Biologically inert and safe food taggants

Abstract

The food-grade taggant for the edible matrix may comprise a light-triggered microtransponder comprising a monolithic integrated circuit, which may be encapsulated within a passivation layer that forms a barrier to the edible matrix, and which may have maximum dimensions of 2 mm length, 2 mm width, and 0.2 mm thickness.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] [1] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 375,150, entitled "Biologically Inert And Secure Food Taggant," filed September 9, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. [Technical Field]

[0002] [2] This disclosure relates to traceable secure taggants that are part of an edible matrix. Methods for including the secure taggants in an edible matrix and practical uses thereof are disclosed. Such secure taggants may be food-grade (e.g., biologically inert) and therefore edible by humans and / or animals. [Background technology]

[0003] [3] The traceability of the origin and chronology of food products (commonly referred to as the edible matrix), together or separately, is a significant driver of a food product's economic value and a key component of food security. Traceability helps build consumer trust by enabling consumers to recognize where and how a food product was grown or sourced, and who was involved in its processing, packaging, and distribution, and when. Chronology allows for the viewing or auditing of timestamps of the various steps involved in a food product's processing, packaging, or distribution. Food product traceability and chronology (typically understood together as "provenance") are particularly important for perishable foods (e.g., dairy, meat, seafood, fish, etc.) that must undergo multiple processing steps and / or pass along complex supply chains (e.g., fruits, vegetables, etc.). Consumers place significant importance on how food is grown, collected, and processed in the case of plant-based foods, or on how livestock is caught or raised, cared for, slaughtered, processed, or packaged in the case of meat or fish. Many different categories exist with designated rules, such as organic, non-GMO, pesticide-free, sustainably grown, fair trade, natural, and child labor-free. Marketers understand that consumers will pay more for foods that meet their preferences in these particular categories, but the ability to authenticate and verify such claims by a neutral third party is unfortunately the exception rather than the norm, thereby enabling opportunities for false claims and mislabeling.

[0004] [4] Furthermore, there is a growing trend towards consuming "lab-grown meat." Lab-grown meat, also known as cultured meat or cell-based meat, is a type of meat that is produced using in vitro cell culture techniques rather than by raising and slaughtering animals. It involves growing animal muscle cells or animal muscle-like cells in a controlled environment, such as a laboratory, using a combination of biotechnology, tissue engineering, and cell culture methods.

[0005] [5] Such meat is also produced in large quantities using biotechnology techniques. Such techniques may involve the use of buffers (often culture media), reactors (containers for carrying out biochemical transformations), cells of specific cell lines, and processing steps. Each of these steps can introduce variables that ultimately affect the quality of the product (i.e., the edible matrix).

[0006] [6] There are many reasons for the lack of transparency in the food supply chain, and conventional technologies have failed to address these reasons. For example, there is a lack of availability of affordable, durable, and secure digital taggants for edible and / or food contact applications. There is also a lack of common standards that can be implemented across multiple service providers and points of sale. While many consumers make purchasing decisions based on brands that often boast unverifiable claims on packaging and digital content (e.g., via web links, QR codes, etc.), there is a strong and growing desire for transparency and the ability to have third-party verification of claims for each ingredient contained in food items and foodstuffs (e.g., processed foods) throughout the food supply chain.

[0007] [7] Conventional technologies include using paper labels, barcodes, and other two-dimensional tags, such as QR codes, data matrix codes, holograms, or radio frequency identification (RFID) chips / tags, on food products. Paper labels are easily degradable and typically cannot withstand the rough handling of transportation across complex supply chains, passing through multiple hands, machines, and vehicles. Barcodes are generally printed on paper labels or other media and generally suffer from the same degradability issues. Furthermore, these paper labels and barcodes store static, hard-coded, non-electronic information that is limited by surface area (i.e., there is a limit to the information a barcode of a particular size can store).

[0008] [8] RFID can store information electronically, solving the capacity problems associated with the physical storage of information through barcodes and labels. However, RFID chips have multiple components spread over a large surface area. For example, the antenna of an RFID chip may be unwieldy and therefore not convenient to affix to food products with limited surface area. Furthermore, for food products that generate moisture and / or are stored in a moist medium, the moisture content can adversely affect the functionality of the RFID chip. For example, a wet or damp RFID chip may need to be thoroughly dried before it becomes functional again. This problem is exacerbated when the food product must be produced in a moist medium (e.g., cheese that undergoes a brine bath).

[0009] [9] Furthermore, the larger size of RFID chips allows an adversary to easily locate and remove them from food products for malicious reasons, such as to destroy the authenticity of the food product. In general, RFID chips are not biologically inert and may pose adverse health risks to consumers if ingested in whole or in part.

[0010]

[10] Therefore, significant improvements in food taggants are desirable. Summary of the Invention

[0011]

[11] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a food-grade taggant for an edible matrix, the food-grade taggant comprising an optically triggered micro-transponder including a monolithic integrated circuit, the monolithic integrated circuit encapsulated within a passivation layer that forms a barrier with the edible matrix, the monolithic integrated circuit having maximum dimensions of 2 mm length, 2 mm width, and 0.2 mm thickness.

[0012]

[12] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a food-grade taggant for an edible matrix, the food-grade taggant comprising a light-triggered micro-transponder including a monolithic integrated circuit, the monolithic integrated circuit being encapsulated within a passivation layer that forms a barrier with the edible matrix.

[0013]

[13] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a system for tagging an edible matrix, the system including a plurality of food-grade taggants, each of which includes an optically triggered transponder including a monolithic integrated circuit, the monolithic integrated circuit encapsulated within a passivation layer that forms a barrier with the edible matrix.

[0014]

[14] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a method comprising associating a food-grade taggant with an edible matrix, the food-grade taggant comprising an optically triggered micro-transponder comprising a monolithic integrated circuit, the monolithic integrated circuit being encapsulated within a passivation layer that forms a barrier with the edible matrix, the monolithic integrated circuit having maximum dimensions of 2 mm length, 2 mm width, and 0.2 mm thickness.

[0015]

[15] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a method comprising associating a food-grade taggant with an edible matrix, the food-grade taggant comprising a light-triggered micro-transponder comprising a monolithic integrated circuit, the monolithic integrated circuit being encapsulated within a passivation layer that forms a barrier with the edible matrix.

[0016]

[16] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a method comprising associating a plurality of food-grade taggants with an edible matrix, each food-grade taggant comprising an optically triggered transponder including a monolithic integrated circuit, the monolithic integrated circuit encapsulated within a passivation layer that forms a barrier with the edible matrix.

[0017]

[17] It is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited in its application to the details and arrangements of construction set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The present disclosure is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein and in the abstract are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

[0018]

[18] It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are illustrative only and are not limitations on the claimed subject matter.

[0019]

[19] Various objects, features, and advantages of the disclosed subject matter may be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of the disclosed subject matter when considered in conjunction with the following drawings, in which like reference numerals identify like elements and in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1]

[20] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an example MTP sensor system according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2]

[21] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of an example MTP according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3]

[22] FIG. 2 illustrates a side view representation of an exemplary MTP according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4]

[23] FIG. 2 illustrates a top view representation of an exemplary MTP according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5]

[24] FIG. 2 illustrates a functional block diagram of an exemplary MTP according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6]

[25] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a clock recovery circuit according to an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7]

[26] FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an example photoconductor according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8]

[27] FIG. 7 illustrates timing diagrams of optical intensity and voltage signals at each node of the clock recovery circuit with coupling capacitors of FIG. 6, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9]

[28] FIG. 1 illustrates a functional block diagram of an MTP reader according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10A]

[29] Here is an example, in simplified form, of how the string "1101" would be transmitted under the old system: [Figure 10B] 1 illustrates, in simplified form, how the string "1101" is transmitted under the reverse antenna system described herein. [Figure 11A]

[30] Figure 3 shows an example diagram of reversing the direction of antenna operation according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11B]

[31] Figure 3 shows another illustrative diagram of reversing the direction of antenna operation according to an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12]

[32] Figure 3 shows an example tagging system for an edible matrix according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13]

[33] An example taggant system according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 14]

[34] An example taggant system according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 15]

[35] An example taggant system according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 16]

[36] An example taggant system according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 17]

[37] An example taggant system according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 18]

[38] An example taggant system according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 19]

[39] FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram of an example method for tagging an edible matrix according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021]

[40] It is to be understood that the disclosed subject matter is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosed subject matter is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which the disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the disclosed subject matter. The claims, therefore, are to be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the disclosed subject matter.

[0022]

[41] While the disclosed subject matter has been described and illustrated in the foregoing exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that this disclosure is made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the details of the implementation of the disclosed subject matter can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosed subject matter.

[0023]

[42] As used herein, edible matrix should be understood to include any type of food product or edible material. Non-limiting examples include naturally grown foods (e.g., fruits, vegetables), animal-based foods (e.g., milk, eggs, fish, meat, and cheese), processed foods (e.g., cured meats, cheese), laboratory-grown foods (e.g., laboratory-grown meat products), etc. While the terms "food" and "food product" are used below for convenience and brevity, these embodiments are applicable to any type of edible matrix. The edible matrix may be edible for humans and / or animals. Furthermore, the edible matrix may be cultured, derived from animals, grown in a laboratory using biotechnology techniques, or processed and / or molded into any form using techniques such as three-dimensional printing (3D printing).

[0024]

[43] As used herein, ingestible material refers to any substance that can be taken into the body by swallowing or eating and pass through the digestive tract without causing any harm to the body. Digestible material refers to material that can be broken down by the digestive system into smaller or simpler components to extract extractable nutrients. Not all ingestible material may be digested; however, nearly all digestible material can be ingested.

[0025]

[44] As used herein, food grade should be understood to mean the quality of a taggant that allows it to safely contact an edible matrix and safely pass through the human and / or animal digestive tract without causing adverse effects. For example, the monolithic micro-transponders described throughout this disclosure may include a passivation layer that encapsulates the circuitry, where the passivation layer maintains the integrity of the micro-transponder in the biochemical environment of the human / animal digestive tract. That is, the monolithic micro-transponder cannot be digested or absorbed if ingested.

