Methods for tracking donated and disposed food product items

Abstract

An automated method for tracking food products to be donated or disposed of, the method comprising: (1) configuring and setting up an application for a food product item to be donated or disposed of; (2) executing a food product item donation or disposal event, wherein a label can be created using appropriate data about the food product and / or the event printed thereon and / or data captured in a data log; and (3) viewing and / or extracting and further processing the captured data from the updated data log of the donated or disposed food product. The method of the present invention can be used in conjunction with a smart printer such as an RFID, QR code, or barcode printer.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 673,311, filed May 18, 2018, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Background Art

[0003] The present invention relates generally to traceability applications or systems, and more specifically to methods for tracking donated food product items and food product items intended for disposal. The traceability application of the present invention allows for the traceability of food product items from their production to final delivery to a donation center, disposal site, or other location, and provides transparency into the social and environmental impacts of food products. The application of the present invention is particularly suitable for food products prepared in restaurants or other food service venues (e.g., bars, mobile kitchens, hotels, soup kitchens, etc.). Therefore, this specification makes specific reference to this. However, it should be understood that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other similar applications and devices.

[0004] For a variety of reasons, not limited to resource conservation, landfill reduction, food insecurity, and consumer awareness of landfill use, the need to develop more efficient ways of tracking food waste and food donations has become increasingly apparent. For example, there seems to be a new food recall every day. There are also growing environmental, socioeconomic, and ethical issues and concerns surrounding the amount of food waste that occurs every day. For example, Americans alone are reported to waste up to 150,000 tons of food each day, and the amount of food wasted is equivalent to growing food on 30 million acres of cropland, or approximately 7.5% of all harvested cropland in the United States, each year. Therefore, the role of automated identification and data capture related to food waste donation and / or disposal is critical to process improvement and increased transparency.

[0005] Additionally, there are various federal, state, and local requirements regarding the security, tracking, and tax status of donated food items. Today, despite the 2017 Food Donation Act extending liability protections to food donors, many food preparers, processors, and providers are reluctant to donate food items to organizations or individuals in need due to the liability implications.

[0006] In addition, today's consumers are increasingly concerned about the transparency of food products and the social and environmental impact of said food product items. Although the need for traceability in the food service industry has been documented, there is no practical implementation of tracking food from its production or preparation all the way to the consumer or the final donation or disposal of the food product. There are several reasons for the lack of practical solutions.

[0007] First, the skill level and available time of the average food service worker is relatively limited, which reduces the potential for using complex food traceability systems that require multiple steps. Second, the food traceability technologies available in kitchens and other food preparation locations are somewhat limited, often involving manual processes that require careful recording of information, use of color dots, and ultimately transcription of the information into digital records, which are not only time-consuming, but also costly and prone to human error.

[0008] Therefore, there is a long-standing need in the art for an automated method of tracking food products from their source (e.g., a kitchen or other food preparation location) to their delivery to a consumer, donation, or ultimate disposal of the food product item as waste. There is also a long-standing need in the art for an automated method of tracking food products that includes processing, identifying, data capturing, and recording donated food and wasted food items for food service providers. Furthermore, having the ability to track food products from their origin to their final destination would enable governments, companies, and individuals in the food production chain to improve the overall quality and safety of food product items, reduce hunger and food waste, and improve the overall efficiency and sustainability of the precious resources used in the food product production process. Summary of the invention

[0009] A simplified overview is given below to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This overview is not an exhaustive overview and is not intended to identify key / important elements or delineate its scope. Its sole purpose is to introduce some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to a more detailed description that will be introduced later.

[0010] The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein includes, in one aspect thereof, a method for tracking donated food product items and food product items designated for disposal. The traceability application of the present invention allows the traceability of food product items from their production to final delivery to a donation center, disposal site, or other location, and provides transparency to the social and environmental impacts of food products. As discussed herein, food product traceability refers to the ability to record and retain the "what, where, when, and why" of each action taken in the life cycle of a food product from production to conversion, consumption, donation, or disposal.

