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产品追踪的未来, 翻译了一篇关于激光打标系统的文章
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The Future of Produce Tracking
产品追踪的未来 by Jenan Jones Benson
So long to sticky labels
粘贴纸质标签用的太久了
There are a range of things upon which growers, packers and consumers can agree. One of those is a mutual distain for modern produce labels. The stickers, intended to identify products and their source and to allow traceability, are the source of headaches across the board. Fortunately, the tags will soon be a thing of the past.
在一系列的事情上种植者、包装商和消费者能达成一致。其中之一就是都鄙视现在产品中应用的标签。这种标识的意图是进行产品识别以及追踪它们的来源，以实现可追溯性。这种对可追溯性的要求是这个领域中令人头痛的根源。幸运的是,传统的纸标签将很快将成为过去。
Problems with produce labeling
产品打标的问题
In recent years, produce labeling, down to the individual unit, has become a necessity. The typical supermarket stocks scores of different fruits, nuts and vegetables, creating a nightmare for cashiers who primarily rely on universal product code (UPC) scanning. Labels with product names and price lookup (PLU) numbers simplify the process. Those PLUs also indicate information such as the production method (break the codes online at www.plucodes.com).
近年来，给产品贴标签，甚至于给产品内部的每个单元都贴上标签，已经成为一种必然。典型超市里面无数种不同的水果、坚果、蔬菜等大量的库存，对于主要依靠产品通用编码（UPC）来区别产品的收银员来说，分辨这些产品简直就是一个噩梦。然后，标有产品名称和商品价目表标识的标签简化了这个过程。这些商品价目表（PLUs）还能显示类似产品加工方法的信息。
More importantly, food safety and traceability have become top concerns as the industry endures multiple contamination incidents and greater volumes of foreign-grown produce enter the country. Jan Narciso, an Agricultural Research Service microbiologist, says that domestic and foreign suppliers have different regulatory standards, mandating country of origin identification.
更重要的是,随着食品行业多个污染事件的发生以及进口产品的增加，食品安全和可追溯性成为首要问题。Jan Narciso,是农业部的微生物专家,他指出国内外供应商应该有不同的管理标准,即原产地识别。
No matter how essential they are, today’s stickers have a variety of shortcomings, she says.
她指出，无论我们是多么地需要现在的粘贴标签，它们仍然有一些列的缺点。
“They come off easily, which defeats [the purpose of being] able to track it back to the exact spot in the field where it was grown,” Narciso adds. “If [the sticker] is gone, the security and traceability is gone.” On the other hand, some consumers find them difficult to remove and easy to accidentally ingest.
Narciso指出一方面，这些标签容易剥落，这就不能准确追溯到它们的产地了，安全性和可追溯性就彻底丧失了。另一方面，很多消费者发现这些标签很难被剥落，并且有可能被意外地摄入。
In addition, the labels are logistical horror stories for packers. The stickers adhere to each other and gum up packing machines, adding to labor costs. And changing from packing one product to another requires stopping operation to switch labels.
另外，贴这些标签对于包装商来说并非易事，这些标签容易粘在一块导致包装机器故障，从而增加劳动成本。并且，当更换产品的时候，需要停下机器来更换标签。
Developing a better way
开发一种新方法
Today, Greg Drouillard is the director of research technology for laser development for Sunkist Growers, Inc., in Sherman Oaks, Calif., but in 1994 he was a senior scientist in physics and robotics at the University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville, where the labeling concerns of citrus packinghouse owners came to his attention. They were eager to find alternatives to the costly, labor-intensive process.
今天的Greg Drouillard 是新奇士公司激光应用部门负责技术研究的主管。但是，1994年的时候，他还是佛罗里达大学的一个资深科学家。在那里，他开始关注包装商们贴标签的问题。他们渴望找到新的方法，替代昂贵的,劳动密集型的过程。
At UF, and later on his own, Drouillard worked on the problem for 10 years before developing a viable solution: the Natural Light Labeling System. The method laser-labels identifying and traceability information on fruit and vegetables with a low-energy carbon dioxide laser beam that etches the surface. Because the beam marks the produce by removing pigment in the upper layer of skin only, it doesn’t change the fruit or vegetable in any way.