[0026]

[45] Traceability is understood to enable a greater degree of food safety because it allows for the identification of contamination events and / or sources, which are significant causes of preventable foodborne illness. Depending on the precision of the technique, it may be possible to identify a single item in a package containing multiple items, or even a fractional piece of a larger item. For example, it may be possible to uniquely identify a single wedge of cheese among a cheese wheel with multiple cheese wedges contained within a box with multiple cheese wheels and within a pallet containing many such boxes. If a cheese wedge becomes soiled or moldy, it may be possible to identify and discard the individual cheese wedge, discarding it and preventing the spread of mold through the pallet while maintaining traceability of the other wedges in the pallet.

[0027]

[46] Similarly, traceability also allows for the identification of all parties involved in handling a material (also known as "chain of custody") and alerts the involved parties, thereby aiding in the recall of such contaminated food products. Contaminants in food can include environmental samples, food processing artifacts, allergens, adulterants, or migration from packaging materials. If a source of contamination is introduced during processing or distribution, it is possible to strictly identify the subset of food products contaminated by that source, allowing only the food products that came into contact with the contaminant to be discarded or processed separately. This minimizes losses in the event of contamination. An illustrative application of this strict traceability is the deterioration resulting from customs and security checks at border crossings, where only a sample of the food item is exposed and tested (e.g., using sniffer dogs).

[0028]

[47] Chain of custody records may be maintained in electronic or physical format for any required time so that the records may be audited by relevant authorities, who may issue a recall if a batch of product is found to be contaminated or unfit for human or animal consumption. If authorities identify that a particular batch of foodstuff has been contaminated before all steps in the supply chain have been completed, it may be possible to conduct a recall early in the process, before the foodstuff reaches the consumer market, thereby preventing a potential public health risk.

[0029]

[48] ​​One technique for enabling food traceability is to include a unique feature or element with or within the food product that can be indelibly “read” (or scanned) repeatedly to register a response. It would be beneficial if the unique feature is food-grade, i.e., not harmful for human or animal consumption, as explained above. Responses from multiple reads can be logged chronologically (e.g., at a server, where some portion of the multiple reads can be logged within the element itself), thereby forming a record (or chain of custody). The feature / element can be an overt marking such as a printed barcode, hologram, quick response or QR code, etc., or a covert marking such as an RFID (radio frequency identification), near-field communication (NFC)-based chip, or secure ink with a unique spectral signature. When the unique feature / element is difficult to replicate, such a feature / element can also be an additional security element.

[0030]

[49] The food product may be in the form of a solid, a paste, a viscous liquid, or a non-viscous liquid. The unique feature / element may be added to the food product so that it may be part of the bulk, sometimes as a separate or integral part of the decoration or packaging, may be present on the surface of or in contact with the food product, or sometimes remotely as part of the food ingredient's casing. The unique feature / element may be introduced at the origin of the food product's source, at an early step in the processing of the food product, at a later stage, or just before it is made available to the consumer. However, the unique feature / element is likely to provide greater utility if introduced early in the food product's processing.

[0031]

[50] Light-activated microtransponders (MTPs) and all-optical microtransponders (OMTPs)—subclasses of MTPs—particularly qualify as security elements. As described herein, MTPs and OMTPs can wirelessly transmit unique and unbreakable digital identifiers when scanned with a suitable device (“reader”). The transmitted signal can be in the form of a radio frequency (RF) signal in the case of MTPs or light in the case of OMTPs. The identifiers can be used to identify tangible objects (such as groceries) when the transmitted identifier and the tangible object are linked via a database. Their small size (typically less than 2000 microns along their longest side, preferably less than 600 microns along their longest side), durability, and inertness to various biological and chemical agents make MTPs particularly attractive as taggants. The aforementioned sizes are provided by way of example and should not be considered limiting. Furthermore, MTPs can be easily combined with other security elements (such as QR codes, holograms, etc.) to form “composite taggants.” Such a composite taggant may include an MTP / OMTP present overtly or covertly. Furthermore, a single reader may be capable of reading multiple security elements at once. For simplicity, the following description uses the term MTP, but the embodiments should apply to OMTP as well. Some embodiments of an MTP are commercially available as p-Chip™ from p-Chip Corporation (Chicago, Illinois).

[0032] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an MTP sensor system 100 (“system 100”) according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The system 100 includes an MTP reader 102 and an MTP 104. In some embodiments, the MTP 104 is associated with an edible matrix to act as an identifier for the edible matrix. The MTP 104 may be glued to, implanted within, or otherwise attached to an edible matrix requiring individual, unique identification (ID) data. An enlarged view of the MTP 104 is shown in a breakout diagram in FIG. 1 to illustrate the MTP components, including the substrate 160, optical element 150, and optical communication circuitry 155. The height of the MTP 104 may be, for example, approximately 20 μm to 60 μm and may depend on the number of stacked layers and sensors for a particular MTP 104. The MTP 104 may be an integrated circuit that may normally remain in a persistent, dormant, unpowered state until it is powered on when illuminated with an excitation beam 132 from the MTP reader 102. Upon illumination, the MTP 104 may power on (typically instantaneously, e.g., in much less than a second) and transmit a data beam 133 via light to the MTP reader 102. The data beam 133 may be emission (e.g., from a light-emitting diode (LED)) in some embodiments, or a reflection / absorption mechanism (e.g., shuttering via a liquid crystal display (LCD)) in other embodiments. In alternative embodiments, the MTP 104 receives a separate stimulus, such as a code modulated onto the excitation beam 132, that initiates transmission of data from the MTP 104. Alternatively, receiving data from an internal sensor or a linked sensor may trigger transmission of the data beam 133.

[0033]

[52] In some embodiments, the excitation beam 132 is a visible focused light or laser beam, and the data beam 133 is an infrared light beam emitted (e.g., from an infrared light emitting diode). The data beam 133 may include a signal to identify the particular MTP 104 to the MTP reader 102, for example, using a unique identification number for that particular MTP 104. Using the unique identification, the MTP reader 102 may transmit data to a computer (not shown) to uniquely identify the edible matrix. In some embodiments, a user may operate the MTP reader 102 to illuminate the MTP 104 with light or other electromagnetic signals, which causes the MTP 104 to transmit the data beam 133 via the light or other electromagnetic signals. For example, in some embodiments, the range of the electromagnetic spectrum used by the MTP 104 for this signaling may include one or more subsets of the sub-terahertz portion of the spectrum, including infrared and longer wavelengths. The data beam 133 may be received by the MTP reader 102. The MTP reader 102 can then decode the data beam 133 carrying the identification data to positively identify the object.

[0034]

[53] "Laser" is defined herein as coherent, directional light, which may be visible light. Light sources include light from communication light-emitting diodes (LEDs), solid-state lasers, semiconductor lasers, and / or the like. The excitation beam 132, in some embodiments, may comprise visible laser light (e.g., 660 nm wavelength). In some embodiments, the excitation beam 132 during operation may illuminate an area larger than the area occupied by the MTP 104, thereby allowing a user to localize and read the MTP 104. In some embodiments, the excitation beam 132 may comprise light of other wavelengths in the visible and / or invisible spectrum to provide sufficient power generation using the optical element 150 of the MTP 104. The data beam 133 may be emitted at a different wavelength than the excitation beam 132. For example, the data beam 133 may be IR light at 1300 nm, and the excitation beam is red light at 660 nm. However, other wavelengths, such as the near-infrared (NIR) band, may be used for optical communication, and alternative embodiments may use other communication techniques, such as reflective signaling methods, to return the modulated data signal to the MTP reader 102. In some alternative embodiments, the MTP 104 includes an antenna (e.g., an integrated antenna) for communicating ID information to the MTP reader 102 via radio waves rather than light-based signals.

[0035]

[54] In some aspects, the MTP 104 may include a clock recovery circuit 106. The clock recovery circuit 106 may extract a clock pulse signal from the received modulated optical beam, as described in further detail below with respect to Figures 6-8. In one embodiment, the light in the pump beam 132 is amplitude modulated (e.g., pulsed) at approximately 1 MHz to provide a data clock that may be used by the MTP 104, for example, to provide operating clock pulses for the transmitted ID data bits. The timing of the pulses may be set so that the duty cycle and average power level are within the requirements for registration as a Class 3R laser device.

[0036]

[55] An illustrative MTP may be a monolithic (single-element) integrated circuit (e.g., 600 μm×600 μm×100 μm) capable of transmitting its identification code via radio frequency (RF). This dimension is merely an example and should not be considered limiting. For example, the monolithic integrated circuit may have maximum dimensions of 2 mm length, 2 mm width, and 0.2 mm thickness.

[0037]

[56] When multiple MTPs are present, each MTP (e.g., MTP 104) may have a unique serial number or identifier (ID) programmed or otherwise assigned to it. The MTPs may be read by an MTP reader 102 (e.g., a wand) without duplicate IDs. The MTP reader 102 may be a handheld device connected to a standard Windows PC, laptop, or tablet used to read MTPs and may be capable of reading the serial number or ID of each individual MTP.

[0038]

[57] Figure 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of an example MTP 104 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown, the MTP 104 may include photocells 202a, 202b, 202c, and 202d (commonly referred to as a photocell 202 and collectively referred to as photocells 202), a clock recovery circuit 206 (e.g., a clock signal extraction circuit), a logic state machine 204, a loop antenna 210, and a 64-bit memory (not shown) that supports, for example, over 1.1 billion ID codes. When illuminated by a pulsed laser, the photocell 206 may provide power to on-chip electronics with, for example, approximately 10% efficiency. The MTP 104 may transmit its ID through a modulated current in the antenna 210. The varying magnetic field around the MTP 104 may be received by a coil in the reader, and the signal may be digitized, analyzed, and decoded. MTPs (such as the illustrated MTP104) can be fabricated on silicon wafers in a foundry using CMOS processes similar to those used in the manufacture of memory chips and computer processors. The wafers can undergo post-fabrication processing, including laser coding, passivation, thinning, and dicing, to obtain individual MTPs. For example, the surface of the MTP104 can be made from silicon dioxide deposited as a passivation layer. The silicon dioxide used as the passivation layer is merely an illustrative material and should not be considered limiting. The passivation layer encapsulates other components and forms a chemical and biological barrier. Therefore, the MTP104 can safely pass through the human / animal digestive tract, making the MTP104 food-grade.

