Traceability in the Fresh Produce Industry

In today’s market with such a focus on food safety and provenance; fresh produce growers, packers, importers/exporters and processors need not only to have quality and safety systems in place but they also need to be publicly seen to have them in place.

When a possible product contamination occurs, consumers make their judgements as much on the speed and efficiency of the reaction to such an occurrence as they do on it happening in the first place.  A good, well documented food safety and traceability system becomes part of a company’s brand advantage, positioning the brand as safe and reliable with customers and consumers alike. It allows for example, in an e-coli outbreak, for a company to distinguish its products from those affected. By having an effective traceability system it is possible to pinpoint an outbreak to a particular grower rather than a region or a commodity group.

Traceability systems allow for outcomes such as:

• Improved grower payment schedules being matched to product quality.
• Market impact information being returned to growers.
• Grower planning matched to market forecasts and or order requirements.
• Capacity to add value to other parts of the supply chain by sharing information.
• Allows for information to be utilised for a number of purposes: pack house management, quality assurance, supply chain management, compliance and production and consumer feedback.
• Consumer confidence through the assurance of quality and safety.

Our hardware and software systems can provide the following traceability:

• Production system traceability: involves the ability to verify the farming system and production inputs such as fertiliser, chemical sprays, water use, feeds and supplements and labour work place conditions
• Process system traceability: involves the ability to authenticate any processing and post harvest activities and treatments, such as washing, drenches, storage conditions, additives or chemicals used and temperature conditions
• Pest and disease traceability: provides the ability to assure that no prohibited pests or diseases are introduced to the market and that in the event of an incursion, all products can be located.