What lessons can the food sector learn from pharma to prevent further eColi outbreaks?

Food producers are in the spotlight after Germany’s eColi outbreak.  New research published in “The Grocer” has highlighted that due to worries about fresh fruit and vegetable safety, consumers are more careful about washing and preparation. Pascal Durdu, Pharma expert within Zetes, discusses how better traceability could help the food industry repair its damaged image. 

One of the key benefits of traceability is the ability to quickly isolate and identify sources of contamination, and in turn, conduct a targeted recall.  This avoids tarnishing an entire industry’s reputation and having tainted food products, which could mean significant economic losses for both producers and retailers. Currently, there is no legislation at European level requiring food companies to introduce internal traceability. However, regulators agree that such systems would save costs in terms of the time needed to complete a recall and prevent greater disruptions. 

Lessons from pharma

Applying solutions employed by the pharmaceutical sector, food manufacturers could benefit from previously learned lessons. As a result of pharma’s new CIP13 regulations, some companies now capture product serial numbers, lot numbers and expiry dates, using Datamatrix barcodes on packaging.  Although many food producers have introduced some traceability, they typically only track lot numbers. At that level, it’s not possible to conduct a swift recall because lots refer to production sites and comprise hundreds of individual cartons, making it difficult to isolate problems. It’s important to track goods at a higher unit level or know what might have impacted the goods’ external environment at different stages in the supply chain, which requires tracking individual cartons or cases.

How the technology works

A unique, serialised number is generated and applied as a barcode label to products either at the unit or carton level real-time. Next generation barcodes, such as the Databar or Datamatrix, are used because of their smaller size and ability to hold detailed information. After labeling, barcodes are scanned at different stages in the supply chain, original data is captured and new information added to enhance the audit trail. An alternative to print and apply labeling are re-useable plastic crates marked with randomly generated identifiers stored on RFID tags. 

Traceability as differentiator

Too often, traceability is viewed as a cost and compliance issue - a punitive measure - when it is actually a means of achieving a competitive advantage and an opportunity to improve supply chain processes. Return on investment is fast and the added value delivered will sustain a business long after initial outlays are recouped. For producers of premium foods or retailers looking to differentiate own label brands, traceability guarantees authenticity and quality to the consumer.

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Picture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escherichia_coli