THE FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN IS NOW PLAGUED BY THE DUAL SCOURGES OF CONTAMINATION AND COUNTERFEITING; BOTH PROLIFERATE IN THIS COMPLEX ENVIRONMENT AND HAVE ALREADY RISEN TO THE LEVEL WHERE THEIR EFFECTS THREATEN EVERYONE ON THE PLANET. ADVANCED INFORMATION MANAGEMENT, SUCH AS BLOCKCHAIN, WILL HELP US TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF TAINTED AND FAKE FOOD BUT WHAT IS MISSING IS AN INCORRUPTIBLE PHYSICAL IDENTIFIER OR "TRUST MARK" THAT SECURELY LINKS INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTS OR SMALL BATCHES TO THE DATABASE. WE NEED AN ARTIFICIAL FINGERPRINT THAT CAN BE SCANNED THROUGHOUT THE SUPPLY CHAIN USING EXISTING EQUIPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO EASE ADOPTION AND REDUCE COST. THIS ABILITY MUST GO ALL THE WAY TO THE CONSUMER IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A STRONG CHAIN OF TRUST FROM FARM TO FORK.OUR SOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE DERIVES FROM A TECHNOLOGY BASED ON "DENDRITES" - EXQUISITE TREE-LIKE PATTERNS THAT ARE VERY EASY TO FORM USING TECHNIQUES WHICH LEND THEMSELVES TO INEXPENSIVE MASS MANUFACTURING. NO TWO OF THESE PATTERNS ARE THE SAME, MUCH LIKE SNOWFLAKES, AND THEY ARE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO COPY SO EACH ITEM IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN CAN HAVE ITS OWN UNIQUE TRUSTED IDENTIFIER. USING ADVANCED SOFTWARE, DENDRITIC PATTERNS CAN BE READ AND VERIFIED SECURELY AND RELIABLY USING A CELL PHONE. ADOPTION IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN FROM PRODUCERS TO CONSUMERS WILL BE FRICTIONLESS DUE TO THE USE OF SUCH FAMILIAR TECHNOLOGY.THE SOCIETAL IMPACT OF THIS TECHNOLOGY COULD BE VERY GREAT INDEED, WITH AN OVERALL IMPROVEMENT IN THE HUMAN CONDITION OCCURRING DUE TO INCREASED TRUST IN THE FOOD SUPPLY. INDIVIDUAL ITEM IDENTIFICATION WILL LEAD TO HYPER-TARGETED RAPID RECALLS THAT SAVE LIVES, REDUCE FOOD WASTE, AND ELIMINATE ECONOMIC AND BRAND DAMAGE. THESE BENEFITS MATERIALIZE WITH LOW INVESTMENT VIA USE OF EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR LABEL MANUFACTURE AND USE WITHIN THE SUPPLY CHAIN. VERIFICATION AND READING BY CELL PHONE BRINGS INFORMATION TO CONSUMERS AND THEIR SOCIAL NETWORK, ALLOWING AND ENCOURAGING THE SOCIALIZATION OF FOOD INFORMATION AND SAFETY.