[0011] An automated food product tracking method for food service providers to process, identify, data capture and record donated food and wasted food product items primarily includes an application having the following three processes: (1) configuring and setting up the application for food product items to be donated or disposed of; (2) executing a food product item donation or disposal event, wherein a label with appropriate information about the food product item and / or event can be printed by, for example, a smart barcode printer having connected sensor inputs and / or data captured in a data log; and (3) viewing and / or extracting and further processing the captured data from an updated data log of donated or wasted food information.

[0012] The method of the present invention can be used in conjunction with a smart printer (e.g., an RFID, quick response (QR) or barcode printer) that can have connected sensor inputs to process and track food waste and donations, including appropriately publishing key tracking event information of a transportation event (donation) or a food product disposal event (waste) to, for example, a memory storage device, a user display, or a database contained in a local server, a cloud-based database, or a hyperledger format. In the case of a transportation event (donation), ownership of the food product item can be transferred from a food service operator to, for example, a charity. A transportation event (donation) occurs when a traceable food product item is sent from one defined location to another defined location. A disposal event (waste) refers to a traceable food product item being destroyed, discarded, or the product being processed in a manner that is no longer available to consumers.

[0013] In order to achieve more enhanced and detailed data tracking and analysis, the application and method of the present invention allow an administrator or user to define food product groupings or sorting categories. This includes food categories and subcategories, departments, food types, recipient options, and reasons for donation or disposal of food product items. The method of the present invention also provides for the creation of labels that can be applied to donated food product containers for easy identification and determination of fresh dates. For food product items designated for disposal, labels can be used to similarly visually identify food product items, but without fresh date determination.

[0014] Additionally, an updated internally captured data log of information of donated or disposed food products may be saved for later viewing on a local printer or remotely after extracting the data at the administrator's discretion. This captured data log may be incrementally modified for each donated food or wasted food information update, and all data log records may also be saved until a predetermined fixed file size or other user-selected milestone is reached. The data log may then be stored at a local location and a new data log started. When the new data log file reaches a predetermined fixed file size or other user-selected milestone, the new data log file may be stored, and the first stored data file may be overwritten or transferred to a secondary location.

[0015] To achieve the foregoing and related purposes, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovations are described herein in conjunction with the following description and accompanying drawings. However, these aspects are merely indicative of a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein may be employed, and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 A flow chart depicting one possible method of the present invention for configuring a traceability application to track donation or disposal of a food product item is shown.

[0017] Figure 2 Shows that it can be assigned to Figure 1 A possible embodiment of the attributes of a food product.

[0018] Figure 3A A method for implementing the present invention is shown. Figure 1 A flow chart of one possible approach to traceability application where food products would be donated and / or consumed.

[0019] Figure 3B A method for implementing the present invention is shown. Figure 1 A flowchart of one possible approach to traceability application where food products would be wasted.

[0020] Figure 4 A depiction of selecting food product items to include Figure 3A Or a flowchart of one possible method of the method depicted in 3B.

[0021] Figure 5 The diagram depicts the administrator or user being able to access or manipulate information about Figure 3A A flow chart of one possible method for collecting data on a food product item using the 3B or 3B method.

[0022] Figure 6 One possible embodiment of a user or administrator display screen is shown.

[0023] Fig. 7A A possible label format that can be generated by means of the method of the present invention is shown.

[0024] Figure 7B An alternative label format that can be generated by means of the method of the present invention is shown.

[0025] Figure 7C Another alternative label format that can be generated by means of the method of the present invention is shown.

[0026] Fig.7D Another alternative label format that can be generated by means of the method of the present invention is shown.

[0027] Fig. 7E Another alternative label format that can be generated by means of the method of the present invention is shown.

[0028] Figure 7F Another alternative label format that can be generated by means of the method of the present invention is shown.

[0029] Figure 8 A possible data record format which can be created and managed with the aid of the method according to the invention is shown.

