Ensure food traceability and earn your customers' trust

Food traceability - All you need to know

Food traceability is a major challenge for the agri-food industry. It ensures food safety, guarantees compliance with health standards, and informs consumers about the origin of the products they consume. With increasingly stringent regulations and heightened consumer expectations in terms of transparency, the implementation of an effective traceability system is essential for companies in the agri-food sector.

What is food traceability?

Food traceability is the process of tracking a food product through every stage of its production and distribution chain. It is based on the collection and recording of key data such as :

• Theorigin of raw materials,
• Production dates and locations,
• Processing operations carried out on the product,
• Storage and transport information,
• Use-by and best-before dates,
• Consumer distribution data.

An effective traceability system means that non-compliant products can be quickly identified and withdrawn from the market in the event of a health problem, thus limiting the risks to public health.

Why is food traceability essential?

1. Guarantee food safety: quickly identify contaminated or non-compliant products to avoid any health risk.
2. Strengthen consumer confidence: Inform consumers about the origin and composition of the food they eat.
3. Ensure regulatory compliance: Comply with HACCP standards and current legal requirements.
4. Improve inventory and supply management: Optimize logistics and product flow traceability.
5. Protect corporate image: avoid food scandals and product recalls.

How do you set up an effective food traceability system?

1. Gathering essential information

To ensure optimum traceability, each product must be identified withlabels and barcodes indicating :

• The batch number,
• The date of production and processing,
• Ingredients and allergens,
• Theorigin of raw materials,
• Use-by date (DLC).

2. Data digitization and automation

The use of an HACCP application enables rigorous and instantaneous tracking of traceability data. Companies can thus :

• Automate information recording,
• Track products in real time throughout the food chain,
• Centralize data to facilitate health audits and controls.

3. Product recall management

In the event of contamination or non-compliance, food traceability enables affected batches to be rapidly identified and withdrawn from the market before they reach consumers.

4. Compliance with HACCP and ISO 22000 standards

The HACCP(Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) and ISO 22000 standards impose strict procedures for guaranteeing food safety. A well-designed traceability system must be able to provide documented proof of compliance with regulatory requirements.

Which sectors are concerned by food traceability?

Traceability concerns all food industries, in particular :

• Agri-food: Monitoring raw materials and finished products.
• mass catering and sales: Identification of foodstuffs served to consumers.
• Processing and production of meat and dairy products: Compliance with health regulations and monitoring of storage conditions.
• food retail Monitoring goods flows and inventory management.

Conclusion

Food traceability is a cornerstone of food safety and an asset for companies in the agri-food sector. Its adoption not only ensures better compliance with current regulations, but also builds trust with consumers.

With digital solutions like Eezytrace, companies can optimize their traceability systems, automate controls and guarantee maximum reactivity in the event of a health problem. Opt for transparent, efficient traceability to protect your business and reassure your customers!