** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** AN ASSURED SUPPLY OF HIGH-QUALITY FOOD IS ESSENTIAL TO THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THE WORLD POPULATION, BUT THE MODERN AGRI-FOOD ENTERPRISE IS CHALLENGED BY INCIDENCES OF CONTAMINATION, FOOD WASTE, AND FOOD FRAUD. ILLNESS-CAUSING CONTAMINATION APPEARS ALL TOO FREQUENTLY AND RESULTS IN EXPENSIVE AND REPUTATION-DESTROYING RECALLS. FOOD WASTE IS OFTEN A RESULT OF THE INADEQUATE TRACKING OF FOOD ON ITS JOURNEY FROM FARM TO FORK OR OCCURS DUE TO MISUNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT WHEN FOOD IS GOOD OR SAFE TO EAT. THE PREVALENCE OF ADULTERATED FOOD IS MUCH WIDER THAN MOST PEOPLE REALIZE AND CAUSES SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC DAMAGE WHEN PREMIUM ITEMS ARE UNDERCUT BY THE SUBSTITUTION OF INFERIOR PRODUCTS OR INGREDIENTS. THESE ISSUES ARE BEING TACKLED BY INCREASED SUPPLY CHAIN TRANSPARENCY - KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT AND WHERE EACH ITEM IS AT ALL TIMES - MADE POSSIBLE BY ADVANCED METHODS OF HANDLING INFORMATION SUCH AS BLOCKCHAIN. BUT THIS DATA-CENTRIC APPROACH WILL ONLY WORK IF WE HAVE VERSATILE IDENTIFIERS WHICH SECURELY LINK INDIVIDUAL ITEMS IN THE REAL WORLD TO THEIR DIGITAL PRESENCE IN THE PRODUCT CLOUD, SO-CALLED DIGITAL TRIGGERS.WITH PRIOR NIFA SUPPORT, WE DEVELOPED A SECURE DIGITAL TRIGGER, THE DENDRITIC IDENTIFIER (DI), AN ITEM-LEVEL FINGERPRINT THAT IS NATURALLY UNIQUE, COPY-PROOF, VERY INEXPENSIVE, AND READABLE USING CAMERA-BASED DEVICES. THE DI CAN BE SCANNED IN THE STORE OR IN THE KITCHEN USING NOTHING MORE THAN A CELL PHONE RUNNING AN APP, PROVIDING INSTANTANEOUS PRODUCT AUTHENTICATION AND POTENTIALLY EMPOWERING CONSUMERS TO MAKE INFORMED CHOICES BY CONNECTING THEM TO INFORMATION ON SAFETY, NUTRITION, SHELF-LIFE, AND PROVENANCE. INDUSTRY BENEFITS OF THE HIGHLY GRANULAR TRACEABILITY THAT RESULTS FROM THE USE OF ITEM-LEVEL IDENTIFIERS INCLUDE BETTER LOGISTICS, WHICH RESULT IN REDUCED SPOILAGE, AND HYPER-TARGETED LOW-IMPACT PRODUCT RECALLS. HOWEVER, WE CAME TO REALIZE THAT THE PUSH TOWARD THE INCLUSION OF LABEL-BASED IDENTIFIERS ON FOOD ITEMS WILL LEAD TO GREATER USAGE OF LABEL MATERIAL AND/OR SINGLE-USE PACKAGING, WHICH IN TURN WILL INCREASE ENVIRONMENTALLY HARMFUL DOWNSTREAM PLASTIC WASTE. THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS CURRENT PROJECT IS THEREFORE TO DEVELOP AN INNOVATIVE SOLUTION TO THIS DILEMMA IN THE FORM OF DI TRIGGERS THAT CAN BE CREATED DIRECTLY ON INDIVIDUAL ITEMS IN PLACE OF THE CURRENT STICKERS OR PACKAGING USED FOR PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION. THESE DIRECT-TO-OBJECT (DTO) IDENTIFIERS WILL BE BASED ON FOOD-SAFE MATERIALS THAT CAN BE EASILY WASHED OFF BY THE CONSUMER WHILE STILL PROVIDING THE PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL ROBUSTNESS NECESSARY FOR THE AGRI-FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN. THE WORK INCLUDES RESEARCH ON IDENTIFIER FORMATION USING A VARIETY OF MATERIALS THAT ARE COMMON IN FOOD PROCESSING, STUDIES OF FORMATION TECHNIQUES TO PROVIDE GUIDELINES FOR COMPANIES INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING AND EMPLOYING SCALABLE PRODUCTION METHODS, AND THE REFINEMENT OF ECONOMIC MODELS OF THE SCHEME.