Smart cork stopper, process for the production thereof, and process for authenticating bottles containing edible products

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cork stopper (1) comprising a cylindrical or conical body (2), having flat ends (3, 3') and a radio frequency communication tag (4), wherein the tag (4) is fully inserted within said body (2), in an insertion band (5) on one of the flat ends (3, 3'), with a proximal end (6) of the tag (4) inserted to a maximum insertion depth of 4 mm relative to the flat end (3, 3'), the insertion band (5) being defined between 40% and 85% of a radius of said flat end (3, 3') and the radius being measured from the centre of the flat end (3, 3'). The invention also relates to the process for producing the stopper (1) and to the process for authenticating bottles containing edible products using the same stopper (1) of the invention. The invention pertains to the field of the cork industry.

Description

[0001] SUMMARY

[0002] "SMART CORK STOPPER, ITS PRODUCTION PROCESS AND

[0003] "AUTHENTICATION PROCESS FOR BOTTLES OF EDIBLE PRODUCTS"

[0004] The present invention relates to a cork stopper (1) comprising a cylindrical or conical body (2) having flat ends (3, 3') and a radio frequency communication TAG (4), wherein the TAG (4) is fully inserted within said body (2), in an insertion band (5) on one of the flat ends (3, 3'), with a proximal end (6) of the TAG (4) inserted at a maximum insertion depth of 4 mm relative to the flat end (3, 3'), the insertion band (5) being defined between 40% and 85% of a radius of said flat end (3, 3') and the radius being measured from the center of the flat end (3, 3'). The invention also relates to the process of producing the stopper (1) and the process of authenticating bottles of edible products using the same stopper (1) of the invention. The invention is situated in the field of the cork industry.

[0005] DESCRIPTION

[0006] "Smart Cork Stopper, its Production Process and Authentication Process for Edible Product Bottles"

[0007] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention relates to a smart cork stopper. The invention also relates to the production process of the stoppers of the invention and to the process of authenticating bottles of edible products using them. The invention falls within the cork industry.

[0009] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Counterfeit wine is a significant problem worldwide. This counterfeiting causes loss of revenue and damage to the reputation of wine producers, accompanied by an actual loss of buyers and affecting all parts of the value chain.

[0011] The technique has evolved in order to mitigate the aforementioned problem, and several attempted solutions utilize wireless communication technologies, such as the well-known RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) and NFC (Near Field Communication), which present some important differences between them.

[0012] Regarding communication capabilities, NEC allows bidirectional communication between devices, while RFID typically allows unidirectional communication from the tag to the reader. This allows NEC to support more complex interactions, such as point-to-point data sharing and card emulation. Regarding data storage and transmission, NEC devices can store and transmit various types of data, including product details, payment information, and ticket registration information. RFID tags, on the other hand, often carry very simple identification information.

[0013] Regarding security, NEC, designed for short-range applications, is considered more secure than RFID, making it preferable for sensitive applications such as product authentication and mobile payments.

[0014] Regarding costs and complexity, NEC technology is now integrated into most smartphones, enabling widespread consumer applications. RFID tags are more limited and cheaper than NEC tags, making them more economical for large-scale deployments.

[0015] In terms of range and applications, NEC was designed for use at very short distances, typically up to 10 cm, while RFID can operate over long distances and easily up to 100 m, making it ideal for stock tracking and supply chain management.

[0016] A simple external label, while allowing the visualization of basic wine identification characteristics, does not permit any form of unique certification and encryption of the item, thus making secure authentication and validation impossible. Any external tag can be replicated and replaced. The article entitled "RFID Tags on Cork Stoppers for Bottle Identification," by R. Gonçalves et al., presents the design of RFID tags for placement on cork stoppers that will seal the bottles to be identified. These tags are labels designed for adhesion to the surface of the cork body.

[0017] Korean Patent KR 100950052 Bl, entitled "Apparatus for interpreting wine information using RFID tag", discloses a wine information device that reads the ID information from an RFID tag affixed to a cork and outputs wine information for the corresponding ID.

[0018] RFID tags are relatively common when attached to cork stoppers, either by gluing or adhering them to the cork body, for identification purposes or to provide information of interest about the beverage inside the bottle sealed by the cork. However, these RFID tags are relatively fragile or unsuitable for the processes involved in sealing the cork in the bottle, potentially resulting in unreliable devices or devices susceptible to counterfeiting due to their placement on a surface or face of the cork.

