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IBM Tracks Pork Chops From Pig To Plate

Posted by samzenpus on from the name-your-food dept.

dcblogs writes "IBM is deploying technology in China that allows meat suppliers to track a single pig all the way from farm animal to pork chop. Pigs are initially identified with a barcoded ear tag. This identification is then put on bins used to track the various pig parts as they pass through the slaughterhouse, processing plant, distribution center and finally to the clear plastic-wrapped package in a grocer's case. If a consumer buys three pork chops in a package, 'you know that these three pieces of pork chop came from pig number 123,' said Paul Chang, who leads global strategy for emerging technologies at IBM. The goal is to control disease outbreaks, but theoretically this technology could allow a grocer to put a picture on the store package of the pig you are eating."

5 of 216 comments (clear)

  1. Ugh.... by Third+Position · · Score: 1, Interesting

    The goal is to control disease outbreaks, but theoretically this technology could allow a grocer to put a picture on the store package of the pig you are eating.

    Sometimes, the idea of becoming a vegan is really appealing.....

    --
    American Third Position
    Finally, a real choice!
  2. Re:if pig dens are over there like here.. by Millennium · · Score: 4, Interesting

    then no way in hell they'd implement a picture.

    You can bet PETA will lobby for legislation mandating it, though. Not that I think they'll succeed, but they'll certainly try.

  3. This is going to get complex(and long)... by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 5, Interesting

    For discrete cuts of meat, the labeling should be simple enough; but some of the more, er, 'waste minimizing' meat products are going to get seriously complex.

    The composition of a given hamburger would probably have to be given as a joint probability density function across a set of hundreds or thousands of animals or something similarly messy. That would give label-readers something to ponder...

  4. Re:First Yea!!! by cayenne8 · · Score: 3, Interesting
    I'd be a bit more excited about this technology, if it would track where ALL my food I'm purchasing comes from.

    First thing I'd do...I'd avoid ALL food coming from China...and just buy US foods, preferably as locally raised as possible.

    I do appreciate that the labeling on fish now allows me to do this, I'd be happy if I could do this with most all foods I buy in the store, that I don't now know its source of origin.

    I'm trying to learn (again) what seasons things naturally grow...that should help somewhat trying to keep food purchases local.

    --
    Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
  5. Re:More people turning vegetarian? by Ubergrendle · · Score: 3, Interesting

    We've been doing this in canada for at least a year now, particularly regarding fisheries and lobsters.

    http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2011/07/01/ns-thisfish-tracks-diner-to-water.html

    --
    John Maynard Keynes: "When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do?"