Drouillard花了10年的时间来开发一种可靠的解决方案-自然光打标系统。该方法利用一个低能的二氧化碳激光束将识别信息和追溯信息雕刻在水果表皮。由于该打标方法仅仅去除了最上层表皮的色素，因此它并不改变水果和蔬菜本身的任何其他特性。
Advantages of lasers
激光的优点
The so-called tattoo identification system appears to be close to perfection. All the problems of stickers, including impermanence, expense and labor requirements, are eliminated. The tattoo cannot be altered or removed without visibly damaging the product. The system is far less costly and requires little labor. One early user realized a savings of $125,000 to $175,000 in the first year. It is cleaner than other labeling systems, using only light to make its mark; thus, the new and improved label is completely edible. In addition, it’s a green system that uses little electricity and has no consumable parts.
所谓纹身识别系统堪称似乎接近完美。粘贴标签的所有问题，包括暂时性、昂贵和劳动力需求，都被清除了。纹身无法改变或删除,除非你去明显的破坏该产品。该系统费用低、对劳动力的需求也少。一个早期的用户在应用该技术的第一年就节省了$125,000 to $175,000。由于只使用光来制作标签，这个系统比其它系统更洁净。这种标签是完全可以食用的。另外，这是一种消耗很少电力的绿色系统，并且无易耗品。
“It can run continuously for 10 years,” Drouillard says. “There are no costs [associated with operation] after paying for the machine.”
它可以连续工作10年，当购买此机器后，您不需任何其它费用。
Drouillard’s invention can be used without altering existing packing lines. Unlike paper labels, the content of the laser etching can be easily changed. An operator simply types in the information and walks away. In fact, each item can be tattooed with different information. If sizing information is to be included, for example, the machine has an electronic sensor that transmits the data for each product and the correct, individualized label is lasered.
Drouillard的发明无需更改现场的包装生产线，Drouillard发明的打标系统就可与之配合使用。与纸标签不同，激光打标的内容可以轻松地进行更改。操作者只需要将信息输入就无需干预了。事实上，每个产品可以进行不同的打标。如果需要加入尺寸信息，该机器具有电子传感器，可以将每个产品的信息传送到机器上，这样，一个个正确的、独立的标签就会由激光打标出来。
“You could add the buyer’s name without stopping production,” Drouillard says. “Once [the machine is programmed and] started, no human is needed.”
Drouillard说;你可以在不停止生产的情况下增加购买者的名字，一旦机器编程好并且启动，就不需要人参与了。
It does all that in a mere nine nanoseconds, so it’s no surprise that buyers were lining up when Drouillard unveiled the Natural Light Labeling System in 2005. In fact, it’s been in use in several foreign countries for four years, but it was quickly pulled in the United States. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) put the system on the shelf until its approval requirements could be met.
激光打标可以在9纳秒的时间内完成。难怪2005年，当Drouillard公布时的自然光线标签系统时，顾客会排起长队。事实上，这个技术已经在好几个国家应用了4年了。但是该技术在美国却很快被停用。FDA将这个系统束之高阁，要求该技术满足批准要求。
Testing and approval
测试和批准
Drouillard says that fulfilling the FDA requirements has been the most challenging aspect of the entire project. For assistance with testing the laser machine for safety and efficacy, he turned to former colleagues in Florida. Narciso and UF’s Ed Etxeberria gave the system a workout to ensure it is a reliable labeling technique.
Drouillard 说满足FDA的要求已经是整个工程中最具挑战性的事情了。为了协助测试机器的安全性及有效性，他找到了位于佛罗里达州的前同事。Narciso和Ed Etxeberria设计了一种方法，以确定这是一项可靠的打标技术。
To evaluate its effect on water loss, decay and shelf life, the pair ran lab tests to measure water loss, peel appearance and potential decay in laser-labeled grapefruit. The fruit was stored at 10 degrees Celsius and at two relative humidities for five weeks. The test fruit showed no increase in decay as compared to non-etched fruit. Even when the surface was coated with Penicillium digitatum (citrus green mold) before and after laser-etching, the result was the same. Similarly, the process did not negatively affect water retention and shelf life.