[0019] Therefore, there is a need in the field for a reliable tool to verify the authenticity and origin of individual bottles repeatedly and consistently over an extended period of time, thereby eliminating opportunities for counterfeiting and fraudulent sales.

[0020] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The following is a detailed description of the invention, referring to the attached drawings, in which: Fig. 1 schematically shows two views of a smart stopper (1) of the present invention. The view above is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing a TAG (4) fully inserted into the body of the stopper from the first flat top (3), also showing imaginary vertical projections of the insertion band (5) in dashed lines. The view below illustrates the flat top (3) (viewed from above) of the smart stopper (1), the hole where the TAG (4) is housed and, in dashed lines, the insertion band (5) defined in the aforementioned flat top (3).

[0022] Fig. 2 schematically shows an enlarged view of a TAG (4) of the present invention, illustrating its main components.

[0023] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0024] The invention relates to a cork stopper (1) comprising a cylindrical or conical body (2) having first and second flat ends (3, 3') and a radio frequency wireless communication TAG (4), wherein the TAG (4) is fully inserted inside the stopper body (2), in an insertion band (5) on one of said flat ends (3, 3'), the insertion band (5) being defined between 40% and 85% of a radius of said flat end (3, 3') and the radius being measured from the center of said flat end (3, 3').

[0025] In one embodiment, the said insertion band (5) is defined between 45% and 75% of a radius of the said flat top (3, 3').

[0026] In one aspect of the invention, a proximal end (6) of the TAG

[0027] (4) is inserted at a maximum insertion depth of 4 mm relative to the flat top (3, 3') of the stopper (1), preferably inserted at an insertion depth in the range of 1 to 3 mm, more preferably at 1 mm.

[0028] In another embodiment, the TAG (4) comprises a housing (7) within which are a microchip (9) and an antenna (8).

[0029] Preferably, said enclosure (7) comprises a length-to-width ratio of at least 3 to 1, more preferably such a ratio is 4 to 1.

[0030] Preferably, the TAG (4) of the invention is equipped with NFC or RFID technology.

[0031] The invention also relates to a process for producing a cork stopper (1), the process comprising the steps of: a) in a cork stopper from the conventional cork stopper production process, defining an insertion strip (5) on one of the flat ends (3, 3') of the body (2) of said stopper, between 40% and 85% of a radius of said flat end (3, 3') and said radius being measured from the center of said flat end (3, 3'); b) opening a blind hole within the insertion strip (5) defined in the previous step; and c) fully inserting a TAG (4) into the hole opened in step b).

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, in step a), the insertion band (5) is set between 45% and 75% of a radius of said flat top (3, 3'). In another embodiment, in step c), a proximal end (6) of the TAG (4) is inserted to a maximum insertion depth of 4 mm relative to the flat top (3, 3') of the stopper (1), preferably to an insertion depth in the range of 1 to 3 mm, more preferably to 1 mm.

[0033] The invention also relates to a process for authenticating a bottle of edible product, the process comprising the steps of: a) encoding a microchip (9) of a TAG (4) with a unique identification code; b) inserting the TAG (4) encoded in step a) into a cork stopper by the process claimed in any one of claims 10 to 14; c) reading the identification code, encoded in step a), of the TAG (4) inserted into the cork stopper in step b) using a wireless radio frequency technology device; d) sending the data read in step c) to a database and recording in the same database a record of said data; e) adding to the record recorded in step d) information relating to an edible product;ef) introduce the stopper containing the TAG (4) inserted in step b) into the neck of a bottle containing the edible product whose information was added to the record in step e), wherein the flat top (3, 3') containing the TAG (4) is oriented towards the neck of said bottle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION;

[0034] The present invention relates to a smart cork stopper. The invention also relates to the process of producing the stoppers and the process of authenticating bottles of edible products using the cork stopper of the invention. The invention is situated in the field of the cork industry.

[0035] In this description, the use of the expression "and / or" is intended to mean that both conditions are met or only one of them is met. For example, the expression "TAG and / or stamps" means "TAG and stamps or TAG or stamps".

[0036] In the context of this description, the term "comprising" should be understood as "including, among others." As such, the term should not be interpreted as "consisting of."

