Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41829646›Full record

ReviewSensors (Basel, Switzerland)2026

Traceability and Anti-Counterfeiting in Agri-Food Supply Chains: A Review of RFID, IoT, Blockchain, and AI Technologies.

Mohamed Riad Sebti, Ultan McCarthy, Anastasia Ktenioudaki, Mariateresa Russo, Massimo Merenda

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Sensors (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Mohamed Riad SebtiDIIES Department, University (Mediterranea) of Reggio Calabria, 89124 Reggio Calabria, Italy.ORCID 0009-0000-5815-0309
Ultan McCarthyDepartment of Land Sciences, South East Technological University, X91 Y074 Waterford, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0002-2693-8844
Anastasia KtenioudakiDepartment of Land Sciences, South East Technological University, X91 Y074 Waterford, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0003-4452-7173
Mariateresa RussoDepartment of Agraria, University (Mediterranea) of Reggio Calabria, 89124 Reggio Calabria, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-5159-588X
Massimo MerendaDIIES Department, University (Mediterranea) of Reggio Calabria, 89124 Reggio Calabria, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-3668-8014

Funding

PROGETTO "TECH4YOU- TECHNOLOGIES FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENT" ECS00000009
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

By 2050, the global population is expected to reach approximately 10 billion, leading to a projected 50% increase in food demand relative to 2013 levels. If not adequately anticipated, this growing demand will place significant strain on agri-food systems worldwide, with disproportionate impacts on low- and middle-income countries. Moreover, current projections may underestimate the accelerating effects of climate change, political instability, and civil unrest, which continue to disrupt food production and distribution systems. In this context, technological advancements offer a promising pathway to enhance efficiency, improve transparency, and mitigate risks related to food safety, adulteration, and counterfeiting. Emerging innovations can decouple food production from environmental degradation while strengthening monitoring, verification, and accountability across supply chains. This review examines state-of-the-art technologies developed to support traceability and anti-counterfeiting in agri-food supply chains, considering their application across the full spectrum of stakeholders. To provide a system-level perspective, the review adopts a five-layer socio-technical traceability and anti-counterfeiting framework, comprising identity, sensing, intelligence, integrity, and interaction layers, which is used to map enabling technologies and reinterpret the evolution of traceability systems (TS 1.0-TS 4.0) as a progression of functional capabilities rather than isolated technological upgrades. Using this framework, the review analyzes the advantages and limitations of current solutions and clarifies how traceability and anti-counterfeiting functions emerge through technology integration. It further identifies gaps that hinder large-scale and equitable adoption. Finally, future research directions are outlined to address current technical, economic, and governance challenges and to guide the development of more resilient, trustworthy, and sustainable agri-food traceability systems.

Indexed as

AgricultureArtificial IntelligenceBlockchainFood SupplyInternet of ThingsRadio Frequency Identification DeviceFood SafetyHumansagri-foodanti-counterfeitingartificial intelligenceblockchaininternet of thingsRFIDtraceability

Identifiers

PMID41829646
PMCPMC12987207

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.