[0039]

[58] FIG. 3 illustrates a side view representation of an exemplary MTP 104 in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention. The MTP 104 may comprise a stack of individual integrated circuit layers 300, 302, 304, 306, and 308. Within the individual layers shown, layer 302 may support (i.e., receive material forming a passivation layer). Layer 304 may comprise logic circuits, clock circuits, sensor circuits, and transmitter circuits. Layers 306 and 308 may comprise storage capacitors, and 300 may be a substrate. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the functionality of the MTP 104 may be organized into other configurations of layers. For example, the stacking may comprise uniformly stacked layers of different thicknesses, such as may be fabricated in a 3D IC process known in the art.

[0040]

[59] MTP 104 can be fabricated using mixed-signal fabrication techniques typically used to create sensor electronics or analog-to-digital converters that include both analog and digital devices. In an illustrative embodiment, each layer is approximately 12 μm thick and measures 100 μm x 100 μm. In one embodiment, MTP 104 measures 100 x 100 x 50 μm. Alternative embodiments may use more or fewer layers depending on the application.

[0041]

[60] Figure 4 illustrates a top view representation of an exemplary MTP 104 according to some sample embodiments of the present disclosure. The diagram depicted in Figure 4 is a view of the top layer 302 of Figure 3. In one embodiment, a transmitting element such as an LED array 400 is provided on top of layer 302, surrounding the periphery of MTP 104. In other embodiments, the LED array may be implemented as a single LED (shown in phantom as LED 420) in the center of logic / sensor circuitry 410, or as other topographies for directional light emission. The placement of LED array 400 illustrates an example embodiment that emphasizes light generation. Alternative embodiments may include various topographical layouts advantageous for power harvesting or sensor data capture, and the like. In some embodiments, the LED may include a focusing lens or other optics.

[0042]

[61] Centrally located on the top layer 302 is an array 401 of photocells 402, 404, 406 and photoconductors 408. As illustrated, each photocell in the array 401 may be physically sized to create power for a specific circuit within the MTP 104, and one may be dedicated to clock / carrier signal extraction as described below with respect to FIG. 4. The photocell 402, which has the largest area, generates a voltage V to operate an output transistor 416 to drive an electron radiation transmitter (which in some embodiments is realized as an LED in the optical communication circuit 155). dd (In some embodiments, a negative voltage V neg Photocell 404 generates a positive voltage for logic / sensor circuitry 410, and photocell 406 generates a negative voltage V for logic / sensor circuitry block 410. neg . Photoconductor 408 is used, for example, to extract clock pulses to operate logic / sensor circuitry 410. Photocell 401 may be coupled to a capacitor, for example, in layer 306 or 308, to store energy generated by the photocell when illuminated by laser light. In some embodiments, the energy extracted from clock photoconductor 408 is applied to a differentiator (described below with respect to FIG. 6), which extracts clock edges that are amplified and used to provide timing signals to the logic and sensing circuits. As illustrated, multiple identification fuses 418 are located on surface 414. By opening selected ones of these fuses, MTP 104 is provided with a range of unique identification codes that exceeds the default base page of code values ​​that may be hard-coded into the chip logic. In an alternative embodiment, ID values ​​may be electronically coded using electronic antifuse technology. Furthermore, some embodiments include electronic memory for data, signal processing, and identification storage.

[0043] 5 illustrates a functional block diagram of an exemplary MTP 104 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The MTP 104 may include a photoelectric element 150, an energy storage 504, a clock / carrier extraction network 506 (i.e., clock recovery circuit 106), a sensor 508, logic 510, a transmit switching circuit 512, and an infrared (IR) LED 155. The photoelectric element 150 may include a clock extraction photoconductor 408, energy harvesting photocell arrays 404, 406, and dedicated photocells such as a transmit photocell 402. The energy harvesting photocell arrays 404 and 406 may be coupled to the energy storage 504 and may include photovoltaic cells that convert light energy from illumination into electrical current.

[0044]

[63] A clock photoconductor 408, which is part of the clock recovery circuit and can be physically located differently from the recovery circuit, can detect a clock pulse signal for the clock / carrier extraction circuit 506. In some embodiments, the energy storage 504 comprises multiple capacitors, with at least one capacitor coupled to a photocell in the photocell arrays 404, 406. The energy stored in the energy storage unit 504 can be coupled to an electronic circuit. As the laser light is pulsed, energy from the laser can accumulate and the MTP 104 can operate on the stored energy. Unlike the photocell arrays 404 and 406, the energy in the photocell 402 is not stored; the transmitter switching circuit 512 can “dump” all of its energy into the transmit element 155 via the output transistor 416. Once the received laser pulse energy is extracted by the clock / carrier extraction circuit 506, a logical state machine (i.e., logic 510) can form a data packet comprising ID bits and sensor data and provide them to the transmit data switch 512 for formation of an optical transmit signal. The logic 510 can directly combine the sensor signal and ID signal(s) into a composite data frame of an OOK (on-off modulated) emitter. The modulation symbols can be applied to the transmitter 512 and transmitted with each pulse of energy.

[0045]

[64] In some embodiments, the MTP 104 may include sensor(s) 508. The sensor(s) 508 may comprise, for example, one or more sensors for measuring attributes of an edible matrix. Any analog data from the sensor(s) 508 may be converted to a pulse-width modulated signal or other binary signaling method that encodes the analog quantity in the time domain in a manner suitable for pulsing an IR light-emitting diode for direct transmission to the MTP reader 102, without requiring conventional power- and area-intensive analog-to-digital conversion techniques. Illustrative sensors include, but are not limited to, a dielectric sensor, a proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) sensor, a pH sensor, an oxidation-reduction potential sensor, and / or an optical sensor. However, other types of sensors should also be considered within the scope of this disclosure.

[0046] 6 is a schematic diagram of a clock recovery circuit 506 according to some example embodiments of the present disclosure. The clock recovery circuit 506 may include a photoconductor 602 having a resistance R1 that varies with received light intensity, a reference resistor 604 having a fixed resistance R2, an amplifier 606, and an inverter 608. The source terminal of the photoconductor 602 is coupled to a first terminal of the resistor 604 at node A. Node A is coupled to the input of the amplifier 606, and the output of the amplifier 606 is coupled to the inverter 608, which generates a recovered clock signal at its output.

[0047]

[66] The series combination of photoconductor 602 and resistor 604 provides a voltage V DD and ground. Specifically, in this embodiment, the drain terminal of photoconductor 602 receives voltage V from energy storage 504, which maintains the voltage when illumination is off. DDand the second terminal of resistor 604 is coupled to ground. The resistance R1 of photoconductor 602 varies with the received light intensity, and the voltage at node A is determined by the ratio of resistances R1 and R2, so that a modulated optical input incident on photoconductor 602 produces a modulated voltage signal at the input of amplifier 606.

[0048]

[67] In some embodiments, a coupling capacitor 610 is added before the amplifier 606. The voltage divider R and the coupling capacitor 610 form a differentiator that can extract clock edges when the modulating frequency is as low as a few kilohertz (around 1 MHz or higher, although this may not be necessary). An inverter 608 digitizes the analog output of the amplifier 606, as described below, resulting in an example digital waveform such as that shown in Figure 8.

[0049] 7 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary photoconductor 602 according to some embodiments of the present invention. In some embodiments, the size of the photoconductor 602 can be 5 μm by 5 μm or larger. As illustrated, the photoconductor 602 can use a long-channel n-MOSFET in an isolated deep n-well bucket. The n-well and deep n-well (Dn-well) can completely encapsulate the p-well in the p-substrate and the transistor components, i.e., the source, drain, and gate, confined in the bucket. A gate layer made of, for example, polysilicon material can be disposed on an insulating layer such as silicon dioxide (SiO2). The polysilicon material spectrally absorbs shorter wavelengths of light, such as blue light, but passes longer wavelengths, such as red light. When using an excitation beam 132 with a longer wavelength, such as a red light beam, the polysilicon material filters out shorter wavelengths and passes longer wavelengths. Therefore, it suppresses shorter wavelengths. For example, a room light (e.g., a fluorescent light) flickering at a 60 Hz rate may generate some interference or noise with more of the spectrum in the shorter wavelength (blue wavelength) range, and the polysilicon material effectively blocks the flickering from the room light and allows only the desired energy beam (e.g., red light) to pass through.

[0050]

[69] Furthermore, the photoconductor 602 (also called a photoresistor) allows the clock recovery circuit 106 to function under both low and high illumination conditions, in contrast to photodiode-based clock recovery circuits. For example, under sufficiently high illumination, excess flooding charge in the photodiode cannot be sufficiently discharged, resulting in malfunction of the photodiode-based clock recovery circuit. In contrast, the photoconductor 602 may be operated in current mode and may be less affected by high-illumination flooding phenomena because photocharge is constantly drained by the electric field in the photoconductor 602. Additionally, the deep n-well bucket of the photoconductor 602 is isolated such that the n-well physically forms a potential barrier that prevents charge generated outside the bucket from entering the bucket, ensuring that only photons reaching the inside of the bucket can contribute to the conductivity of the photoresistor 602. Therefore, excess photo-generated charge during high illumination, which could result in malfunction of the photodiode-based clock recovery circuit, is suppressed in the clock recovery circuit 106.

[0051] Additionally, this FET device can have a very small physical footprint. For example, inverter 608 as shown in FIG. 6 can comprise a static CMOS inverter device that includes NMOS and PMOS transistors and has two states: high or low. When the inverter input is above a reference voltage, it is considered high; when it is below the reference voltage, it is considered low, and the output is then inverted. A static CMOS inverter can also function as an analog amplifier because it has sufficiently high gain in its narrow transition region to amplify the signal, allowing clock recovery circuit 506 to have a very small footprint. In cases where the extracted clock pulse is very low, the amplification by amplifier 606 may not be sufficient to reach the threshold voltage for flipping the logic state; in these cases, inverter 608 can further increase the overall amplification to reach that threshold.

[0052]

[71] FIG. 8 illustrates a timing diagram of the optical intensity and voltage signals at each node of the clock recovery circuit with coupling capacitors 506 of FIG.