[0037] Note that any value X presented in the course of this description should be interpreted as an approximate value of the actual value X, since such an approximation to the actual value would be reasonably expected by a person skilled in the art due to experimental and / or measurement conditions that introduce deviations from the actual value.

[0038] In the context of the present invention, the term "cork stopper" refers to stoppers made of natural cork, agglomerated natural cork, agglomerated cork, micro-agglomerated cork, technical cork or similar materials and combinations thereof.

[0039] The term "cork body," or simply "body," refers to the part of the cork that is inserted into the neck of a bottle, up to the outer edge of the neck, after corking. The "body" has a substantially cylindrical or conical shape that ends in two flat ends, here called "tops." The "body" is the part of the cork that covers and / or seals the bottle when the cork is inserted into the bottle neck. Either end (or top) of the cylindrical body may be inserted, partially or completely, into the mouth or neck of a container or bottle and may be chamfered or rounded.

[0040] A "smart cork stopper" refers to a cork stopper, as defined above, equipped with wireless radio frequency communication technology, such as NFC or RFID.

[0041] By "boca de gargalo" (bottle neck opening) one should understand the opening of a bottle neck, where such opening is oriented towards the outside of the bottle.

[0042] A digital twin is understood to be a virtual (digital) representation of a physical object, such digital representation being designed to reflect that physical object in detail. The digital twins of the present invention are associated with a unique and encrypted identification (which eliminates any possibility of cloning them) and a mechanism for complete traceability.

[0043] The invention is then described with reference to the attached figures.

[0044] With reference to Fig. 1, the invention relates to a cork stopper (1) comprising an identification TAG (4) inserted within its body (2). The said TAG (4) has associated a unique and non-alterable code and uses wireless radio frequency communication technology, such as RFID or NFC.

[0045] More specifically, the cork stopper (1) of the present invention comprises:

[0046] • a cylindrical or conical body (2) having first and second flat ends (3, 3') and

[0047] • a radio frequency wireless communication TAG (4), wherein the TAG (4) is fully inserted within the cork body (2), in an insertion band (5) on one of said flat tops (3, 3'), the insertion band (5) being defined between 40% and 85% of a radius of said flat top (3, 3'), the radius being measured from the center of said flat top (3, 3').

[0048] With reference to Fig. 2 and in the context of the present invention, the TAG (4) is a wireless radio frequency communication device comprising a microchip (9), where the desired information is recorded, and an antenna (8), whose function is to receive the energy emitted by a reading device and transmit back to that device the information stored in said microchip (9). The antenna (8) and the microchip (9) are disposed within a housing (7) of the TAG (4), the housing (7) having a shape and strength suitable for insertion inside the body of a cork stopper, in such a way as to minimize / dissipate the compression forces acting on it by way of reducing the radial size of the stopper during the corking (or bottling) phase, i.e., when placing the stopper (1) in the neck of a bottle. Said housing (7) must have a length-to-width ratio of at least 3 to 1.In a preferred mode, the casing (7) comprises a length-to-width ratio of 4 to 1, in a much more preferred mode of 5 to 1.

[0049] According to the above, the smart cork stopper (1) of the invention constitutes a stopper-TAG system that can be used as a tamper-proof means of identifying and authenticating bottles of edible products.

[0050] After extensive analysis, prototyping and testing, the final design of the shape and placement of each TAG (4), unique, inside the body (2) of each cork (1), reflects the establishment of an inimitable product.

[0051] The insertion of said TAG (4) into one of the top faces of the cork stopper (1), in particular into an insertion band (5) defined in one of the ends (3, 3') of the stopper (1) and said insertion band (5) being delimited between 40% and 85% of the radius measured from the center of said flat end of the cork stopper (1), preferably between 45% and 75%, is essential to ensure the functional reliability of the stopper / TAG system thus formed (see Fig. 1).

[0052] It should be mentioned that, in the context of the description, 0% of the radius of the top (3, 3') of the stopper (1) corresponds to the point at the center of the flat top of the stopper (1), while 100% of the radius corresponds to a point at the outer limit of the top (3, 3') of the stopper (1). Therefore, the point of said insertion band (5) that is located, for example, at 40% of the radius is closer to the center of the top (3, 3') than the point that is located, for example, at 75% of the same radius of said top (3, 3'). Naturally, the TAG (4) of the invention has radial dimensions (width) that allow its insertion within said insertion band (5) and also longitudinal dimensions (length) that allow it to be fully housed within the inner length of the cork stopper body (2). In this case, the length of the TAG (4) will be sufficient to house its components and also to fulfill the aforementioned minimum ratio of 3 to 1 with respect to its width.

