Cloud Computing Improves Food Recall Process

by Hovhannes Avoyan | Oct 11, 2009

As businesses around the world chase productivity gains from cloud computing, IT managers are being pressed to switch to this virtual infrastructure to support mobile apps and data and solve imposing business challenges in a more efficient, low-cost way than traditional IT and process management practices.

Not to add to the pressure, folks, but I heard about a perfect example of the cloud helping an industry overcome a huge business challenge – food recalls – on a recent podcast, and I’d like to share the story with you. It really dramatizes the way cloud computing can revolutionize business practices.

This is the story: Canada’s GS1, a non-profit trade group that works to improve supply chain efficiency, is using cloud-based Hewlett-Packard software, services and infrastructure to run a system that tracks food products as they are manufactured and distributed to retailers. Sounds innocuous enough on the surface, but food recalls – and we’ve had no shortage of them – are incredibly complex affairs, with many different players that need to get involved. It’s a tough undertaking.

The system will enable different parties involved – suppliers, manufacturers, sellers and customers – to use consistent technical standards to share information, and fast. Safety advocates say getting the word out quickly is key during contamination scares — not to mention distributing specific recall instructions.

Apparently, GS1 and HP have created a “cloud traceability” program designed to tell the life story of a food product via collaboration from all parties. The GS1 Canada Product Recall service runs on the HP cloud computing platform for manufacturing. And it provides users with secure, real-time access to product information so that recalled products are fully traced and promptly removed from the supply chain.

What this will produce, according to the podcast on “Cloud Computing by Industry,” is more accurate targeting of recall products. And just in case you’re wondering, as I did, if any crackpot might get on there and feed untrue information to prompt a false scare, the cloud platform will also feature security enhancements to make sure that only authorized recalls are issued and that only targeted retailers receive notifications.

The word is that HP will be creating a number of additional specific services that leverage cloud computing to meet specific industry need in other sectors, such as hospitality and retail.

I look forward to seeing these come to fruition, and I marvel at how this new way of computing is coming up with answers to often ominous business challenges for companies.