the information processing means (5) using terminals (4) available to consumers, consumers having access only to data listed as being non-confidential in the database, the final product being identified by identification information recorded on support means information associated with the final product, this identification information being constituted for example by the code certifying the traceability of the batch to which this final product belongs.   6. Method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the information processing means (5) are further arranged to prohibit each intermediary from having access to data concerning the downstream or upstream of the sector and listed in   the database as confidential.