[0053] It has been verified that the aforementioned dimensional relationship of the TAG (4) to be inserted into the cork stopper (1) ensures maximum insertion efficiency for highly efficient cork production / operations, does not produce any impact on the resistance of the cork produced (including cork composites), as well as on the impact on the bottling process, allows for flawless readability after bottling, even after the application of covering materials, such as cork discs on top (3, 3') of the stopper (1) containing the TAG (4) and / or seals in the neck region of the bottles.

[0054] The cork-TAG system of the invention, herein referred to as the intelligent cork (1), allows the cork (1) to be extracted from the bottle, either manually or automatically, without failures or difficulties, as the TAG (4) never interferes with the positioning and movement of the corkscrew.

[0055] On the other hand, ensuring during the bottling phase that the top (3, 3') of the cork (1) containing the TAG (4) faces outwards from the neck, as opposed to the opposite top (3', 3) which is inside the bottle and facing the wine / drink / edible product, simultaneously ensures zero impact on the user experience with regard to cork (1) extraction and proper functioning in reading the TAG (4) even while the cork (1) is still closing / sealing the bottle.

[0056] It should be noted that the TAG (4) must be inserted into the body (2) of the cork stopper (1), in particular at one of its ends (3, 3'), so that the proximal end (6) of the TAG (4) (i.e., the one closest to the surface of the top (3, 3') of the stopper) is at a maximum insertion depth of 4 mm relative to the top (3, 3') of the stopper (1). Preferably, said insertion depth is in the range of 1 to 3 mm, most preferably 1 mm.

[0057] Surprisingly, it was found that the solution of inserting a TAG (4) inside the body (2) of a cork stopper (1) did not compromise the structural and functional integrity of the TAG (4) or the stopper (1) even after the latter was bottled.

[0058] In fact, in multiple tests carried out, it was confirmed that the compressive stresses to which the cork (1) is subjected during and after the corking action not only did not compromise the structure of the TAG (4) but also proved extremely useful in encapsulating the TAG (4) with the surrounding cork material in a way that makes it practically impossible to remove the TAG (4) from the cork (1) without causing its destruction. Also, these tests demonstrated that the aforementioned encapsulation of the TAG (4) inside the cork (1) after corking does not compromise wireless radio frequency communication, even with NFC technology, provided that the proximal end (6) of the TAG (4) is inserted into the top (3, 3') of the cork (1) to a maximum depth of 4 mm and that the aforementioned insertion top (3, 3') is not positioned inside the bottle, facing the edible product.A smart cork (1), equipped with a TAG (4) duly registered in a database or repository of a general authentication system, is associated with a computer platform that ensures that each cork (1) contains a unique identification (ID) that cannot be altered, cloned or replicated, thus allowing wine producers to authenticate each bottle uniquely and securely by means of the cork (1) of the invention.

[0059] The main objective of the aforementioned platform is therefore to guarantee the indisputable authenticity of an individual item and to ensure its value for brokers, buyers and sellers. Unlike simple external labels, the TAG (4) embedded in the stopper (1) allows for the incorporation of secure encryption with secure access control, which cannot be removed and reused. When linked to a central repository, the data from the TAG (4) (e.g., via NFC) provides an indisputable and tamper-proof record for each item, which cannot be copied or cloned. This combination allows for indisputable certification, robust authentication and traceability for uniqueness, establishing a solid central trust model that can allow everyone in the global supply chain and all end customers to immediately identify and distinguish between genuine and fraudulent items.

[0060] Using NFC and / or RFID technologies in cork stoppers (1), as described above, allows an authentication system / platform to provide an inseparable digital twin for each bottle of edible product that has been corked with a cork stopper (1) of the present invention, enabling consumers, producers and distributors of the edible product, such as still wine, spirits or champagne, to identify counterfeiting and eliminate fraud. At the same time, the aforementioned digital twins provide an enhanced digital experience for consumers.

