Traceability in the food sector means to ‘trace’ or ‘keep track’ of food in the supply chain.
More specifically in food manufacturing, traceability enables food producers to trace all steps a food has taken, from its raw ingredients through to the finished product ready for despatch and consumption.
If food is recalled or withdrawn for safety reasons, having a traceability system in place helps to quickly identify the affected food and reduce risks for consumers.
It’s for this reason that supermarkets want to know what traceability system a food producer has in place and is included in their framework when applying to supply goods.
Small food producers may not have a formal traceability process in place, or they may use a paperbased system that consists of hand-written records.
Whilst this is ok, sometimes issues such as human error, missing paperwork, and inconsistencies impact the effectiveness of the records.
By using traceability software, records become electronic and easily accessible and if there are any issues, they can be identified quickly and traced precisely at every stage of production.
This can impress supermarket decision-makers, as well as make audits a lot easier for food producers, with data and reports being available at the click of a button.
Stevens Traceability Systems provides traceability software to small and large food producers enabling them to easily evidence product traceability from end to end, demonstrate due diligence, and provide peace of mind for both consumers and supermarkets.
With food safety being of extreme importance to consumers, retailers, and manufacturers alike, having a robust traceability system in place is paramount.
Enjoyed this? Read more from Amanda Hatton, Stevens Traceability