What the study found
The study found that different Industry 4.0 technologies are better suited to different stages of the food supply chain. It also found strong expert agreement, especially for the Consumption, Distribution, and Post-Harvest stages.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that the findings can help managers and policymakers adopt stage-appropriate technologies for sustainable operations. The study suggests this is relevant to minimizing food loss and waste and supporting Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, which concerns reducing food waste.
What the researchers tested
The researchers conducted a multi-stage systematic literature review of 122 papers to identify themes about food loss and waste and Industry 4.0 technologies. They then surveyed 34 domain experts, who ranked six technologies: Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, Blockchain, Cloud Computing, Internet of Things, and Digital Twin, across five food supply chain stages. Kendall's Coefficient of Concordance was used to measure agreement, and a decision support framework was developed.
What worked and what didn't
The expert rankings identified Blockchain and Big Data Analytics as most suitable for Production; Digital Twin and Internet of Things for Post-Harvest; Artificial Intelligence and Digital Twin for Processing; Internet of Things and Blockchain for Distribution; and Big Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence for Consumption. The strongest consensus was reported in the Consumption, Distribution, and Post-Harvest stages. The decision support framework also showed that each technology occupied a distinct resource quadrant, such as Blockchain being placed in the high capital, moderately high technology, and low skills quadrant.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe detailed limitations beyond noting that practical understanding of stage-specific suitability had been inadequate. The findings are based on a literature review and expert rankings, so the summary provided here does not include direct implementation results.
Key points
- The study found that technology suitability for food loss and waste reduction depends on the food supply chain stage.
- Expert agreement was strongest for the Consumption, Distribution, and Post-Harvest stages.
- Blockchain and Big Data Analytics were ranked most suitable for Production.
- Digital Twin and Internet of Things were ranked most suitable for Post-Harvest.
- The authors developed a decision support framework to guide technology selection.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Industry 4.0 technologies vary by food supply chain stage
- Authors:
- Kamaldeep Kaur Sarna, Debadyuti Das, Rajesh Kumar Singh
- Institutions:
- Management Development Institute, Shriram Institute for Industrial Research, University of Delhi, University of Delhi
- Publication date:
- 2026-02-12
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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