[0030] Fig. 9 One possible dashboard view of traceability data that may be presented to a user as a result of the method of the present invention is shown.

[0031] Fig.10 A perspective view is shown of one possible embodiment of a smart printer that may be used in conjunction with the method of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The present innovation is now described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout the text. In the following description, for illustrative purposes, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. However, it is apparent that the present innovation may be practiced without these specific details. In other examples, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to facilitate description thereof.

[0033] As previously mentioned, an automated food product traceability method for food service providers to process, identify, data capture, and record donated food and wasted food product items primarily includes a software application having the following three processes: (1) configuring and setting up the application for food product items to be donated or disposed of; (2) execution of a food product item donation or disposal event, wherein a label with appropriate information about the transaction may be printed by, for example, a smart barcode printer having connected sensor inputs and / or data captured in data sets and data logs; and (3) viewing and / or extracting and further processing the captured data from a data log of updates to the donated or disposed food product information.

[0034] To begin the application configuration and setup phase of food product items to be captured and tracked prior to their consumption, donation, or disposal, it is first necessary to identify which ready-to-eat food products or food product ingredients are available for consumption, donation, or disposal. Figure 1 A flow chart depicting one possible method of the present invention for configuring a traceability application or system, which may reside on a smart printer, smart device, or traditional personal computer (e.g., Fig.10 ) on a smart barcode printer in the application. More specifically, when a user such as an administrator (not shown) enters the process at step 300, the configuration and setup phase of the method begins. At step 302, the user selects a category of food product items and / or a subcategory of food product items from a list of pre-existing categories or subcategories in the application, or has the option of creating a new category or subcategory of food product items when the required category or subcategory does not currently exist in the application. The use of categories and subcategories in the application allows food items to be grouped or located for ease of transmission, extraction, and further data processing. The user then has the option of proceeding to step 304 or exiting the application at step 320 via step 318. For example, the user may have entered the process at step 300 for the sole purpose of creating a new category or subcategory of food product items at 302, but is not yet ready to designate a specific food product item for donation or disposal.

[0035] At step 304, the user may select a specific food item from a list of pre-existing food items in the selected category or subcategory of food product items of step 302, or have the option of creating a new food product item if the desired food product item to be donated or disposed of does not currently exist in the application. The user then has the option of proceeding to step 306 or exiting the application at step 320.

[0036] At step 306, the user may configure or specify a reason for donating or disposing of the food product item, and may include other useful information about the food product item in a plurality of text and / or data fields to further populate the data set for the food product item. For example, a user may donate a food product item because it is no longer needed, is surplus, or is approaching its shelf life, "best before date," etc. The application allows the administrator or user to create, edit, and select reasons for donation or disposal, which may be general or specific to the administrator or user. Additionally, information related to the creation or origin of the food product item may also be included in the application. Figure 2 , including, but not limited to, a description of the food product item, a unique identifier or GTIN, a batch / lot number, the quantity of the food product item to be donated or disposed of, its creation date, etc. Additional information may also be assigned to specific purpose fields, including, but not limited to, and by way of example only: an allergen field 92, a "use by" field 94, etc. (e.g., Figure 2 ). Nevertheless, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the above categories of information and food product item attributes are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other types of information and / or attributes may be used to create the desired data set and suit the user's needs or preferences. At the end of step 306, the user has the option of proceeding to step 308, or exiting the application at step 320.

[0037] At step 308, the user may select from a pre-existing list of departments to which the donation or disposal of the food product will be assigned. Alternatively, if the desired department does not currently exist in the application, the user has the option of creating a new department. More specifically, the application allows the user to create, edit, and select a general or user-specific department. At the end of step 308, the user has the option of proceeding to step 310, or exiting the application at step 320.

[0038] At step 310, the user may select a food type or item from an existing list of available food types within a category or subcategory, or create a new food type or item if the desired food type or item does not currently exist in the application. The existing list of food types or items may be generic or customized based on the level of detail desired or preferred by the user. At the end of step 310, the user has the option of proceeding to step 314, or exiting the application at step 320.