[0053]

[72] Figure 9 illustrates a functional block diagram of an MTP reader 102 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As illustrated in Figure 9, the exemplary MTP reader 102 may be USB-powered and may include a USB 2.0 transceiver microcontroller, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a power converter and regulator, a laser diode with a programmable current driver, an optical collimation / focusing module, and a tuned air-coil pickup with a high-gain, low-noise differential RF receiver. The exemplary laser emits an average of 60 mW of optical power modulated at 1 MHz at a 658 nm wavelength when reading the MTP ID. The ID is read when the MTP is placed within suitable proximity (e.g., <10 mm) from the MTP reader 102. The MTP-generated waveform is compared to a data clock (laser modulation) used for synchronization of the transmitted ID data bits. The resulting ID readout from the MTP is rapid (<0.01 seconds) and reported on a PC or tablet. The MTP reader 102 may be able to read MTPs under difficult conditions, such as through a sheet of white paper, blue glass (approximately 1 mm thick), or a sheet of clear plastic laminate. Other MTP readers are being developed (e.g., instruments for reading IDs with MTPs in fluids). Another version under development is a battery-powered Bluetooth reader that can be used with a PC or cell phone.

[0054]

[73] Some embodiments may provide an efficient system and method capable of increasing the signal strength emitted by these small MTPs. MTP data may be transmitted using data coding that results in one-third to two-thirds of the transmitted bits having a value of 1. The average for all IDs may be half the data having a value of 1. A "1" digital signal is transmitted with the laser on, and a "0" digital signal is transmitted with the laser off (energy stored in the photocell provides the small amount of energy to be transmitted). The signal power tracks the ratio of 1s to 0s in the data. Some embodiments may transmit the same "1" digital signal currently being transmitted, but the "0" digital signal is transmitted with the laser on and current flowing in the opposite direction to that for the "1" digital signal. This results in all IDs being transmitted at the same power. Data may be transmitted when the laser is on. This may result in twice the power in the transmitted signal (on average, 6 dB more signal at the receiver). The method may result in easier signal processing and easier distinction between 1s and 0s. This may lead to an MTP reader 102 with a larger reading distance and simpler processing.

[0055]

[74] For example, the MTP 104 can be queried using a light that flashes at 1 MHz with a 50% duty cycle. This can be accomplished using a laser or focused LED, or the like.

[0056] 10A illustrates, in simplified form, how the string "1101" is transmitted under an older system, and FIG. 10B illustrates, in simplified form, how the string "1101" is transmitted under the reverse antenna system described herein. For each off / on cycle, such as c1, c2, c3, or c4 in FIGS. 10A-10B, the MTP reader 102 may look for a radio signal identifying a "1" digital signal or a "0" digital signal transmission. As shown in simplified form, for the first exemplary MTP output in FIG. 10A, illustrating a prior art system, a "0" is transmitted when the light source is off. However, the photocell capacitance used to transmit the "0" is limited. In effect, this limited signal represents a "0." The limited energy available for the "0" means that the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the MTP reader 102 is limited by the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for the "0." This means that, in principle, a "1" can be read at a significantly longer distance, but the MTP signal may only be read at a shorter distance than is applicable to the "0" component of the signal. Provided herein is a method that includes reversing the direction of current in the RF output antenna to transmit a "0" digital signal, such that substantially the same current is used for the "1" digital signal and the "0" digital signal (see FIG. 10B). In some embodiments different from FIG. 10B, any given bit ("1" or "0") or digital signal in the p-Chip™ MTP may be transmitted within eight consecutive optical cycles.

[0057]

[76] One way to reverse antenna current is to use a switching circuit such as an H-bridge. FIG. 11A shows one illustrative diagram of reversing the direction of antenna operation according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 11A, antenna 10 may be operated by voltage source Vin and H-bridge 20. Selectively closing switches S1 and S4 may direct current through antenna 10 in the direction shown by the arrow. Selectively closing switches S2 and S3 may direct current through antenna 10 in the opposite direction.

[0058]

[77] Figure 11B shows another illustrative diagram of reversing the direction of antenna operation according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Another way to reverse antenna current is to use two switches, such as S1A and S2A in Figure 11B, and two antennas (e.g., 10A, 10B). Selectively closing switch S1A can direct current through antenna 10A in one direction, as shown by the arrow. Selectively closing switch S2A can direct current through antenna 10B in the opposite direction. When S1 is selectively closed, current travels in direction D1. When S2A is selectively closed, current travels in direction D2, opposite direction D1. The antennas may be formed in separate metal layers or on the same layer. Only one FET (S1A or S2A) may be closed at any given time. When either FET is turned on, reverse current may be coupled to the other antenna. The body diode of the off FET may provide a current path for the coupled signal.

[0059]

[78] In some embodiments, the antenna options described herein may be achieved in a monolithic integrated circuit, which may be approximately 2 mm x 2 mm x 0.2 mm thick or smaller in size.

[0060]

[79] In some embodiments, the signal strength for an MTP incorporating the two-phase transmission described above increases by approximately 6 dB. This will increase the reliable read distance of the MTP reader 102. In some embodiments, the number of cycles involved in transmitting one bit is eight data periods. Each laser cycle is one data period. Each time the number of data periods doubles, there is a 3 dB signal processing gain. Eight data periods is three doublings (2, 4, 8). This results in a 9 dB signal processing gain. By increasing from 8 to 64 (2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64) or 128 (2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128), the signal processing gain can increase from 9 dB to 18 dB (for 64 repetitions) or 21 dB (for 128 repetitions). When using a 1 MHz laser, a current MTP using 8 repetitions for its 64 data cells can transmit IDs at a rate of 2,000 per second. By increasing the repetition rate to 128, the read rate can be reduced to 128 reads per second with a signal gain of 21 dB. This can result in an increase in read distance. The laser rate can be increased or decreased (for example, within the range of 500 KHz to 5 MHz). The repetition rate can be controlled by selecting one of eight repetition rates (three additional memory bits).

[0061]

[80] Multiple MTP indexed security features

[0062]

[81] The present invention may establish a higher level of security using authentication of multiple microtransponders or a combination of microtransponders and taggants (e.g., QR codes, barcodes, RFID tags, etc.) as matching pairs. All taggants must be present and readable to validate the content. Taggants may be placed next to each other or at different locations on or within an object, and / or at least two different types of security markings may be combined to form a composite security marking. The failure of any microtransponder or other taggants to respond may indicate non-authentic content. At least one microtransponder in the multi-level indexing sequence may be a fragile chip that may be physically rendered unable to respond when the container is first opened. A fragile chip may be produced by post-fabrication processing, i.e., thinning the chip substrate to ensure that the chip breaks when bent or attempted to be removed from the substrate. In some embodiments, methods to ensure chip disablement may be implemented by designing a fracture surface or by cutting a slot into the chip to disconnect the antenna.

[0063]

[82] In one embodiment, a physical object (e.g., a container) may be attached to chip A and chip B from a regular pairing when both signals respond to interrogation.

[0064]

[83] In one embodiment, if a physical object only has chip A attached and chip B is not physically present for interrogation by the reader, the reader may not authenticate the product because the database requires responses from both chips. If a physical object has both chip A and chip B present but chip B can be destroyed when opened, the reader may not authenticate the product because chip B has been disabled.

[0065]

[84] In one embodiment, similar to the example of a physical object having chip A and chip B, the physical object may have different pairwise or canonical pairing indexing via chip C and chip D. While the pairing of chip C and chip D may be canonical, it may be unique and may not be equal to the pairing of chip A and chip B. If a counterfeiter takes chips A and C and adds them to their packaging, the reader may be unable to authenticate the chips because chip A and chip C do not constitute a canonical pairing.

[0066]

[85] Enhanced reading distance Micro Transponder (MTP)

[0067]

[86] Current generation MTPs may have limited reading capabilities when directly attached to a metal substrate. The modulated light required to activate the MTP's solar cell can interact with the metal substrate, which can generate eddy currents in the metal. The generated eddy currents can reduce the RF signal strength response from the MTP. The ability to successfully acquire and decode the RF signal containing the MTP's unique identity number is a function of the signal distance between the MTP and its reader.

[0068]

[87] Embodiments of the present disclosure describe techniques for enhancing read distance for MTPs by eliminating eddy currents. Signal distance for microtransponders attached directly to metal surfaces can be reduced by up to 30% compared to non-metallic substrates. Enhanced read distance MTPs can be embedded with durable, self-destructing PUF functionality, as described. It may be possible to build a physical gap between an object affected by eddy currents and the metal substrate. Such schemes may rely on tapes, shims, or filled polymer adhesives, laminates, or films external to integrated circuit (IC) fabrication and construction. Given the wide range of substrates and attachment methods for p-Chip™ MTP end uses, a single, high-volume, affordable solution may not be possible for post-fabrication separation of the MTP from the metal substrate. Achieving resistance to eddy currents from the metal substrate as part of the on-chip structure can be highly advantageous.

[0069]

[88] In some embodiments, successful eddy current elimination can be achieved with active or passive materials, and / or a combination thereof. Active materials can absorb, scatter, destroy, or reflect eddy currents away from the chip and its signals. Filler materials such as ferrite are also known to act as active materials. Passive materials may not interact with eddy currents at all and may provide physical isolation between the substrate and the IC signal. Glass, ceramic, and inorganic media are known materials that provide passive isolation and are compatible with IC manufacturing.

[0070]

[89] In some embodiments, the base layer or layers near the base of the IC design may be made of passive materials or filled with active materials. The base layer may be formed post-foundry by attaching a passive or active substrate to the MTP chip.

[0071]

[90] Various methods or techniques may be utilized for the base layer of an IC design, including, but not limited to:

[0072]

[91] Physical build-up process by vapor or chemical deposition. While most passivation layers are built to eliminate corrosion of ICs and components, extending the thickness of the backside of the chip by depositing a non-conductive inorganic layer acts as a physical spacer to separate the IC and its circuitry from the metal substrate, which can cause interference.

[0073]

[92] Physical layer build-up processes from liquid media followed by thermal or radiation curing in the field of polysilazane / polysiloxane chemistry. The two chemistries described are capable of producing durable, non-conductive films and structures with excellent adhesion to other inorganic surfaces. Such sol-gel systems can be applied as liquid coatings by casting, spraying, dipping, or spin-based application to precise films.

