1 Enabling chain- wide transparency in meat supply chains based on the EPCIS global standard and cloud-based services Kassahun, A. 1 , Hartog, R.J.M. 1 , Sadowski, T. 3 , Scholten, H. 1 , Bartram. T. 3 , Wolfert, S. 2 and Beulens A.J.M. 1 1 Information Technology Group, Wageningen University, Hollandseweg 1, 6706 KN, Wageningen, The Netherlands. 2 LEI, Wageningen UR, Hollandseweg 1, 6706 KN, Wageningen, The Netherlands. 3 GS1 Germany GmbH, Maarweg 133, 50825 Cologne, Germany. Corresponding author: Ayalew Kassahun Information Technology Group Wageningen University Hollandseweg 1 6706 KN Wageningen The Netherlands Email: ayalew.kassahun@wur.nl Abstract Transparency in meat supply chains is necessary to guarantee the safety, quality and trust of consumers in meat products. However, transparency systems currently in place are often not adequate for sharing transparency data among food operators, providing consumers accurate transparency information, or enabling authorities to respond quickly and effectively in cases of food safety emergencies. Due to major meat crises and scandals the meat sector has in this respect attracted substantial attention. In this paper we identify regulatory, business, consumer and technological requirements for meat supply chain transparency systems and present a reference software architecture that will guide the realisation of these systems. The reference architecture is characterised by three main elements: the EPCIS standard for tracking and tracing, cloud-based realisation of transparency systems, and the provision of transparency systems as services by third-party transparency service providers (3pTSPs). Usage scenarios are presented to explain how the different types of meat supply chain actors can use transparency systems that are based on the architecture. Keywords: meat supply chain transparency; consumer awareness in meat; tracking & tracing; food regulations; EPCIS; cloud-based services 1 Introduction Transparency in meat supply chains is necessary to guarantee the safety, quality and trust of consumers in meat products. Consumers’ trust in meat products, production, origin and the actors 1 involved is crucial for the functioning and competitiveness of local, regional and global food markets (Brom, 2000; Schiefer, 2011). Particularly meat is a relatively sensitive product as highlighted by major crises and scandals such as the BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, commonly called mad cow disease) crisis (Collee and Bradley, 1997), the dioxin crisis (Verbeke, 2001) and the recent horse meat scandal (Premanandh, 2013). As a result a number of transparency measures are incorporated in food regulations such as the European regulation Reg. N o 178/2002 (also referred to as the General Food Law - GFL) and the more recent regulation Reg. N o 1169/2011. 1 We use the terms actor, company, food operator and business interchangeably in this article.