Traceability: your first line of brand protection

Why does food traceability matter and how can you implement an efficient, reliable traceability system that minimizes contamination risks, and build confidence in your brand?

Traceability has been an industry buzz word for a while now, but what does it mean in practice? Put simply, it’s the ability to track and trace food and other agricultural products through every stage of the supply chain. But the systems for traceability bring a lot more benefits to food processors than just regulatory compliance, like improved yields, supplier benchmarking and more.

The basics

Regulatory bodies require any business in food production to trace one step backward and one step forward in the supply chain. For processors, this means knowing where raw materials come from, and where they go. Having a reliable process in place to record the origin of all ingredients and the destination of all products helps processors access historical inventory data for strategic decision-making.

While traditional paper-based systems are still used, when contamination occurs and a recall is needed, they can be slow and cumbersome. This often results in an entire day’s production being wasted, orders going unmet, and reputations damaged.

Consumer safety

The responsibility to provide safe, clean food for consumption lies on the shoulders of every link in the supply chain. However, the very nature of processing increases risks. It is no simple task to ensure that the raw product you receive avoids physical, biological, and chemical food contamination; leaving processing facilities as end products that are safe and ready for consumption.

With the pressures on processors to increase production, make more from the same raw material, and meet ever shifting safety parameters, a reliable traceability system can help ease the pressure. The advanced, integrated digital solutions provided in AXIN Software measure and monitor processes, temperatures, cooking and storage times, inventory and order management, automatically collecting and collating data to be easily accessed. It allows you to identify issues quickly, so you can take swift and decisive actions that protect consumers. It also provides real-time insight that empowers decision making to optimize production.

Brand reputation

Consumer complaints and product recalls can harm or even destroy the brand reputation you’ve spent years building. This is especially true in the social media age, where bad publicity can spread even faster than a food-borne illness.

The right traceability software protects against expensive and embarrassing product recalls. With real-time data and alerts, issues can be caught early and quickly so they don’t develop into large-scale problems.

Traceability also offers opportunities to build trust through transparency. Consumers want to know where their food comes from, how it’s made, and whether it’s sourced ethically. Traceability software simplifies the inclusion of detailed information on labels, so you can highlight your product’s quality and demand higher prices.

Regulatory compliance

Working in the food industry means you must navigate and comply with a web of food safety regulations. Agencies such as the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) in the US and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in the EU require that food processors provide detailed information on critical tracking events (CTEs) and key data elements (KDEs).

In the export market you need to comply not only with local laws but also with the laws of all other states and countries in your supply chain. The good news is that sophisticated software like AXIN can greatly simplify this process.

Traceability is a system

Traceability is not a single software product. It is the ability to collect data from key points throughout production. The data usually comes from a series of interconnected software solutions. This is good news for processors, as it ensures that with minimal investment you can improve traceability, see immediate benefits, yet introduce new systems gradually.

While regulations dictate the CTEs and KDEs needed to meet food safety standards, the specific software solutions that provide the most benefits may differ depending on processing parameters of individual businesses. To ensure your investment will meet needs it is important to work with a software partner who understands your industry and offers not just the software but also the ongoing service to support you.

Software solutions that build in traceability

AXIN Software solutions reliably collect, store, and analyze data in real time, giving you everything you need to secure traceability throughout your supply chain and production lines. From source to shelf, you have the power to trace all registered items based on POs (purchase orders) and lots. The software uses data collection points to link all elements together into one traceability chain. This is key to verifying the safety and quality of your products for your customers and optimizing product utilization. Directly benefiting sustainability, food quality, and profit margins.

Are you ready to explore more about AXIN Software and traceability? Our team of experts is always close by and ready to help, with no pressure to commit.