TRACEABILITY
SUPPORT GROWS FOR FOOD SUPPLY TRACEABILITY BY CHARLES DERVARICS
W
hen the U.S. Food and Drug produce and floral supply companies. By advising Administration (FDA) issued a national Americans not to eat, serve, or sell romaine lettuce alert on the safety of romaine just before the start of the 2018 holiday lettuce last November, the decision cast a spotseason, the agency nearly ground an entire light on a key challenge for the food industry: industry to a halt. And at a time when nutri“People just the limited ability to identify where contamitionists recommend more consumption of nated produce enters the U.S. food supply. For fruits and vegetables, it may undermine want to know experts working on this issue, the news also confidence for the long term. more about the consumer presented some of the strongest evidence yet While it hurts corporate bottom lines, Treacy of the need for food supply traceability, or the added, “It’s also a major health issue.” products they ability to easily trace back the sources of fresh supply traceability dates back to use, and this is theFood items delivered to local grocers. 1930s, when retailers and consumers “If the FDA says not to eat a certain a good thing.” wanted proof that high-end products such as commodity, it affects consumer confidence French champagne actually came from the not just in romaine lettuce but in all leafy advertised country of origin. But the issue has greens,” said Ed Treacy, vice president of supply taken on more health implications in recent years, chain efficiencies at the Produce Marketing from companies wanting to quickly find sources of Association, a trade organization representing food contamination to consumers seeking proof that 24
