Responsible Meat Production Through digitalization
The meat industry is one of the essential pillars in providing people with valuable proteins and a balanced mix of nutritious foods. As Chief Sustainability Officer at Vion Food Group, I am responsible for quality, science, sustainability and communication in our Dutch and German operations. Our products are consumed by millions of people every day, which reinforces our responsibility to food safety, animal welfare, sustainability and product integrity across the entire chain. Data, digitalisation and artificial intelligence will play an increasingly important role in strengthening transparency, consistency and continuous improvement within our processes.
As a veterinarian, the slaughterhouse is, for me, the most sensitive part of the meat supply chain. Every animal must be treated with respect, even at the end of its life. Through my work, I contribute to this, and digitalisation and innovation help us to achieve and improve it.
AI and VR: Strengthening and Ensuring Animal Welfare
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR) are playing an increasingly important role in how we monitor and improve processes. In our slaughterhouses, VR training provides a 3D simulation that allows employees to understand how animals perceive their surroundings. By visualising contrast, shadows and light-dark transitions, employees become more aware of potential stress triggers. This leads to more consistent animal handling and supports improvements.
Data, digitalisation and artificial intelligence will play an increasingly important role in strengthening transparency, consistency and continuous improvement within our meat supply chain processes.
AI applications such as AI4Animals help make camera surveillance even more effective in areas including unloading, stunning and bleeding and thus contribute to animal welfare, as algorithms do not become desensitized by repeated identical actions as humans do. To develop this software, ideal handling situations were used as a reference. The algorithms learned to recognize animals, people and equipment such as driving paddles, water hoses and stunning devices. The algorithms were then trained to understand how these interact in correct procedures. This enables the system to identify situations with a higher risk of compromising animal welfare. The model flags these deviations and provides automated trend analyses and reports.
Another example of using AI-based technology is tail-length monitoring, which uses 2D and 3D imaging to identify tail lesions, injuries and behavioural indicators. In collaboration with farmers, this technology provides structured feedback and supports initiatives aimed at improving animal welfare.
Blockchain for Measurable Sustainability Progress
Blockchain technology provides the digital infrastructure for reliable and transparent sustainability data across the supply chain. Vion applies this technology by bringing together real information from chain partners, with all data entries protected and only modifiable with the approval of those involved. This controlled data exchange strengthens trust and ensures that improvements are based on verifiable facts.
With integrated analysis tools, the CO₂ footprint is calculated using the actual data supplied by farms and other partners. The results reveal clear variation between individual farms, highlighting emission hotspots and enabling meaningful benchmarking. By sharing these insights, Vion works with farmers to identify individual improvements that help reduce emissions. This collaborative, data-driven approach supports measurable progress and provides a solid foundation for further sustainability developments.
DNA-Based Integrity Systems: Ensuring Trust
Product integrity is not a ‘nice-to-have’; it is a fundamental element of modern quality assurance. To protect against mislabelling and fraud, Vion uses DNA tracing technologies that link meat products directly to animals supplied within defined chains. Farmers register the DNA profiles of sows into a secure database, and retailers take samples from consumer products such as pork chops, sausages or cooked ham. The test results confirm whether the product originates from the intended Vion supply chain.
This system safeguards chain concepts and strengthens trust among partners and consumers. By combining factual verification with transparent communication, DNA tracing supports a reliable and verifiable standard of product integrity across the chain.
Modern Food Safety Technologies: Enhancing Objectivity
Food safety remains one of the core areas within our operations. Modern sensor technologies, including hyperspectral imaging and AI-assisted inspections, support more objective and consistent assessments in the monitoring of critical steps. Optical systems can automatically check carcass quality, mark irregularities or provide data to segregate certain qualities better. These technologies strengthen the reliability of essential monitoring steps, help reduce variability in manual inspection and support continuous improvement. Together, they reinforce the robustness of food safety processes and offer a dependable, data-supported basis for quality assurance.
Looking Ahead
Digitalisation, data and artificial intelligence will continue to shape the future of responsible protein production. They enable more consistent monitoring, greater transparency and proactively addressing challenges. At Vion, innovation is closely linked to responsibility, and responsibility requires collaboration. Only by working together with farmers, customers, employees and other chain partners can we continue to move the supply chain forward.
The meat sector is diverse, dynamic and full of opportunities. By applying digital technologies with a clear sense of responsibility, we can continue to strengthen animal welfare, sustainability, product integrity and food safety. These developments show how the industry is evolving and highlight the importance of continued collaboration across the chain.