[0039] At step 314, the user can select an appropriate recipient of the food product item to be donated or disposed of from a list of existing recipients within the application. Alternatively, if the desired recipient does not currently exist in the application, the user can enter a new recipient to receive the food product item. Other information other than the identification of the relevant recipient can also be entered, edited or deleted. For example, information about the location, preferences, needs, restrictions (e.g., allergens in the case of donated food items or land-based restrictions in the case of disposed food items) of the relevant recipient and any other useful information suitable for the user's needs or preferences can be added to the data set. At the end of step 314, the user has the option of proceeding to step 316, or exiting the application at step 320.

[0040] At step 316, the user may also choose to record the food item as waste, or record and mark the food item as a donation before completing the process at step 318. Upon completion at 318, the user may exit the application at 320, or return to step 302 to process additional food product items for donation or disposal.

[0041] After the setup and configuration phase of the application, depending on the path selected (i.e., disposal or donation of food product items), the user can proceed to the implementation or execution phase (e.g., Figure 3A and Figure 3B More specifically, Figure 3A A method for implementing the present invention is shown. Figure 1 A flowchart of possible methods of traceability application / approaches where food product items will be donated and / or consumed, and Figure 3B A method for implementing the present invention is shown. Figure 1 Flow chart of possible methods of traceability application / method, where the food product item is to be wasted or disposed. In either case, the user enters the implementation stage of the application at step 10 and determines whether to donate 12 (such as Figure 3A ) or treatment 48 (as shown in Figure 3B ) food product items.

[0042] If a food product donation item is selected, the user proceeds to step 16 where the user enters Figure 4 More specifically, the food item selection subroutine is entered at step 100. At step 102, the user selects the appropriate food item category (i.e., from the Figure 1 302 configured in step 306 of FIG. 1 ), and proceeds to the user determining whether an appropriate food item subcategory exists (i.e., from the Figure 1If there are no appropriate subcategories, the user can exit the subroutine at step 112 and return to the configuration stage to create the appropriate subcategories. On the other hand, if there are appropriate subcategories for the food product item, the user can select the subcategory at step 106 and proceed to step 108.

[0043] At step 108, the user determines whether there is an appropriate food item within the subcategory (i.e., from Figure 1 If no suitable food item exists, the user may exit the subroutine at step 112 and return to the configuration stage to create the appropriate food item. On the other hand, if an appropriate food item does exist, the user may select the food item at step 110, proceed to exit the subroutine at step 112 and return to the configuration stage. Figure 3A The weight of the food product item is input at step 18 in the application. At step 20, it is determined whether a scale is attached to automatically transmit the weight of the food product item to the application. If a scale is present and the weight of the food item is successfully read, then at step 26, the user can accept the weight and the process continues as described below. On the other hand, if a scale is not present or if the scale cannot successfully determine the weight of the food product item to be donated, then the weight can be manually determined by the user and entered into the system at step 24 and accepted by the user at step 26.

[0044] After accepting the weight of the food product item at step 26, the user has the option of entering one or more of the following: a department name or information at step 28; a food product type at step 30; a reason for the donation of the food product item at step 34; and / or recipient information at step 38. The importance and different types of information included in each of these categories are described above. As also explained above, the user will have already configured each of these categories during the configuration phase of the method of the present invention. Nevertheless, if it is now necessary to add, delete, or otherwise edit the options available in any of these categories, the user can return to the configuration phase of the application via step 45 and exit the process at step 46 to complete the operation. At this point, the user can return to the configuration phase of the application. Figure 3A The donation implementation process depicted in .

[0045] On the other hand, if the user successfully enters the appropriate information at one or more of steps 28, 30, 34, and 38, the user will proceed to step 40 where the appropriate print volume can be selected and the appropriate information from the data set and / or label can be printed at step 42. As explained more fully below, 7A to 7FThe general nature and content of the label types that may be printed and / or stored at step 42 are shown. Additionally, the food item donation event may be posted from the printer 1000 to a database contained in a local server, a cloud-based database, or a hyperledger format in addition to being stored in a local transaction log at step 44. After the label is printed and / or the data is stored, the process exits at step 46.

