"Edible" and "Barcodes" are not two words generally thought to be compatible. Nanotechnology is quickly changing this by allowing the development of microscopic, edible barcodes that can be used on a wide variety of products to prevent counterfeiting.
Consider TruTag Technologies, which was recently selected by the World Economic Forum as a 2014 Technology Pioneer for its development of spectrally coded silicon dioxide microtags that can be either mixed into items or placed on the outside of items. Silicone dioxide, also known as silica, is generally recognized by the FDA as being safe for consumption. The microtags can contain a variety of information, including the product's date and site of manufacture, expiration date, product dosage or serving size, and country of authorized sale.
TruTag's approach to brand protection is particularly intriguing on account of its intent to incorporate its technology into smartphones, enabling consumers to authenticate products using their own devices. This type of easy accessibility to the authentication process would allow consumers to rapidly verify medicines or other packaged foods prior to consuming them. Luxury goods could also presumably be verified by the consumer, at any point in the consumer chain, prior to purchase – or verified post-purchase by an envious friend. Although edible barcode technology has yet to go mainstream commercially, it may be a powerful option to protect against counterfeiting in the coming years.
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