Blockchain-Enabled Framework for Enhancing Transparency and Data Integrity in Food Supply Chains

Abstract

Food supply chains face persistent challenges related to data tampering, limited traceability, fraudulent labeling, and fragmented documentation, all of which compromise food safety and reduce consumer trust. This paper proposes a blockchain-enabled framework designed to provide end-to-end transparency, strengthen data integrity, and support real-time monitoring across the food supply chain. The framework integrates permissioned blockchain technology with IoT-based environmental sensing, smart contract automation, and hybrid on-chain/off-chain storage to establish a secure and tamper-proof digital ecosystem. A multi-layered architecture is developed to capture sensor readings, validate transactions, enforce compliance rules, and maintain immutable provenance records accessible to all stakeholders. Experimental evaluation demonstrates that the proposed system achieves low transaction latency, efficient smart contract execution, high throughput, and perfect hash verification accuracy, validating its suitability for real-time food quality monitoring and traceability. The results indicate that blockchain can effectively eliminate data manipulation, accelerate recall processes, enhance certification verification, and increase consumer trust by providing transparent and verifiable product histories. The presented model offers a scalable and practical solution for modernizing food supply chain management and serves as a foundation for future integration with predictive analytics, sustainability scoring, and decentralized regulatory compliance systems.