[0074]

[93] Attachment of active or passive monolithic layers to a wafer using a liquid, gel, or solid medium, followed by thermal or radiation curing in the field of polysilazane / polysiloxane chemistry. The same sol-gel system can be used as an adhesive to bond other structures, such as glass sheets, to the backside of an IC wafer. In some embodiments, the passive monolithic layer can be a glass or filled glass structure.

[0075]

[94] Hybrid organic-inorganic polymer matrices can be considered as they have greater flexibility and may be an organic route to lower temperature applications. One drawback of sol-gel films is that they can be brittle. Adding small amounts of organic material to inorganic sol-gel systems can reduce brittleness. The material trade-off for creating hybrid sol-gels is a decrease in high temperature resistance.

[0076]

[95] The end use may be directed to metal or may include metal filler layers or particles.

[0077]

[96] This disclosure may identify known or perceived use conditions, ranges of effectiveness, or limitations. While high-temperature use conditions are a critical feature of the p-Chip™ MTP, metal objects used in low-temperature or ambient temperature applications, such as asset tagging, are equally important. Therefore, organic-based eddy current elimination methods may also be utilized for low-temperature to ambient temperature applications. Various materials may be used during the manufacturing process of MTPs with enhanced signal distance, including, but not limited to, inorganic films, coatings, and adhesives, high-temperature hybrid organic-inorganic matrices and materials, and high-temperature organic insulating materials.

[0078]

[97] Figure 12 shows an example tagging system 1200 for an edible matrix according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. In the example shown, the edible matrix may include cheese 1210. The edible matrix may be incorporated into a food product.

[0079]

[98] Within tagging system 1200, an illustrative MTP 1204 (which may be similar to the MTPs 104 described throughout this disclosure) is shown. The MTP 1204 is affixed adjacent to a data matrix code (e.g., a QR code) 1218 on a label 1212 on cheese 1210. The label 1212 may further include a plain text code 1216. FIG. 12 also illustrates the relative size of the MTP 1204 compared to other tagging techniques. Furthermore, cheese 1210 is merely an example and should not be considered limiting. Any food item that can be tagged should be considered within the scope of this disclosure. Indeed, several other illustrative food items are described herein.

[0080]

[99] Each scan may include information such as the identity of the scanned item, the time of the scan, the location of the scan, the identity of the equipment and processing parameters, and / or the person performing the scan, the position of the scanned item relative to other objects scanned, and information about the packaging holding the object, all of which may form a data packet. A chronological record of multiple such scans and the resulting data packets may be created and stored on a computer-readable medium and may additionally be accessed and verified as needed by authorized users. Furthermore, such records may be prevented from being edited, thereby avoiding any possibility of tampering. A portion of the record may be stored on the MTP 1204 itself. In some embodiments, the record may be securely stored in a blockchain.

[0081]

[0100] Dairy products (e.g., cheese 1210) are well suited to tracking because one starting material (milk) is transformed into numerous food products through a variety of processes and is distributed under several temperature conditions (e.g., room temperature, refrigerated, or frozen). Furthermore, dairy products benefit from having such records of source, care, and handling because these products make their way to human consumption over a variety of time scales. For example, milk is typically consumed on the order of days after milking, whereas the resulting cheese 1210 may be consumed weeks, months, or even years later.

[0082]

[0101] The ability to track all these process and logistics parameters individually allows for a deep understanding of the chain of custody: in the case of contamination at the source (e.g., a batch of milk), it becomes possible to indelibly identify all of the various downstream food products that originate from the contaminated batch of milk.

[0083]

[0102] As an example, cheese (e.g., cheese 1210) is a class of dairy product whose provenance is desirable for safety, branding, and market value. Cheese may be classified as "hard," "medium," or "soft" based on the texture or aroma resulting from the degree of aging. Labeling for cheese may be highly specific, for example, with respect to a particular geographic region, a particular type of dairy animal, and / or a particular type of cheese making. Authentication of these specific labels is desirable because there is a great incentive for counterfeiters to affix false labels to substandard cheeses.

[0084]

[0103] Hard cheeses, i.e., cheeses that have been aged for several months (e.g., Parmesan, Grana Padano, Pecorino, Cheddar, Gruyère, Emmental, etc.), are typically suitable for including a security element or taggant directly on the surface of the cheese or via a label. Such labels may be edible by humans or at least approved for direct food contact. Additionally, colored casein labels may be used to identify and differentiate cheeses. For example, different colors may be used to designate cheeses made from the milk of cows grazing in high mountain regions. For example, the illustrated label 1212 is made from the naturally occurring protein casein and is imprinted with markings to display, for example, a Data Matrix code 1218 and an alphanumeric code 1216. The ink used for imprinting may be edible, e.g., an ink derived from a plant source. Label 1212 may include information such as the manufacturer, type of cheese, origin, batch, date of production (e.g., as indicated by alphanumeric code 1216), and encoded logic structures such as a data matrix (e.g., QR code 1218). An advantage of using casein is that casein, a natural milk protein, becomes incorporated into the rind (i.e., the hard exterior of the cheese) as the cheese matures, making it less likely to separate from the cheese and providing security. Additionally, casein labels are edible and may not alter the taste of the cheese. In some embodiments, cheese label 1212 may include perforations 1214.

[0085]

[0104] "Soft" cheeses are typically unripened and made by coagulating milk proteins with acid. Such cheeses can be made with pasteurized or unpasteurized milk. Due to their relatively high moisture content (compared to "hard" cheeses), they tend to undergo microbial fermentation up until the time of consumption. Therefore, "soft" cheeses tend to have a shorter shelf life compared to "hard" cheeses. Furthermore, soft cheeses typically do not contain a hard exterior (i.e., "rind") and therefore are not labeled with a casein tag as are hard cheeses.

[0086]

[0105] Certain soft cheeses can be made from unpasteurized milk and are often called "raw milk cheeses." Examples of such cheeses include Camembert, Brie, Roquefort, etc. Such cheeses tend to be at higher risk of bacterial outbreaks of E. coli, listeriosis, salmonellosis, or other bacterial infections.

[0087]

[0106] MTPs (such as MTP1204) are suitable for tagging soft cheeses. As explained above, soft cheeses typically do not have the hard exterior that hard cheeses do. As a result, cheese wheels from soft cheeses tend to be significantly smaller in size. The small surface footprint of MTP1204 makes it particularly suitable for tagging soft cheeses, even when no hard exterior is present. Furthermore, MTP1204 is sterile (biologically inactive) and does not interfere with biochemical processes, such as ripening, that are active in soft cheeses.

[0088]

[0107] Non-dairy cheeses are becoming an increasing component of the modern diet. The non-dairy milk used in preparing such cheeses may be derived from different sources (typically nuts, seeds, etc.), but several other additives, such as starch powder, agar, carrageenan, and xanthan gum, are added to create a flavor and texture similar to diary cheese. Tracing the origin of each of these ingredients is important to the provenance of the resulting cheese. The MTP1204 present on the cheese can be linked to have provenance information for the various ingredients.

[0089]

[0108] The quality, texture, and taste of cheese and non-dairy cheese vary significantly depending on the corresponding manufacturing process. Therefore, it is desirable to record multiple parameters in the cheese manufacturing process, such as process parameters, potential sources of contamination, and chain of custody. It is impractical to record all this detailed information directly on the block or wheel of cheese (e.g., cheese 1210) itself.

[0090]

[0109] Although commonly used, casein labels (e.g., label 1212) also suffer from several technical drawbacks. Casein labels can become illegible over time, can wash off, or can become stained due to environmental factors and various chemicals released during the cheese ripening process. Also, casein labels are difficult to replicate when a large block of cheese (such as a wheel) is divided into smaller pieces, most of which then lack security markings.

[0091]

[0110] Furthermore, there is no certification or standardization of labels, making it relatively easy for fraudulent / counterfeit labels to be used. Additionally, there is no easy way that the authenticity, age of the cheese, or quality of the ingredients used can be audited.

[0092]

[0111] Digitization of cheese labels has been used in an attempt to overcome these drawbacks. For example, RFID tags have been proposed, as explained above. For example, French Patent Application No. 2895213 describes the inclusion of an electronic chip and corresponding antenna coil directly in or on an organic support, such as casein, having dimensions of 20 mm to 100 mm, specifically 45 to 65 mm if rectangular, 10 to 50 mm diameter if circular, and 40 to 100 mm along its longest axis if ovoid. At these dimensions, the chip and antenna occupy a significant area (e.g., >50%) of a typical cheese label (generally 20 to 100 mm along its longest side). At this size, the cost of RFID tags becomes prohibitive for one-time use, and they must be extracted after cheese ripening to be reused in other batches or repurposed for a different use. Reused or repurposed RFID tags have the potential to introduce contaminants into new batches. Extracting used RFID tags also creates additional costs for cheese manufacturers and opens up the possibility of errors being introduced or loss of provenance in the supply chain.

[0093]

[0112] The cheese ripening process releases several chemicals, such as acids, carbon dioxide, and water. The released chemicals cause changes in the bulk characteristics of the cheese (which is often ripened as a "wheel") based on the type of cheese. For example, in cheeses such as Emmental or Swiss, the chemicals often result in the formation of holes (often called "eyes") and the commonly observed swelling of cheese wheels during ripening. These changes (e.g., swelling) can cause pressure buildup in the RFID tag's antenna, which can deform or destroy the tag and adversely affect its readability.

[0094]

[0113] Due to chemical changes during ripening, the bulk properties and dielectric constant of cheese change throughout the ripening process. As a result, the capabilities of an RFID tag reader can vary significantly depending on the type of cheese (which undergoes various changes in physical properties and dielectric constant during ripening) and the point in time during ripening at which it is read. To overcome the limitations of deformed antennas or the effects of changing dielectric constant during ripening, RFID tags are placed on sturdy substrates (such as plastic or polypropylene supports) that need to be extracted after ripening. Embedding RFID tags into such substrates adds even more cost.

[0095]

[0114] Wheels of certain cheeses, such as Grimont, are periodically washed in brine during the ripening process, which essentially renders the RFID tag unreadable until the wheel dries. The washing also induces corrosion, which can later affect reads from devices or even render the RFID tag invalid unless it is stored in a sealed case, adding more cost.

