# Optimizing Product Provenance Verification using Data Valuation Methods

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.15177 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.15177/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 9 of its 52 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 21 Feb 2025.

## Builds on (most cited first, 9 of 9)

- [Understanding Black-box Predictions via Influence Functions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1703.04730/) (2017)
- [Data Shapley: Equitable Valuation of Data for Machine Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1904.02868/) (2019)
- [Towards Efficient Data Valuation Based on the Shapley Value](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1902.10275/) (2019)
- [Beta Shapley: a Unified and Noise-reduced Data Valuation Framework for Machine Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2110.14049/) (2021)
- [Data Valuation using Reinforcement Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1909.11671/) (2019)
- [Data Valuation for Medical Imaging Using Shapley Value: Application on A Large-scale Chest X-ray Dataset](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2010.08006/) (2020)
- [Stochastic Amortization: A Unified Approach to Accelerate Feature and Data Attribution](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2401.15866/) (2024)
- [A Note on "Towards Efficient Data Valuation Based on the Shapley Value''](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2302.11431/) (2023)
- [Is Data Valuation Learnable and Interpretable?](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2406.02612/) (2024)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Determining and verifying product provenance remains a critical challenge in global supply chains, particularly as geopolitical conflicts and shifting borders create new incentives for misrepresentation of commodities, such as hiding the origin of illegally harvested timber or stolen agricultural products. Stable Isotope Ratio Analysis (SIRA), combined with Gaussian process regression-based isoscapes, has emerged as a powerful tool for geographic origin verification. While these models are now actively deployed in operational settings supporting regulators, certification bodies, and companies, they remain constrained by data scarcity and suboptimal dataset selection. In this work, we introduce a novel deployed data valuation framework designed to enhance the selection and utilization of training data for machine learning models applied in SIRA. By quantifying the marginal utility of individual samples using Shapley values, our method guides strategic, cost-effective, and robust sampling campaigns within active monitoring programs. By prioritizing high-informative samples, our approach improves model robustness and predictive accuracy across diverse datasets and geographies. Our framework has been implemented and validated in a live provenance verification system currently used by enforcement agencies, demonstrating tangible, real-world impact. Through extensive experiments and deployment in a live provenance verification system, we show that this system significantly enhances provenance verification, mitigates fraudulent trade practices, and strengthens regulatory enforcement of global supply chains.