[0046] By comparison, if Figure 3A If a decision is made at step 14 to dispose of the food at step 48, the process is as follows Figure 3B More specifically, at step 50, the user enters Figure 4 The food item selection subroutine depicted in FIG. 1 and enters the process of selecting a food product item to be processed at step 100. At step 102, the user selects the appropriate food item category (i.e., from the Figure 1 ), and proceeds to step 104 where the user determines whether an appropriate food item subcategory exists (i.e., from Figure 1 If there are no appropriate food subcategories, the user can exit the subroutine at step 112 and return to the configuration phase ( Figure 1 On the other hand, if there is indeed an appropriate subcategory of the food product item to be disposed of, the user can select the subcategory in step 106 and proceed to step 108.

[0047] At step 108, the user determines whether there is an appropriate food item within the subcategory (i.e., from Figure 1 If there are no suitable food items, the user can exit the subroutine at step 112 and return to Figure 1 On the other hand, if there is a suitable food item, the user can select the food item at step 110, proceed to exit the subroutine at step 112 and return to Figure 3B In step 52, a user is prompted to input the weight of the food product item. In step 54, a determination is made as to whether a scale is attached to the application to automatically transmit the weight of the food product item to the application. If a scale is present and the weight of the food product item is successfully read, then in step 60, the user accepts the weight and the process continues as described below. On the other hand, if a scale is not present, or if the scale cannot successfully determine the weight of the food product item to be handled, the user can manually determine the weight and enter it into the system in step 58 and accept the weight in step 60.

[0048] After accepting the weight at step 60, the user has the option of entering one or more of: the name of the department or other information at step 62; the type of food at step 64; the reason for disposing of the food item at step 66 (e.g., exceeding its expiration date, destruction, etc.); and / or recipient information at step 68. The importance of each of these categories and the different types of information included in each of these categories are described above. As also explained above, the user will have already entered the weight in step 60. Figure 1 . Nevertheless, if it is now desired to add, delete, or otherwise edit the options available in any of these categories, the user can return to the configuration stage of the application via step 70 and exit the process at step 74 to complete the operation. At this point, the user can return to Figure 3B The process described in .

[0049] On the other hand, if the user successfully enters the appropriate information at one or more of steps 62, 64, 66, and 68, the user will proceed to step 72 where the appropriate print volume can be selected and the appropriate information from the data set and / or label can be printed (similar to Figure 3A 40 and 42 in the above), and the food item disposition event and its related data set can be published from the printer 1000 to a database contained in a local server, a cloud-based database, or a hyperledger format in addition to being stored in the local transaction log. After printing the label and / or storing the data, the process exits at step 74.

[0050] After the implementation phase of the application, the user can proceed to the management or viewing and / or extraction phase of the captured data (e.g. Figure 5 More specifically, Figure 5 The diagram depicts the administrator or user being able to access or manipulate information about Figure 3A 3B is a flowchart of one possible method for collecting data on donated or disposed food product items. Extraction of stored data files may be performed by any means known in the art for extracting data (including but not limited to extraction to a USB storage drive, data transfer via an appropriate protocol over a network connection, etc.).

[0051] The user may enter the management process of the application at step 200 and officially log in at step 202. The management login process may be password protected to protect the integrity of the application and the data sets residing therein. At step 204, a determination is made as to whether an appropriate external storage device, such as a USB, is installed. If such a storage device is not installed, then at step 206, before exiting the process at step 220 / 222, the user is presented with the following options: (a) the printer will use an appropriate protocol (e.g., FTP or SFTP) to post or view a food product item donation log on the user display 1002; or (b) the printer will use an appropriate protocol (e.g., FTP or SFTP) to post or view a food product item disposal / waste log on the user display 1002. When the user is finished posting or viewing the appropriate log, the user proceeds to step 220 to determine whether to exit the management process at step 222 or return at step 204 for more data processing.

