Food Traceability: A Matter of Trust

Food Traceability: A Matter of Trust Food traceability is more important now than it has ever been.

With rising health concerns and the constant visibility in the public eye, it is definitely an issue that can no longer be avoided or downplayed. Food traceability is key going forward and food companies are going to be required to become accountable.

This article poses the question “Is the present food traceability system working or would implementing a new one be a better decision?

Do keep in mind there are many different factors and challenges that have to be addressed as well. Yet, in light of some major scares in the last couple of years, food and beverage companies need to ramp­up and make Food Traceability a main focus.

Food scares and problems cause companies to suffer in many ways. With these types of issues coming to light, the trust consumers have for the food and beverage industry is dwindling. There is also a question as to whether the food laws currently provide a false sense of security for food companies. Currently, food traceability practices require companies to know only where it is they get their raw materials and to where their finished product will go.

The question being asked is whether this is enough.

Due to increasing consumer demands, internal food traceability is being seriously considered as well. Consumers are now more demanding and want to know more about what exactly they are purchasing.

With increased access to technology and information, consumers are wiser. They want to know more. And, they have the right to know more.

When there is a lack of proven traceability it can impact market access. This was precisely the case in the banning of Norwegian salmon to Russia. Also, the export ban on American beef to Japan is another example.

When there is a potential health crisis and no mechanism (traceability) to prove the quality of your product the result can be devastating.

Keep in mind consumers are demanding food traceability that is more robust than simply tracking raw material to shipped product. Using an apple as an example, consumers want to know where it grew, how it grew, who picked it, when was it picked, how did it get transported, how long did it take to get to its destination and who packaged it for sale.

All of this information may seem like overkill, yet if there was a potential problem this information would make the response simpler, more effective and less costly.

Having an effective, proactive food traceability plan in­place is critical. With a system in place, all the information you need can be accessed quickly and effectively should an issue arise. This helps you solve the problem quickly and minimizes potential product recalls.

Most importantly, this helps protect and repair goodwill with consumers.

An excellent source of practical advice about food safety systems including Produce Traceablity can be found at http://www.redlineforproduce.com.