Maintaining traceability in the food chain is an integral part of food safety and ensures business continuity.
Operators in the food industry navigate an environment marked by a range of challenges, from geopolitical risks affecting supply chains to different forms of food fraud. This calls for companies to diligently consider product traceability in different parts of the food chain from sourcing to sales.
Increasingly stringent regulations are emerging, highlighting the importance of traceability for both social and environmental responsibility. All operators must keep track of food products as extensively as possible – according to EU food law, at least “one step forward, one step back” in the chain. Yet a transparent supply chain is not only important for food safety, but all parts of operations.
Traceability is good for business
Product traceability is a way for organizations to ensure business continuity while preparing for risks related to food product issues. With sufficient traceability, organizations can prevent legal repercussions, negative brand awareness and reduced sales resulting from non-compliance or irregularities in the chain. Ensuring traceability in the supply chain is also a clear signal to customers and partners of being a responsible brand.
Tackling problem situations with a clear process
With clear processes for tracing the origins and steps of food products, organizations can address possible issues swiftly and with required accuracy. When there is a clear traceability system in place, necessary information on products, batches and suppliers can be retrieved easily and possible damages minimized.
Establish a solid system
Maintaining thorough traceability measures is key, as relevant documentation must be retained in accordance with regulation. Utilizing centralized technology, such as an ERP system, minimizes the margin of error and person-related risk of manual documentation. A comprehensive system is also a tool for prevention when specific risks are tracked effectively to prevent faulty products from being released onto the market.
All relevant stakeholders in the organization should be educated on the matter and able to demonstrate how traceability is looked after in their work. Maintaining traceability in the supply chain is not a one-time effort but continuous work, and it is an investment worth making.
At Haarla, we always ensure the integrity of our supply chain and keep an eye out for the latest risks. Do you want to find out more? Download our free guide on mitigating food fraud risks or get in touch with our food team experts. We are here to help.