[0052] On the other hand, if a storage device such as a USB is installed, the process continues and the user can use the following options of the storage device: (a) copy the donation log file to the storage device at step 208; (b) copy the disposal / waste log file to the storage device at step 210; (c) copy the donation and / or disposal / waste log file to an alternative storage location, such as an internal storage location or a cloud-based storage location or other external storage location at step 212; and / or (d) load the donation and / or disposal / waste log file to the user display 1002 for user viewing at step 214. It is also contemplated that the data set and related data log can be transmitted to a local server, network, cloud-based application, or hyperledger for further sharing and / or processing by the user or authorized third party, and the system can also create an appropriate Electronic Product Code Information Service (EPICS) event record, which can also be transmitted to a local server, network, cloud-based application, or hyperledger. Once the user's desired task is completed, the user can exit the management process at steps 220 / 222, or return at step 204 for more data processing options. Users can also access, read, and store configuration information and transaction logs.

[0053] Figure 6One possible embodiment of a user or administrator screen 600 that may be used in conjunction with the above process is shown. For example, screen 600 may include a non-exhaustive list of the following options and / or attributes: (a) a title 602; (b) a status of the storage device 604; (c) the ability to copy donation and / or disposal / waste data files to the storage device 606; (d) the ability to copy donation logs to the storage device 608; (e) the ability to load new donation and / or disposal / waste data files 610; (f) the ability to copy waste logs to the storage device 612; and (g) the ability to return to a previous screen or exit the system at 614. Nevertheless, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the above options and attributes are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other options and / or attributes may also be employed to accommodate the needs or preferences of the user. For example, additional options may also be included related to publishing traceability data to a local server, network, cloud-based application, or hyperledger for further sharing and / or processing by the user or authorized third party, or related to creating an EPICS event record as mentioned above.

[0054] Additionally, an updated internally captured data log of donated food or wasted food information may be saved for later viewing on a local printer or remotely after extracting the data at the administrator's discretion. The captured data log may be incrementally modified for each donated food or wasted food information update, and all data log records may also be saved until a predetermined fixed file size or other user-defined milestone is reached. The data log may then be stored at a local location and a new data log may be started. When the new data log file reaches a predetermined fixed file size or other user-defined milestone, the new data log file may be stored, and the first stored data file may be overwritten or transferred to a secondary location.

[0055] 7A to 7F A number of different possible label formats that may be generated with the aid of the methods of the present invention are shown, and various types of information that may be included on such labels. For example, labels may include information such as the name and contact information of the food service location where the donation or disposal is being made, the date and time, a description of the food item, the quantity, units of measure, product categories and subcategories, the department, the reason for the donation or disposal event, the recipient and their contact information, allergens, a "best before" date, "use by" date, or other appropriate date, instructions for handling or consuming the food item, the employee responsible for conducting the donation or disposal event, the value of the food item being donated or disposed of, and temperature or other constraints or limitations. Nonetheless, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that 7A to 7F The label formats and options depicted in are for illustrative purposes only, and many other options and / or formats may be employed to suit the needs or preferences of the user.

[0056] Figure 8 One possible data set or record 800 that can be created, managed, and modified by the methods of the present invention is shown. More specifically, data record 800 can be used to communicate the "what, where, when, and why" information of a donation or disposal event to a user, downstream recipient or waste receiver, or any other party in a concise and easy to use format. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that Figure 8 The data record formats depicted in are for illustrative purposes only, and many other options and / or formats may be employed to accommodate the needs or preferences of the user. The data set may also be updated periodically during a donation or disposal event.

