RFID and Sensor Network Automation in the Food Industry: Ensuring Quality and Safety Through Supply Chain visibility

摘要

Selwyn Piramuthu and Wei Zhou, wiley-Blackwell, 2016,320 pp., $199.95 (book). As the name implies, the main focus of this book is the application of radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology which, by using electromagnetic fields, enables the producer to identify and track food items such as meat, fruit and dairy products through a tag attached to the packaging on a real-time basis. The use of this technology allows monitoring of products' temperature as they are transported through the supply chain to ensure they reach the consumer in safe condition for consumption. The book is structured in three parts. Part one introduces RFID history with a detailed description and overview of relevant technologies and the integration of these technologies in the food industry. It discusses the challenges such as implementation cost, privacy and security issues, and out-of-date technologies resulting in unpredictable returns on investment and potential difficulties resulting from incompatibility with the rest of the supply chain.