[0096]

[0115] MTPs (e.g., MTP 1204) offer significant technical advantages over RFID as taggants for cheese. First, their small size (e.g., approximately 500 microns by 500 microns by 100 microns, by way of example only and not to be considered limiting) allows them to be easily incorporated into commonly used casein tags without any significant change to appearance or dimensions, as shown in FIG. 12. This allows MTP 1204-incorporated casein labels to be introduced into the cheesemaking process without any changes to current practices. As the cheese matures, the MTP-incorporated casein label 1212 becomes part of the rind and does not substantially distort the cheesemaking process.

[0097]

[0116] Second, because the MTP is either partially or completely encapsulated in glass (or glass-like material or polymer, and / or any other type of passivation layer), it is inert to chemicals released during the cheese-making process and subsequent handling steps. Furthermore, because interrogation of the MTP occurs using light, the interrogation process is not affected by environmental factors such as humidity or temperature. As a result, the readability of the MTP remains unchanged throughout the cheese ripening process.

[0098]

[0117] Due to its small size and robust construction, the MTP contained within the casein tag is not affected by changes in the pressure or bulk characteristics of the cheese. As the cheese matures, the casein label containing the MTP is incorporated into the rind and can be used to track the cheese wheel throughout the remaining steps of the cheese making process.

[0099]

[0118] The small size of MTPs makes them useful for mass production and allows them to be available at a much lower cost compared to other silicon-based taggants, such as RFID. Thus, it can be economical to add a casein label containing multiple MTPs to a wheel or piece of cheese. This helps limit the need to significantly move or reorient the cheese wheel (such as when multiple cheese wheels are stacked on top of each other) and allows for successful reading using an appropriate reader regardless of the reader's orientation or location relative to the cheese wheel.

[0100]

[0119] It is contemplated that cheese wheels containing MTP-laden casein labels may be rolled in the process of displacing them between two locations. The MTP-laden casein labels may be read by a stationary reader. When multiple MTP-laden casein labels are present, the wheel may be read while in motion using a stationary reader.

[0101]

[0120] The MTP may be embedded in (or otherwise be part of) the packaging of the food ingredient. In examples where the food ingredient is cheese, the MTP may be embedded in the wax of the cheese. In other examples, the MTP may be part of a polymer film that covers the food ingredient. In some examples where the food ingredient is a liquid (e.g., alcohol), the MTP may be part of a bottle that holds the food ingredient. It is understood that introducing the MTP into the packaging through any type of technique is feasible, including, but not limited to, printing (e.g., 2D printing, 3D printing), embedding, molding, and / or any other type of technique.

[0102]

[0121] The MTP can often be read through the packaging material used on the cheese (e.g., Cheese 1210). Common types of packaging used for cheese include polymer wrap, either in the form of a coating or clear plastic wrap. Clear plastic wrap (such as SARAN® wrap) adheres to the surface of the food product to provide protection against spoilage. Paraffin-based waxes are commonly used to decorate entire wheels or smaller sections of hard cheese. The wax can be pigmented to provide color to the wax coating. Red is commonly used for this purpose. Cubes or smaller chunks can be placed in clear plastic containers.

[0103]

[0122] The ability of MTPs to be read through such packaging makes them particularly useful for applications in the food distribution chain, which is a significant advantage compared to printed labels.

[0104]

[0123] Separate MTPs ("child" MTPs) may be placed on sections of cheese that stem from a larger, tagged ("parent" MTP) cheese wheel. Identification data from the "parent" MTP placed on the larger cheese wheel may be passed to or associated with the child MTPs on the smaller sections. Additionally, MTPs may be placed within the internal structure of the cheese.

[0105]

[0124] The use of MTPs in cheese is merely an example and should not be considered limiting. As described throughout this disclosure, MTPs can be used in any type of edible matrix to create a food product.

[0106]

[0125] For example, FIG. 13 shows an example taggant system 1300 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, an MTP 1304 (e.g., similar to the MTPs 104 described throughout this disclosure) is provided on a seafood item 1310, such as a fish. The MTP 1304 may be attached to the seafood item at the time of capture, during processing, during transportation, and / or at any step in the distribution chain. Because the MTP 1304 is food-grade, the MTP 1304 may not need to be removed prior to eating or cooking. Additionally, the passivation layer of the MTP 1304 provides a biological and chemical barrier, so that the various changes that the seafood 1310 undergoes throughout its extraction, distribution, and consumption cycle do not affect the MTP 1304.

[0107]

[0126] MTPs are also well-suited for tracking large quantities of food products, such as grains, beans, or nuts. Grains, such as wheat, rice, corn, oats, etc., form the staple food for a large portion of the world's population. Nuts, such as cashews, peanuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, pine nuts, beech nuts, butternut squash, almonds, etc., are consumed globally. Beans, such as coffee, cocoa, etc., are important cash crops. These grains, beans, and / or nuts are grown, harvested, processed, packaged, and shipped to consumers. Each of the steps following harvesting may occur in different facilities and involve multiple entities.

[0108]

[0127] To verify the origin of such foodstuffs, MTPs may be introduced into the bulk of such materials at harvest or at any subsequent step during processing. The introduced MTPs may be removed at any time during the subsequent step or prior to consumption of the foodstuff. The MTPs may remain in the bulk during processing steps, including, but not limited to, washing, drying, roasting, grinding, or packaging the foodstuff.

[0109]

[0128] The chemical and heat-resistant properties of MTPs, combined with their durability and biological inertness, make them uniquely suitable for food tagging (e.g., bulk food tagging). Other taggants, such as RFID, NFC, etc., will lose their shape when heated or lose readability in the presence of moisture (e.g., during washing steps).

[0110]

[0129] MTPs can be used to store information such as the origin of the food product, the date of harvest, the steps involved in processing, process details such as time, duration, chemicals used, labor involved, etc.

[0111]

[0130] 14 shows an example taggant system 1400 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the taggant system 1400 includes an MTP 1404 (which may be similar to the MTPs 104 described throughout this disclosure) on a spice container 1410. Although the MTP 1404 is shown on a surface of the spice container 1410, the MTP 1404 may be located anywhere within the spice container 1410, provided that the MTP 1404 is suitable for reading using an MTP reader. The spice container 1410 may contain spices in powder form.

[0112]

[0131] As another example, FIG. 15 shows an example taggant system 1500 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the taggant system 1500 includes an MTP 1504 (which may be similar to the MTPs 104 described throughout this disclosure) on a bag 1510 containing cocoa beans. As described above, the MTP 1504 may be used to track the origin of the cocoa beans from harvest to sale to the end customer. Because the MTP 1504 is food-grade, its consumption will not cause adverse effects to the consumer. As shown, the MTP 1504 may be placed at any internal location within the bulk of the cocoa beans in the bag 1510.

[0113]

[0132] As used herein, an internal location should be understood to include any internal location within an edible matrix. For example, the internal location may be within the bulk of grains, beans, spices, cereals, nuts, or the like. In another example, the internal location may be within the bulk of cheese. Thus, an internal location within any type of edible matrix should be considered within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0114]

[0133] To aid in their removal, MTPs can be embedded on a larger support. Such a support can be made of a rigid substance (or rigid support) such as wood, polymer, metal, carbon fiber, or any type of suitable biologically inert material. MTPs, with or without a support, can be removed from the bulk by filtering, sieving, washing, and / or physical removal. The rigid substrate can be positioned in any location relative to the edible matrix. For example, the rigid substrate can be any type of elongated tube that can be used to attach pins, screws, and / or labels to an edible matrix.

[0115]

[0134] 16 shows an example taggant system 1600 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the taggant system 1600 includes an MTP 1604 (which may be similar to the MTPs 104 described throughout this disclosure) on a bag 1610 containing coffee beans. As shown, the MTP 1604 may be positioned at any internal location within the bulk of the coffee beans in the bag 1610. As also shown, the MTP 1604 may be embedded in a surface of a support structure 1620.

[0116]

[0135] In one embodiment, the support structure 1620 may comprise a rectangular 0.5 inch by 0.5 inch polypropylene pack. Such a pack may be placed in the coffee bean bag 1610 and scanned by a reader. The scan will timestamp the read, record its geographic location, and create a record in a database. In subsequent steps, the coffee beans may be washed, dried, mixed with other ingredients (such as flavorings), and roasted. The pack with the MTP 1604 may remain in the bulk of the coffee beans through all these steps, or the pack may be removed or replaced as appropriate. The pack may be scanned intermittently after each of these process steps, and details of the steps involved may be recorded. The roasted coffee beans along with the pack may be packaged and sold. A consumer purchasing coffee beans may choose to verify the origin of the coffee batch and process the batch details by scanning the pack with an MTP reader. The consumer may then choose to grind the coffee beans and prepare the coffee by passing hot water through the ground coffee beans placed in a coffee filter. The puck may remain on the filter along with the ground coffee and may then be discarded. Although the support structure 1620 is described for the MTP 1604 within the coffee bag 1610, embodiments having the support structure 1620 are applicable to any type of edible matrix. Additionally, the support structure 1620 may be used in any location relative to the edible matrix (e.g., coffee). For example, the support structure 1620 may include a pin, a screw, and / or any type of elongated tube that may be used to attach a label to the coffee bag 1610.

[0117]

[0136] 17 shows an example taggant system 1700 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the taggant system 1700 includes an MTP 1704 (which may be similar to the MTPs 104 described throughout this disclosure) attached to meat packaging 1710. In some embodiments, the MTP 1704 may be attached onto the meat itself. Because the MTP 1704 is food-grade, consuming the MTP 1704 with the meat will not have any adverse effects on the consumer.

[0118]

[0137] Although the illustrative taggant systems 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, and 1700 are used to illustrate different aspects of some embodiments, all features of each taggant system are applicable to the other taggant systems.

[0119]

[0138] The biological inertness of MTPs (which makes them food-grade) can be based on their structure. MTPs are generally made from monolithic integrated circuits. Compared to conventional RFID tags with multiple separated components, monolithic integrated circuits can be tightly bonded and held within a passivation layer (e.g., a glass casing, a polymer casing, etc.). In other words, when ingested by a human or animal, MTPs may not provide a surface for biochemical reactions. That is, MTPs can safely pass through the digestive tract without causing any harm to the digestive tract. This biological inertness, therefore, makes MTPs edible. This edibility allows MTPs to be embedded within any layer of an edible matrix. For example, MTPs do not necessarily need to be on the surface of a food product but can be within any depth of the food product as long as they can be read using an MTP reader. For example, an MTP can be placed inside a milk container, where the MTP can be directly present in the milk as it moves around during transportation.

