Supply chain traceability has taken center stage in the food and beverage (f&b) industry like never before. The near finalization of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) has forced the industry to scrutinize its food safety practices. And as supply chain companies comply with the new law, an emphasis on improving traceability throughout the supply chain has been ongoing for some time.
The March Food Logistics notes that technological innovation provides an arsenal of tools to provide end-to-end traceability.
A globalized market, advances in production capabilities, enhanced disease detection systems, SKU proliferation, Internet-enabled reporting and the omnichannel have all shaken what was once a fairly simple f&b supply chain. These forces have expanded the supply chain and created new challenges to supply chain visibility. Growers, processors, packers, distributors, retailers and transporters are all in need of better traceability tools.
Advances in processing, packaging and temperature control have extended the shelf life of many products, creating opportunities to send products across greater distances. At the same time, changing lifestyle trends and advances in global communications have created a demand for more food attributes such as non-GMO, gluten-free, fresh, local, cage-free, etc.
Improving supply chain traceability usually requires integrating inventory accountability with case, package and/or pallet labeling. To track the movement of inventory, a company needs to have the hardware that enables asset identification (i.e., label printers and scanners) and the software that monitors its movement through the supply chain.
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