[0061] For example, wine producers apply smart corks (1) during bottling, and a computer platform establishes a permanent and unbreakable link between the wine and the unique TAG identifier (4) present on the cork (1). In addition to the unique identification of the wine, a database can be fed with additional information about the product and specialized batch characteristics, including, for example, limited editions (the number of bottles in a series), in which market (geography) it is sold, tasting notes and recommendations, etc. As wine producers validate each bottle using the aforementioned computer platform, permanent traceability is established for each bottle.

[0062] The intelligent stopper (1) of the invention, equipped with a TAG (4) inserted inside its body (2), has a clear reliability advantage over currently used solutions that use TAG labels glued to a surface of the stopper, since, on the one hand, the stopper (1) of the invention guarantees the physical integrity of the TAG (4) by way of its insertion into the stopper body (2) and, on the other hand, makes its replacement / falsification completely impossible, given that it is practically impossible to remove the TAG (4) from the stopper (1) without irreversibly damaging it.

[0063] The placement of a TAG (4), such as an NFC TAG, respects the unique characteristics of the cork material, which is a natural and fully recyclable material. A location of the TAG (4) in the cork (1) secured by the insertion band (5) is very important to ensure structural safety and, at the same time, ensure that the TAG (4) does not come into contact with the edible product, such as wine, that there is no risk of flavor or smell migration to the edible product and that, in the case of alcoholic beverages, there is no risk of deterioration of the materials used in the TAG (4) as a result of the proximity of alcohol inside the bottle.

[0064] Thus, the production process of the smart cork stoppers (1) of the present invention comprises the steps of: a) in a cork stopper of the conventional cork stopper production process, defining an insertion strip (5) on one of the flat ends (3, 3') of the body (2) of said stopper, between 40% and 85% of a radius of said flat end (3, 3') and said radius being measured from the center of said flat end (3, 3'); b) opening a blind hole within the insertion strip (5) defined in step a); c) fully inserting a TAG (4) into the hole opened in step b).

[0065] Step b) can be performed using, for example, a sterile surgical steel needle, which makes a perforation within the insertion range (5) in order to eliminate or significantly reduce surface tension on the chosen flat top (3, 3'). Then, in step c), the TAG (4) is inserted into the hole made by the needle.

[0066] In a preferred embodiment, the insertion band (5) is defined between 45% and 75% of a radius of said chosen flat top (3, 3'). In preferred embodiments, in step c), a proximal end (6) of the TAG (4) is inserted to a maximum insertion depth of 4 mm relative to the flat top (3, 3') of the stopper (1), preferably to an insertion depth in the range of 1 to 3 mm, more preferably to a depth of 1 mm.

[0067] The invention also relates to a process for authenticating edible product bottles, such as, for example, a bottle of still wine or a bottle of olive oil.

[0068] The authentication process for a bottle of an edible product comprises the steps of: a) encoding a microchip (9) of a TAG (4) with a unique identification code; b) inserting the TAG (4) encoded in step a) into a cork stopper by the process claimed in any one of claims 10 to 14; c) reading the identification code, encoded in step a), of the TAG (4) inserted into the cork stopper in step b) using a wireless radio frequency technology device; d) sending the data read in step c) to a database and recording a record of said data in the same database; e) adding to the record recorded in step d) information relating to an edible product; ef) insert the stopper containing the TAG (4) inserted in step b) into the neck of a bottle containing the edible product whose information was added to the record in step e), wherein the flat top (3, 3') containing the TAG (4) is oriented towards the neck of the said bottle.In one embodiment, the microchip encoding (9) in step a) can be performed using an encryption key. Other encoding methods will be self-evident to the expert, therefore they do not require further information.

[0069] Preferably, the reading of the unique identification code in step c) is performed by an NFC or RFID technology device, without excluding other possibilities of wireless radio frequency technologies.

[0070] Examples of information that can be added to the registration in step e) include specific and immutable data about the editable product, such as name, year, region, and other information deemed appropriate.

[0071] Preferably, the authentication process of the present invention applies to bottles of still wine, sparkling wine or liqueurs, without excluding bottles of other edible products.

[0072] In this way, all TAGs (4) used in the present invention are endowed with a unique identification, which cannot be reproduced, cloned, replaced or accessed in all its information outside of a dedicated platform.