为了评价激光打标对水分流失、腐败和货架期，两人开展了实验室测试来测量激光打标后西柚的水分流失、果皮外观和潜在腐败等情况。这些水果被放置在两个不同的湿度环境中，储存温度为10度左右，实验持续5周。被测试的水果跟没有打标的水果相比，其腐败情况并没有增加。即使在打标前后在水果表明涂上一层盘尼西林，结果仍然一样。同样，这个过程对保水性和货架期没有负面影响。
“Lasering produce is like having your nose cauterized,” Narciso adds. “It burns the tissue a tiny bit and actually seals fruit. Actually, this process is cleaner and better for fruit than adhesive labels.”
激光打标就类似鼻子闻到了烧焦的气味，它燃烧掉一丁点组织，并且能产生密封作用。这个过程比粘贴纸质标签更清洁更好。
Although the tattooed area is resistant to decay, pathogen invasion and water loss, wax coverage is recommended to prevent any possibility of moisture escaping.
尽管纹身的区域对腐败、、病原入侵和水分的流失有一定的抵抗能力，我们仍然推荐使用蜡覆盖以防止水分流失。
Narciso’s and Etxeberria’s research indicated that the process could be used on any produce except leafy greens.
Narciso’s 和 Etxeberria’s 的研究表明，这项技术可以应用于除绿色叶菜外的任何产品。
Bringing the system to market
推向市场
After 16 years of development and testing, Drouillard expects FDA approval at any time. He will display his invention at the United Fresh Produce Conference in Las Vegas in April. An early adopter, involved in the testing process, is Sunkist, which has purchased a license for using the Natural Light Labeling System with citrus products. Drouillard says the system’s virtually infallible traceability feature was the primary deciding factor for Sunkist.
经过16年的持续的开发和测试，Drouilard希望FDA能尽快批准此项技术。他将在四月份在拉斯维加斯举行的联合新鲜农产品会议上展示他的发明。新奇士是该项技术早期的使用者，同时也参与了测试过程，该公司购买了自然光打标系统的一个生产许可。Drouilard说，新奇士作出此项决定的一个关键因素是该系统的几乎可靠的可追溯性。
Because Drouillard will offer the machine for purchase, lease or lease-purchase, general pricing is not available. However, the long-term cost savings over paper labels seems certain to make the product a success. Although the development and approval process has been lengthy, the timing for official U.S. release may actually be perfect.
Drouillard将会提供机器的出售和出租，目前这个机器的价格还不知道，但是，相对于采用纸质标签，长期的成本节约会促使该产品走向成功。尽管开发和申请程序已经够长了，美国官方释放的时间实际上是完美的。
“The FDA will soon announce traceability requirements and this is the only technique that can meet those guidelines,” Drouillard says. Although a carnauba wax laser-labeling method is available, its system does not produce permanent, non-removable and non-alterable identification.
Drouillard说，FDA不久将公布可追溯性的要求，这项技术将是唯一的一项能满足这些要求的技术。尽管一种采用巴西棕榈蜡的激光打标方法是可行的,但是该系统不能产生永久性的、不可剥离的以及无附着物的识别。
Consumers should see tattooed produce in their supermarkets by early summer. In addition, the fruit industry envisions using the technology with products sold to the food service sector. Paper labels can’t be used on such produce, due to the risk of contamination resulting from food preparation. Laser-etched produce wouldn’t present that obstacle and could lead to much improved food safety in food service environments.
今年夏初，消费者应该能在超市看到纹身产品。此外，果品行业想应用此项技术到那些能卖到服务领域的产品上。由于有污染的风险，标签纸往往不能应用于此类产品上。激光雕刻的产品则不存在障碍,有可能在食品服务环境中极大地提高食品安全性。
Upon final FDA approval, Drouillard will launch a Web site for Laser Application Technologies, the company responsible for the Natural Light Labeling System. He may be contacted via telephone (678-575-2314 or 909-782-6282) or e-mail (gdrouillard@hotmail.com).
一旦获得FDA批准，Drouillard 将在网上推广这项技术。该公司将负责自然光打标系统。可以通过电话(678-575-2314 or 909-782-6282)和email (gdrouillard@hotmail.com)与他进行联系。
Based in Greensboro, N.C., the author writes articles about horticulture, landscaping, agriculture and travel. She has been a contributor to Moose River Media publications for three years.
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