[0120]

[0139] The monolithic structure, together with the passivation layer, allows the MTP to be robust in any type of chemical and biochemical environment. For example, the MTP can be safely used throughout food production; for example, in the context of cheese making, the same set of MTPs can be used throughout milk collection, coagulation, curing, salt bath, maturation, etc. When the cheese reaches the market, the same set of MTPs can be used. Thus, the set of MTPs can provide a complete provenance for the cheese. The monolithic structure with the passivation layer is also more robust against cracks and / or any other type of structural damage.

[0121]

[0140] In some embodiments, information stored in an MTP may be encrypted, and the MTP reader may have to decrypt the encrypted data to access the information.

[0122]

[0141] In some embodiments, the MTP may be embedded in both the food ingredient and its packaging. For example, a first MTP may be embedded within the food ingredient and a second MTP may be embedded in packaging for the food ingredient. The first and second MTP may form a matched pair that may be indexed in a back-end database.

[0123]

[0142] In some embodiments, MTPs may be used in a hierarchical arrangement. FIG. 18 shows an example taggant system 1800 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, a food container 1810 may contain individual food items 1830a-1830h. The individual food items 1830a-1830h may be smaller containers, e.g., the food container 1810 may be a larger bag containing individual packets 1830a-1830h of trail mix. As another example, the individual food items 1830a-1830h may be slices / portions of food items. For example, the individual food items 1830a-1830h may be slices of cheese within a larger cheese block 1810. Thus, any combination of smaller food items combined into a larger package should be considered within the scope of the present disclosure. The hierarchical arrangement of MTPs may include an MTP 1804i on a food container 1810 and other MTPs 1804a-1804h corresponding to individual food items 1830a-1830h. That is, the MTPs 1804a-1804h may be located at different internal locations within a bulk comprising the individual food items 1830a-1830h. The hierarchical arrangement of MTPs 1804a-1804i allows the individual food items 1830a-1830h to be tracked individually relative to each other and / or relative to the food container 1810.

[0124]

[0143] 19 shows a flow diagram of an example method 1900 of tagging an edible matrix according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the steps of method 1900 are merely examples and should not be considered limiting. Methods having additional, alternative, or fewer steps should be considered within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0125]

[0144] In step 1902, an edible matrix may be provided. As described throughout this disclosure, the edible matrix may include at least one of dairy cheese, non-dairy cheese, coffee beans, cocoa beans, grains, nuts, meat, seafood, spices, and / or any other type of food item. Preparing an edible matrix should be understood to include any type of food production and / or distribution process, including, but not limited to, harvesting, peeling, cleaning, grinding, roasting, packaging, fermenting, coagulating, aging, curing, cooking, and / or any other type of process.

[0126]

[0145] In step 1904, food-grade taggant(s) may be associated with the edible matrix. The food-grade taggant may include, for example, a light-triggered micro-transponder comprising a monolithic integrated circuit encapsulated within a passivation layer that forms a barrier to the edible matrix. In some embodiments, the monolithic circuit may have maximum dimensions of 2 mm length, 2 mm width, and 0.2 mm thickness.

[0127]

[0146] As used herein, association of a food-grade taggant with an edible matrix (or any other component) should be understood to include any one of physical attachment, embedding, co-location, side-by-side placement, proximate placement, placement in the same box or container, digital association, and / or the like. Similarly, association of an MTP with an edible matrix (or any other component) should be understood to include any one of physical attachment, embedding, co-location, side-by-side placement, proximate placement, placement in the same box or container, digital association, and / or the like. Thus, association should be understood as a broader embodiment of a physical or non-physical functional combination of two components.

[0128]

[0147] In some embodiments, multiple food-grade taggants may be associated with an edible matrix. Each of the food-grade taggants may include an optically triggered microtransponder with a monolithic integrated circuit encapsulated within a passivation layer that forms a barrier with the edible matrix. Multiple food-grade taggants may form a taggant system (e.g., as described with reference to FIG. 18), and any combination of food-grade taggants may be used to determine the origin of a food product.

[0129]

[0148] While various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example, not limitation. It will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art(s) that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope. Indeed, upon reading the above description, it will become apparent to those skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement alternative embodiments. For example, other steps may be provided or eliminated from the described flows, and other components may be added to or removed from the described systems. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.

[0130]

[0149] Additionally, it should be understood that any diagrams highlighting features and advantages are presented for purposes of example only, and the disclosed methodologies and systems are each sufficiently flexible and configurable to be utilized in ways other than those shown.

[0131]

[0150] The term "at least one" may often be used in the specification, claims, and drawings, but terms such as "a," "an," "the," "said," etc. also mean "at least one" or "the at least one" in the specification, claims, and drawings.

[0132]

[0151] Finally, it is Applicant's intent that only those claims containing the phrase "means for" or "step for" be construed as means-plus-function limitations (e.g., under 35 U.S.C. 112(f)). Any claim that does not expressly include the phrase "means for" or "step for" should not be construed as a means-plus-function limitation (e.g., under 35 U.S.C. 112(f)).

Claims

1. 1. A food grade taggant for an edible matrix comprising: an optically triggered microtransponder comprising a monolithic integrated circuit; the monolithic integrated circuit is encapsulated in a passivation layer that forms a barrier to the edible matrix; The monolithic integrated circuit is a food grade taggant having maximum dimensions of 2 mm length, 2 mm width, and 0.2 mm thickness.

2. 10. The food-grade taggant of claim 1, wherein the optically triggered microtransponder is configured to associate with a surface of the edible matrix.

3. 3. The food-grade taggant of claim 1 or 2, wherein the optically triggered microtransponder is configured to be associated with at least one of a label or a rigid support on a surface of the edible matrix.

4. 4. The food-grade taggant of claim 3, wherein the label comprises at least one of a printed code or a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

5. 3. The food-grade taggant of claim 1 or 2, wherein the light-triggered micro-transponder is configured to associate with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag on the surface of the edible matrix.

6. 10. The food-grade taggant of claim 1, wherein the optically triggered micro-transponder is configured to be associated with an internal location of the edible matrix.

7. The food-grade taggant of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the edible matrix comprises cheese.

8. The food-grade taggant of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the edible matrix comprises non-dairy cheese.

9. The food-grade taggant of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the edible matrix comprises meat or seafood.

10. The food-grade taggant of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the edible matrix comprises coffee beans.

11. The food-grade taggant of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the edible matrix comprises cocoa beans.

12. 12. The food-grade taggant of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the optically triggered microtransponder is configured to be associated with the edible matrix during at least one of manufacturing, processing, or storing the edible matrix.

13. The food-grade taggant of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the optically triggered micro-transponder is configured to be associated with the edible matrix during distribution of the edible matrix.

14. The food-grade taggant of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the edible matrix is ​​in one of the following forms: solid, powder, paste, liquid, or viscous liquid.

15. The food-grade taggant of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the optically triggered micro-transponder is configured to store origin information of the edible matrix.

16. The food-grade taggant of any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the optically triggered micro-transponder is configured to be triggered by a reader.

17. 17. The food-grade taggant of claim 16, wherein the optically triggered micro-transponder is configured to provide origin information of the edible matrix when triggered by the reader.

18. 18. The food grade taggant of any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the food grade taggant including the optically triggered micro-transponder is printed using 3D printing.

19. The food grade taggant according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the passivation layer is formed from a glass or polymer material.

20. The food-grade taggant of any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the optically triggered micro-transponder is configured to be edible.

21. 1. A food grade taggant for an edible matrix comprising: an optically triggered microtransponder comprising a monolithic integrated circuit; The food grade taggant wherein the monolithic integrated circuit is encapsulated within a passivation layer that forms a barrier to the edible matrix.

22. 22. The food-grade taggant of claim 21, wherein the optically triggered microtransponder is configured to associate with a surface of the edible matrix.

23. 23. The food-grade taggant of claim 21 or 22, wherein the optically triggered microtransponder is configured to be associated with at least one of a label or a rigid support on a surface of the edible matrix.

24. 24. The food-grade taggant of claim 23, wherein the label comprises at least one of a printed code or a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

25. 23. The food-grade taggant of claim 21 or 22, wherein the light-triggered micro-transponder is configured to associate with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag on the surface of the edible matrix.

26. 22. The food-grade taggant of claim 21, wherein the optically triggered micro-transponder is configured to be associated with an internal location of the edible matrix.

27. 27. The food-grade taggant of any one of claims 21 to 26, wherein the edible matrix comprises cheese.

28. 27. The food grade taggant of any one of claims 21 to 26, wherein the edible matrix comprises non-dairy cheese.

29. The food-grade taggant of any one of claims 21 to 26, wherein the edible matrix comprises meat or seafood.

30. 27. The food-grade taggant of any one of claims 21 to 26, wherein the edible matrix comprises coffee beans.

31. 27. The food-grade taggant of any one of claims 21 to 26, wherein the edible matrix comprises cocoa beans.

32. 27. The food-grade taggant of any one of claims 21 to 26, wherein the edible matrix comprises at least one of a grain or a nut.

33. 33. The food-grade taggant of any one of claims 21 to 32, wherein the optically triggered microtransponder is configured to be associated with the edible matrix during at least one of processing, storing, or manufacturing of the edible matrix.

34. 33. The food-grade taggant of any one of claims 21 to 32, wherein the optically triggered micro-transponder is configured to be associated with the edible matrix during distribution of the edible matrix.

35. 35. The food-grade taggant of any one of claims 21 to 34, wherein the edible matrix is ​​in one of the following forms: powder, solid, paste, liquid, or viscous liquid.

36. The food-grade taggant of any one of claims 21 to 35, wherein the optically triggered micro-transponder is configured to store origin information of the edible matrix.

37. A food-grade taggant according to any one of claims 21 to 36, wherein the optically triggered micro-transponder is configured to be triggered by a reader.

38. 38. The food-grade taggant of claim 37, wherein the optically triggered micro-transponder is configured to provide origin information of the edible matrix when triggered by the reader.

