Supply-Chain Visibility Is A Growing Necessity

By Sam Lewis

As the food industry continues its on-going expansion on the global level, the need to be able to track every aspect of the supply chain, internally and externally, is growing right alongside it.

Every participant in the food supply chain should be able to access traceability data and to be able to manage all aspects of it. By having this accessing, stakeholders are able to minimize risks should a food-safety emergency occur. It is imperative that food products are able to be traced back to their origins and Critical Control Points (CCPs) are able to be monitored across the entire supply chain. Additionally, capturing data across the supply chain allows all participants to manage their own processes, which in turn boosts operating efficiency.

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To attain this level of visibility across the supply chain, all participants need to have internal tracking abilities. In addition, they also need to be able to use industry standards to connect data shared between commerce entities. Currently, there are supply-chain data solutions that allow each stakeholder to have internal track and trace abilities, along with means to expedite data flow among each member. This allows for visibility across the entire supply chain.

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Internal traceability requires individual firms to maintain processes that make the connection of raw materials and ingredients to finished food products. When materials are combined with other materials, a new product is formed. This new product should have its own, distinct identifying attributes. The connection between raw materials and new product must be kept to sustain internal traceability. Any CCP data collected at any step of food processing should be kept and associated with the new product.

For traceability from farm or factory all the way to the consumer to happen, each participant in the supply chain needs to be able to exchange information and data within the supply chain. Each stakeholder should be able to own and control collected data and make agreements to share this data with other participants of the supply chain. A complete supply chain solution will allow for this, external traceability, as well as the previously-mentioned internal traceability.