Automated systems now control whether food shipments can move through global supply chains, leaving perishable goods stranded if the software fails to recognize them.
How automated systems block food shipments when they fail to recognize cargo
Food items such as wax-coated apples stacked in pallets with individual stickers or mangoes wrapped in cloth and shipped by air are processed through digital databases, platforms, and automated procedures that determine whether shipments can proceed. If a system cannot verify a delivery, the food cannot be distributed, insured, sold, or distributed legally. In practice, food unrecognized by the system is effectively nonexistent, even if it sits ready in warehouses with the risk of spoilage.
Why cyberattacks pose a growing threat to food supply chains
The first risk is cyberattacks, as seen in the case of JBS Foods, the world’s largest meat processing company, which in 2021 suffered a ransomware attack that halted operations in the United States, Canada, and Australia, disrupting global production and leading to ransom payments of millions of dollars. As noted by Mohamed Alzoucher of Deraa University in The Conversation, automated systems and artificial intelligence applications already widely used in food supply chains carry two basic risks.
For more on this story, see Chipotle Caps In-App Tips at 50% to Prevent Fraud and Errors.
What the second risk involves beyond cyberattacks
The second risk involves the inherent fragility of relying on digital verification for physical goods, where a simple mismatch between a product’s physical attributes and its digital record can halt an entire shipment. This vulnerability is amplified as more food moves through complex, globalized supply chains that depend on seamless digital authentication.
What happens to food that fails digital verification?
It cannot be distributed, insured, sold, or distributed legally and risks spoilage in warehouses.
How did the JBS Foods attack affect global meat production?
It halted operations in the United States, Canada, and Australia, disrupting global production and leading to ransom payments of millions of dollars.