I
s it possible to know that the edamame salad you’re eating came from a specific farmer’s field in Iowa? Could we trace the evolution of a soybean planted in Iowa to the chicken, pork or beef dinner someone overseas might be enjoying? That’s the belief and hope of at least one company, some farmers and consumers interested in knowing where their food comes from and how it’s possible to connect physical commodities to the digital supply chain data.
Singer says his company welcomes the opportunity for soybean producers and all those within the supply chain to incorporate this technology as a way to help incentivize sustainable production, improve labeling, verify proof of claims and provide consumers with reassurance about their food's source and safety. With its Trailhead software, Index Biosystems will enable “supply chain digitization Making it work and provide reliable During the U.S. Soybean Research product identification.” Collaborative’s Soybean Research Forum Singer says BioTags and Think Tank in Indianapolis this sequences are safely summer, Index Biosystems’ David added to yeast solely Singer,showcased the company’s for traceability and BioTags technology. identification and do not Singer, the company’s co-founder and modify, add or delete any vice president of sales, says the prospect of existing genes in the yeast. BioTags would allow all interested parties The technology and its to follow the soybean pod “through the traceability advantages have entire supply chain — from the field to the been successful in oat and elevator to the end product.” wheat tests — in milled flour BioTags are microscopic barcodes and in a load of bread made made from baker’s yeast that preserve the from the wheat. identity of products. Singer says Index He says yeast production Biosystems is defining a new category techniques are well understood of traceability using that yeast to “create and easily scalable, agricultural supply chains that are allowing for efficient and measurable, verifiable and sustainable.” inexpensive production. Applying the BioTags directly to With yeast already a commonly the product via a spray, the company used product throughout the food system, connects product data that can be Index’s BioTags are designed for seamless detectable at any point in the supply chain. integration into production pipelines,
30 | OCTOBER 2023 | IASOYBEANS.COM