[0073] To verify the authenticity of one or more bottles, for example, of wine, duly authenticated by the process described above, a consumer places a mobile device, such as a cell phone, near the neck of the bottle with the smart stopper of the invention or, if the stopper has already been removed from the bottle, near the top of the extracted stopper. A reading is automatically triggered when the mobile device is brought close to the aforementioned flat top of the bottle. This reading invokes a computational platform via an application installed on the mobile device, which connects to a central database, compares the item read, and performs an immediate verification of the authenticity of the wine bottle. The user receives confirmation of authenticity in the application, validating that the item is registered and coded as genuine, if applicable.

[0074] Additionally, if the product's authenticity is positively confirmed, access to further product information may be provided. Examples of such additional information include, for example, in the case of wine, specific and immutable data about that wine, such as name, year, region, etc.

[0075] ESSAYS

[0076] A range of tests were carried out with multiple smart stoppers of the invention, either NFC or RFID, which allowed validating the proper functioning of the stoppers that verified the claimed percentage ranges for the insertion band.

[0077] Corks with TAGs inserted within the claimed depth ranges were also successfully tested, as well as those whose length-to-width dimensions met the claimed ratios.

[0078] Reference numbers

[0079] 1 - Smart cork stopper;

[0080] 2 - Cork body;

[0081] 3 - First flat top of the cork body;

Claims

3' - Second flat top of cork body 4 - Wireless radio frequency communication tag; 5 - Insertion band; 6 - Proximal end of TAG; 7 - TAG packaging; 8 - Antenna; 9 - Microchip. The language used in this description should not be interpreted as restrictive with respect to unclaimed elements for putting the invention into practice. It should be noted that although the present invention has been described with reference to a plurality of embodiments, modifications may be made and other alternatives adopted by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims. CLAIMS 1. A cork stopper (1) comprising: • a cylindrical or conical body (2) having first and second flat ends (3, 3') and • a wireless radio frequency communication TAG (4), characterized in that the TAG (4) is fully inserted within the cork body (2), in an insertion band (5) on one of said flat tops (3, 3'), wherein the insertion band (5) is defined between 40% and 85% of a radius of said flat top (3, 3') and the radius being measured from the center of said flat top (3, 3').

2. Cork stopper (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said insertion strip (5) is defined between 45% and 75% of a radius of said flat top (3,3').

3. Cork stopper (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a proximal end (6) of the TAG (4) is inserted at a maximum insertion depth of 4 mm relative to the flat top (3.3') of the stopper (1).

4. Cork stopper (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that said proximal end (6) of the TAG (4) is inserted at an insertion depth in the range of 1 to 3 mm.

5. Cork stopper (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that said proximal end (6) of the TAG (4) is inserted at an insertion depth of 1 mm.

6. Cork stopper (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the TAG (4) comprises a housing (7) within which are found a microchip (9) and an antenna (8).

7. Cork stopper (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that said casing (7) comprises a length-to-width ratio of at least 3 to 1.

8. Cork stopper (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the casing (7) comprises a length to width ratio of 4 to 1.

9. Cork stopper (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that TAG (4) is of NFC or RFID technology.

10. Production process for the cork stopper (1) claimed in any of claims 1 to 9, characterized by comprising the steps of: a) in a cork stopper from the conventional cork stopper production process, defining an insertion strip (5) on one of the flat ends (3, 3') of the body (2) of said stopper, between 40% and 85% of a radius of said flat end (3, 3') and said radius being measured from the center of said flat end (3, 3'); b) drill a blind hole within the insertion range (5) defined in the previous step; and c) fully insert a TAG (4) into the hole drilled in step b).

11. Process according to claim 10, characterized by in step a) defining the insertion band (5) between 45% and 75% of a radius of said flat top (3, 3').

12. Process according to claim 10 or 11, characterized by in step c) inserting a proximal end (6) of the TAG (4) to a maximum insertion depth of 4 mm relative to the flat top (3, 3') of the stopper (1).

13. Process according to claim 12, characterized by in step c) inserting the proximal end (6) of the TAG (4) to an insertion depth in the range of 1 to 3 mm.

14. Process according to claim 13, characterized by in step c) inserting the proximal end (6) of the TAG (4) to an insertion depth of 1 mm.

15. Authentication process for a bottle of an edible product, characterized by comprising the steps of: a) encoding a microchip (9) of a TAG (4) with a unique identification code; b) inserting the TAG (4) encoded in step a) into a cork stopper by the process claimed in any one of claims 10 to 14; c) reading the identification code, encoded in step a), of the TAG (4) inserted into the cork stopper in step b) with

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