Method and system for marking food products with source verification information, and collection and dissemination of such source verification information

A method for marking individual objects with selected content at a marking station while the objects travel along at least one path through a processing system, wherein the at least one marking unit is positioned adjacent at least one path along which the objects are conveyed, the at least one marking unit operable to mark the objects as the objects pass through the marking station, the method comprising:

• obtaining source data associated with at least one of at least one characteristic of the individual objects to be marked, at least one parameter associated with the origin of the individual objects to be marked, at least one operational parameter of the processing system, at least one operational parameter of the at least one marking system, and combinations thereof;
• obtaining content marking parameters comprising at least one of content to be marked thereon, at least one rendering parameter associated with marking of the content thereon, at least one characteristic of the individual objects to be marked, and combinations thereof;
• rendering the selected content in accordance with at least a portion of the content marking parameters, wherein the selected content includes at least a portion of the source data;
• and
• marking the individual objects with the selected content by the at least one marking unit in accordance with at least a portion of the content marking parameters.

An apparatus for marking food products with selected content at a marking station, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor operable to control marking of the food products;
• at least one marking unit operatively coupled to the at least one processor and controlled in part by the at least one processor, the at least one marking unit positioned adjacent at least one path along which the food products are conveyed, the at least one marking unit operable to mark the food products as the food products pass through the marking station;
• and
• a non-transient memory operatively coupled to the at least one processor and operable to store data associated with the marking of the food products;
• at least one input/output interface operatively coupled to the processor;
• wherein the least one processor is operable to:
• obtain source data associated with at least one of at least one characteristic of the food products to be marked, at least one parameter associated with the origin of the food products to be marked, at least one operational parameter of the processing system, at least one operational parameter of the at least one marking system, and combinations thereof;
• obtain content marking parameters comprising at least one of content to be marked thereon, at least one rendering parameter associated with marking of the content thereon, at least one characteristic of the food products to be marked, and combinations thereof;
• render the selected content in accordance with at least a portion of the content marking parameters, wherein the selected content includes at least a portion of the source data;
• and
• mark the food products with the selected content by the at least one marking unit in accordance with at least a portion of the content marking parameters.