[0057] Fig. 9 One possible dashboard view of traceability data 900 that may be presented to a user as a result of the method of the present invention in the form of a table and / or graphical representation of a dashboard or transaction log view is shown. Fig. 9 As shown in , such a data set may include the following non-exhaustive list of attributes: date and time; food item description; quantity; unit of measure; product category and subcategory; department; reason for the donation or disposal event; recipient and their contact information; allergens; "best before", "use by" or other appropriate date; employee responsible for conducting the donation or disposal event; value of the food item being donated or disposed of; and any temperature or other constraints or limitations. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that Fig. 9 The traceability data 900 depicted in FIG. 1 is for illustrative purposes only, and may employ many other options and / or formats to suit the needs or preferences of the user. The traceability data 900 from the application may also be stored in a format delimited by characters such as commas or semicolons, and may be used in conjunction with an appropriate spreadsheet software package for further analysis and reporting.

[0058] Fig.10 A perspective view of one possible embodiment of a smart barcode printer 1000 with an interactive user display that can be used in conjunction with the method of the present invention to mark, label, or otherwise annotate a designated food product item for donation or disposal is shown. Nevertheless, the smart printer 1000 is not limited to a barcode printer, and can be any other type of printer known in the art for producing labels that can be used to label and / or track objects, such as an RFID printer or a printer capable of printing a quick response (QR) code. For example, a label attached to a donated food product item includes a QR code, which would allow the recipient or any other user to scan the QR code and obtain access to traceability information about the donated food item from a web page.

[0059] What has been described above includes embodiments of the claimed subject matter. Of course, it is not possible to describe every possible combination of components or methods for the purpose of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Therefore, the claimed subject matter is intended to cover all such changes, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. In addition, to the extent that the term "comprising" is used in the detailed description or claims, the term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term "comprising", in that when used as a transitional word in a claim, "comprising" is interpreted as "comprising".

Claims

1. A method of tracking a food product designated for a donation event or a disposal event, the method comprising: configuring an application to receive a data set regarding the food product, wherein the step of configuring the application includes creating a data log configured to record updates of traceability information for the donated or disposed food product, wherein the traceability information includes information regarding what action was taken, where the action was taken, when the action was taken, and why the action was taken for each action in the life cycle of the food product from production to conversion, consumption, donation, or disposal; inputting the data set into the application, wherein the data set includes one or more of: (a) a description of the food product; (b) a quantity of the food product; (c) an expiration date of the food product; and (d) a destination of the food product; implementing the donation event or disposal event associated with the food product using the application by incrementally modifying a data log associated with the donation event or disposal event to update traceability information for the donated or disposed food product; making the data set available to a user; printing at least a portion of the data set and a scannable code onto a label, wherein scanning the scannable code provides access to traceability information about the donated food product from the data log; and The labels are applied to donated food products.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the following steps: The data set is updated during the donation event or the disposal event.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The step of configuring the application may further include selecting a category or subcategory that includes the food product.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The step of configuring the application further includes entering a reason for the donation event or the disposal event.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The step of configuring the application further includes inputting an identification of a recipient of the food product.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The scannable code is a barcode, a QR code or is encoded in an RFID tag.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The step of making the data set available includes publishing the data set to at least one of: a server; a network; a cloud-based application; or a hyperledger.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The step of making the data set available comprises storing the data set to a storage device.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The step of making the data set available includes displaying the data set on an interactive user display.

10. A smart scannable label printer configured to label food products designated for a donation event or a disposal event, the smart scannable label printer configured to: receiving a data set related to the food product, wherein: The data set includes one or more of: (a) a description of the food product; (b) a quantity of the food product; (c) an expiration date of the food product; and (d) a destination of the food product; receiving traceability information from a data log of the food product, the traceability information comprising updates to the traceability information following donation or disposal of the food product, and the traceability information comprising information about what action was taken, where the action was taken, when the action was taken, and why the action was taken for each action in the life cycle of the food product from production to conversion, consumption, donation, or disposal; and Printing at least a portion of the received data set and a scannable code onto a label to be applied to the food product, wherein the scannable code is configured to provide access to traceability information about the donated or disposed food product from the data log when scanned.

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