There have been many food distribution disasters over the last month. For instance, Romaine lettuce was recalled in 11 states and in Canada after over 30 people reported illnesses; about 6.5 million pounds of different beef products was flagged for possibly being contaminated with salmonella, and more than 89,000 pounds of ready-to-eat ham products were recalled as a result of listeria contamination.

Last year alone, there were over 400 recalls issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. That same year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recalled over 20 million pounds of product.

So what could the solution be for these contamination problems? The answer is blockchain technology. 

For example, Wal-Mart is currently using blockchain to monitor all lettuce shipments to their more than 6,300 stores. And by January 31, 2019, all direct suppliers of lettuce will be officially required to use blockchain to track lettuce from farm to shelves.

Japan’s population is rapidly ageing, so the country is looking at new solutions for a multi-faceted problem. In addition to a low birthrate, over one-fifth of Japanese people are now 70 years old or older, as per government data. Moreover, there are not enough people to care for the elderly. By 2025, there will be a shortfall of 340,000 nursing care workers.

Exawizards is employing deep learning to analyze unstructured data related to nursing care. This data comes in the form of sound recordings, videos, texts, and other materials. One of their primary services is Coaching AI, which they detail as “AI-enabled care.” It’s an approach to caregiving training that mixes algorithms with a human touch. The goal is to improve the quality of care for dementia patients in addition to helping new caregivers deliver proper care.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is aiming to raise $500 million at a $30.5 billion valuation with the help of Baillie Gifford, a 110-year-old Scottish investment firm that is also the biggest shareholder of Tesla.

According to The Wall Street Journal, which broke the story, the Hawthorne, California-based Space Exploration Technologies Corp. – better known as SpaceX – is raising capital from Baillie Gifford and existing shareholders. Baillie Gifford already owns about 7.6% of Tesla. Neither Musk nor Baillie Gifford representatives commented on the story.

The deal is expected to be announced before year-end. So far, SpaceX has undergone 17 rounds of funding, raising $2.2 billion. In a funding round in April, SpaceX was valued by investors at about $28 billion, and the stock price has gone up 10% since.

Do you think blockchain technology will revolutionize the food industry? Why or why not?

Let us know in the comments below!