Abstract:

The rise of counterfeit food products, especially honey, poses a threat to public health and undermines consumer trust, making robust traceability solutions essential. While blockchain technology has been considered for supply chain transparency, existing systems often fail to integrate smoothly with official regulatory databases, leaving a significant gap in fraud prevention. This study introduces Yaqen, a blockchain-based traceability platform meant to authenticate honey products in Saudi Arabia by generating tamper-proof barcodes for end-to-end supply chain tracking. Unlike traditional systems, Yaqen enhances accountability by directly validating supplier credentials through Wathq, an official government registry, ensuring that only verified entities participate. The methodology combines blockchain’s immutability with real-time verification, allowing consumers to scan products and access immutable provenance records. Findings show that Yaqen effectively reduces fraud risks by providing a decentralized, transparent ledger while promoting compliance with national regulatory standards. The platform’s success in honey authentication indicates its potential scalability to other high-risk food sectors, offering a model for connecting regulatory oversight with consumer assurance. This study presents a replicable framework for combating food fraud through technology-driven traceability.