A Dual Approach to Halal Meat Traceability through QR Codes and Blockchain

Existing traceability systems in the halal meat supply chain are acknowledged as having significant shortcomings, leading to decreased consumer confidence and halal standard violations. In response to these challenges, this paper proposed an integrated approach using QR codes and blockchain to improve traceability, especially in the halal meat supply chain ecosystem. This research contributes to developing a schematic diagram that illustrates the interaction of QR codes with the inclusion of a ledger system on a blockchain level from farm to consumer. This provides a step-by-step representation of how these technologies interact across the supply chain. The QR code allows easy access to product information, and blockchain establishes widespread trust in the data through an immutable ledger. Despite its practicality and promising concept, a narrative review of the 22 selected studies showed that the proposed ecosystem has a positive potential for enhancing transparency, restoring consumers' trust, and improving the compliance rate. Moreover, the results highlighted the system's ability to minimize traceability fraud and simplify halal certification procedures. However, the study also highlighted several challenges, including the implementation costs, the absence of standardized data systems, and the requirements of sufficient infrastructure and qualified human resources. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by identifying the key challenges to establishing successful halal meat traceability, highlighting the focus of potential future work on scalability, interoperability, and supply chain optimization.