39. 39. The food grade taggant of any one of claims 21 to 38, wherein the food grade taggant including the optically triggered micro transponder is printed using 3D printing.

40. 40. The food grade taggant of any one of claims 21 to 39, wherein the passivation layer is formed from a glass or polymer material.

41. A food-grade taggant according to any one of claims 21 to 40, wherein the optically triggered micro-transponder is configured to be edible.

42. 42. The food grade taggant of any one of claims 21 to 41, wherein the monolithic integrated circuit has maximum dimensions of 2 mm length, 2 mm width, and 0.2 mm thickness.

43. a clock recovery circuit including a photoconductor; 43. The food grade taggant of any one of claims 21 to 42, wherein the photoconductor comprises a source terminal and a drain terminal coupled to a power source, the photoconductor having a resistance configured to vary in response to received radiation intensity, and the clock recovery circuit configured to generate a recovered clock.

44. 1. A system for tagging an edible matrix, the system comprising: a plurality of food-grade taggants, each of which comprises: an optically triggered transponder comprising a monolithic integrated circuit; The system wherein the monolithic integrated circuit is encapsulated in a passivation layer that forms a barrier to the edible matrix.

45. 45. The system of claim 44, wherein a plurality of the food-grade taggants are associated with different locations within the edible matrix.

46. 46. ​​The system of claim 44 or 45, wherein the edible matrix comprises at least one of a grain, a bean, or a nut.

47. 47. The system of claim 46, wherein the at least one of the plurality of food-grade taggants is configured to be associated with the at least one of the grain, bean, or nut at harvest.

48. 48. The system of claim 47, wherein at least one of the plurality of food-grade taggants is configured to be left within the grain, bean, or nut for post-harvest processing including at least one of washing, drying, grinding, peeling, roasting, or packaging.

49. 49. The system of any one of claims 44 to 48, wherein at least one of the plurality of food-grade taggants is embedded in a rigid support.

50. 50. The system of claim 49, wherein the rigid support comprises at least one of a polymer, a metal, wood, or carbon fiber.

51. 50. The system of any one of claims 44 to 49, wherein at least one of the plurality of food-grade taggants is configured to be removed at any time prior to consumption of the edible matrix.

52. 52. The system of claim 51, wherein the removing comprises at least one of filtering or sieving.

53. 53. The system of any one of claims 44 to 52, wherein at least two of the plurality of food-grade taggants are configured to form a matching pair for authenticating the edible matrix.

54. 1. A method comprising: associating a food-grade taggant with an edible matrix, said food-grade taggant comprising: an optically triggered microtransponder comprising a monolithic integrated circuit; the monolithic integrated circuit is encapsulated in a passivation layer that forms a barrier to the edible matrix; The method wherein the monolithic integrated circuit has maximum dimensions of 2 mm length, 2 mm width, and 0.2 mm thickness.

55. said associating said food-grade taggants with said edible matrix comprising:

55. The method of claim 54, comprising associating the optically triggered microtransponder with a surface of the edible matrix.

56. said associating said food-grade taggants with said edible matrix comprising:

56. The method of claim 54 or 55, comprising associating the optically triggered microtransponder with at least one of a label on a surface of the edible matrix or a rigid support.

57. 57. The method of claim 56, wherein the label comprises a printed code or a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

58. said associating said food-grade taggants with said edible matrix comprising:

56. The method of claim 54 or 55, comprising associating the light-triggered microtransponder with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag on a surface of the edible matrix.

59. said associating said food-grade taggants with said edible matrix comprising:

55. The method of claim 54, comprising associating the light-triggered microtransponder with an internal location of the edible matrix.

60. 60. The method of any one of claims 54 to 59, wherein the edible matrix comprises cheese.

61. 60. The method of any one of claims 54 to 59, wherein the edible matrix comprises non-dairy cheese.

62. 60. The method of any one of claims 54 to 59, wherein the edible matrix comprises meat or seafood.

63. 60. The method of any one of claims 54 to 59, wherein the edible matrix comprises coffee beans.

64. 60. The method of any one of claims 54 to 59, wherein the edible matrix comprises cocoa beans.

65. said associating said food-grade taggants with said edible matrix comprising:

65. The method of any one of claims 54 to 64, comprising associating the optically triggered microtransponder with the edible matrix during at least one of processing, storing, or manufacturing the edible matrix.

66. said associating said food-grade taggants with said edible matrix comprising:

65. A method according to any one of claims 54 to 64, comprising associating the optically triggered microtransponder with the edible matrix during distribution of the edible matrix.

67. 67. The method of any one of claims 54 to 66, wherein the edible matrix is ​​in one of the following forms: a solid, a paste, a liquid, a powder, or a viscous liquid.

68. and storing, by the optically triggered microtransponder, information on the origin of the edible matrix.

68. The method of any one of claims 54 to 67.

69. and triggering the optically triggered micro transponder by a reader.

69. The method of any one of claims 54 to 68.

70. and providing, by the optically triggered microtransponder, origin information of the edible matrix when triggered by the reader.

70. The method of claim 69.

71. further comprising 3D printing the food grade taggant including the optically triggered micro-transponder.

71. The method of any one of claims 54 to 70.

72. forming the passivation layer using a glass or polymer material; 72. The method of any one of claims 54 to 71.

73. A method according to any one of claims 54 to 72, wherein the optically triggered micro-transponder is edible.

74. 1. A method comprising: associating a food-grade taggant with an edible matrix, said food-grade taggant comprising: an optically triggered microtransponder comprising a monolithic integrated circuit; The method wherein the monolithic integrated circuit is encapsulated in a passivation layer that forms a barrier to the edible matrix.

75. said associating said food-grade taggants with said edible matrix comprising:

75. The method of claim 74, comprising associating the optically triggered microtransponder with a surface of the edible matrix.

76. said associating said food-grade taggants with said edible matrix comprising:

75. The method of claim 74, comprising associating the optically triggered microtransponder with at least one of a label on a surface of the edible matrix or a rigid support.

77. 77. The method of claim 76, wherein the label comprises at least one of a printed code or a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

78. said associating said food-grade taggants with said edible matrix comprising:

77. The method of claim 75 or 76, comprising associating the light-triggered microtransponder with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag on a surface of the edible matrix.

79. said associating said food-grade taggants with said edible matrix comprising:

75. The method of claim 74, comprising associating the light-triggered microtransponder with an internal location of the edible matrix.

80. 80. The method of any one of claims 74 to 79, wherein the edible matrix comprises cheese.

81. 80. The method of any one of claims 74 to 79, wherein the edible matrix comprises non-dairy cheese.

82. 80. The method of any one of claims 74 to 79, wherein the edible matrix comprises meat or seafood.

83. 80. The method of any one of claims 74 to 79, wherein the edible matrix comprises coffee beans.

84. 80. The method of any one of claims 74 to 79, wherein the edible matrix comprises cocoa beans.

85. 80. The method of any one of claims 74 to 79, wherein the edible matrix comprises at least one of a grain or a nut.

86. said associating said food-grade taggants with said edible matrix comprising:

86. The method of any one of claims 74 to 85, comprising associating the optically triggered microtransponder with the edible matrix during at least one of processing, manufacturing, or storing the edible matrix.

87. said associating said food-grade taggants with said edible matrix comprising:

86. A method according to any one of claims 74 to 85, comprising associating the optically triggered microtransponder with the edible matrix during distribution of the edible matrix.

88. 88. The method of any one of claims 74 to 87, wherein the edible matrix is ​​in one of the following forms: a solid, a paste, a liquid, a powder, or a viscous liquid.

89. and storing, by the optically triggered microtransponder, information on the origin of the edible matrix.

89. The method of any one of claims 74 to 88.

90. and triggering the optically triggered micro transponder by a reader.

90. The method of any one of claims 74 to 89.

91. and providing, by the optically triggered microtransponder, origin information of the edible matrix when triggered by the reader.

91. The method of claim 90.

92. further comprising 3D printing the food grade taggants.

92. The method of any one of claims 74 to 91.

93. forming the passivation layer from a glass or polymer material; 93. The method of any one of claims 74 to 92.

94. A method according to any one of claims 74 to 93, wherein the optically triggered micro-transponder is edible.

95. A method according to any one of claims 74 to 94, wherein the monolithic integrated circuit has maximum dimensions of length 2 mm, width 2 mm and thickness 0.2 mm.

96. generating a recovered clock by a clock recovery circuit of the optically triggered micro transponder; 96. The method of any one of claims 74 to 95, wherein the clock recovery circuit comprises a photoconductor having a source terminal and a drain terminal coupled to a power supply, the photoconductor having a resistance that varies in response to received radiation intensity.

97. 1. A method comprising: associating a plurality of food-grade taggants with an edible matrix, each food-grade taggant comprising: an optically triggered transponder comprising a monolithic integrated circuit; The method wherein the monolithic integrated circuit is encapsulated in a passivation layer that forms a barrier to the edible matrix.

98. said associating a plurality of said food-grade taggants with said edible matrix comprises:

98. The method of claim 97, comprising associating a plurality of said food-grade taggants with different locations within said edible matrix.

99. 99. The method of claim 97 or 98, wherein the edible matrix comprises at least one of a grain, a bean, or a nut.

100. said associating a plurality of said food-grade taggants with said edible matrix comprises:

100. The method of claim 99, comprising associating at least one of a plurality of said food-grade taggants with at least one of said grains, beans, or nuts at harvest.

101. and further comprising leaving at least one of the plurality of food-grade taggants within the grain, bean, or nut for post-harvest processing including at least one of washing, drying, grinding, peeling, roasting, or packaging. The method of claim 100.

102. further comprising embedding at least one of the plurality of food-grade taggants in a rigid support.

102. The method of any one of claims 97 to 101.

103. 102. The method of claim 101, wherein the rigid support comprises at least one of a polymer, a metal, wood, or carbon fiber.

104. further comprising removing at least one of the plurality of food-grade taggants at any time prior to consumption of the edible matrix.

103. The method of any one of claims 97 to 102.

105. 105. The method of claim 104, wherein the removing comprises at least one of filtering or sieving.

106. further comprising authenticating the edible matrix using a matching pair formed by at least two of the plurality of food-grade taggants.

106. The method of any one of claims 97 to 105.

Images