RFID Could Prevent Next E. Coli Outbreak
The recent outbreak of the E. coli bacteria on bagged spinach stands as an example of an arena where RFID tracking could offer a wide range of benefits. The FDA has already suggested using RFID tags to create an "e-pedigree" of pharmaceutical drugs through the supply chain, in order to combat counterfeiting. This same principle of RFID tags on produce would make it much easier for public health officials to identify the specific source of the E. coli infestation. This would be beneficial to consumers, making it faster to track down which bags of spinach are infected; it would help retailers figure out which bags of spinach to trash and which to stock; and it would stop farmers from having to unnecessarily plow over fields of spinach in fear of possible contamination. Farmers today are losing millions of dollars destroying spinach crops that may or may not be part of the problem.
It would be wise of those in the RFID industry to proactively advocate for RFID for this purpose, instead of always being on the defensive. The idea of RFID tags on produce is not new, but the technology's benefits should be reinforced now. This way, when anti-RFID people push for restrictions on RFID in the retail sector because of unrealistic privacy issues, instead of being privacy heroes, they are standing in the way of a technology that could save lives and help farmers.
