Food Traceability Software
Food traceability software gives businesses in the food and beverage industry the ability to acquire information about the origin, storage, processing and transportation of goods and food products.
This traceability software is designed to enable users in the food industry by providing them with the tools necessary to conduct research, acquire track and trace capability, as well as store relevant information about the makeup and origin of food products and other edible/consumable goods, including fresh produce such as fruits, vegetables and poultry products like eggs. Food manufacturing companies and other businesses in the food service and production sector use this type of software solution to maintain meticulous records of food and beverage orders and their origins. A cloud-based best-in-class food traceability solution is often equipped with tools for tracking inventory origins for multiple products and shipments. However, some food service inventory management and distribution software may contain a type of traceability system as a built-in feature.
One of the most fundamental functions of food traceability software is allowing food and beverage companies and manufacturers to meet food safety requirements by providing them with robust quality control solutions. Moreover, food traceability systems also offer features that help businesses optimize their food order spending budget, create allergy warning labels for compliance and connect with their suppliers and sellers. This type of software makes it easier and more efficient to connect the data collected about the food products and the inventory control system used by the organization. The other core functionalities that are often included in the majority of food traceability solutions in the market are fully integrated accounting tools, quality management, landed cost tracking, traceability tools, supplier/supply chain management and catch weight capabilities.
Food traceability software allows a company in the food and beverage industry to track and maintain key information on various food and beverage products that they either produce or manufacture, as well as stock, distribute and sell. This category of software is mainly utilized by businesses and organizations that produce, manufacture and/or prepare any kind of food and beverage product. Food traceability solutions are most useful in providing tools that help ensure food safety and compliance. It has the capacity to significantly reduce or minimize the risks that are often associated in the various stages of food processing and manufacturing.
Some of the functionality of most food traceability systems include fully integrated accounting solution, traceability or track and trace tools, supplier/supply chain management functions, inventory management, catch weight capabilities, landed cost tracking features as well as built-in support for mobile apps and third-party system integrations. There are food traceability solutions that offer these functions through on-premise deployment, while others provide them in a software-as-a-service (SaaS) environment.
Food traceability software helps keep your operation compliant with various regulatory frameworks such as the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) management system and the Safe Quality Food (SQF) program. The software solution also allows for any modifications or improvements recommended by certain government organizations such as the US Food and Drug Organization or FDA.
One of the key functions of food traceability systems is the compliance aspect, especially if you want to pass audits and remain compliant with all the food industry standard and regulations. Food and beverage companies, manufacturers and food service providers have to maintain a strict compliance with various rules and regulations put forth by government organizations like the FDA. One of the most important regulations is the traceability requirements. Companies must also meet different compliance deadlines. Failure to comply may result in hefty fines or worse, they could face legal action. A food traceability system is tailored to help food industry businesses avoid such ramifications.
Recall management is among the core features of food traceability software. It is a function that helps users create process-specific workflows such as initiating a product recall or stock withdrawal, which is a process of removing stocked products from distributors and resellers. With a recall management function, a food traceability system can help make sure the proper initiative is taken in the event of a product recall and that customer interactions remain positive, while the issue is handled quickly and effectively. The software also allows users to determine the estimated length of time in which the recall process takes within the organization.
Another core function of food traceability solutions is, needless to say, the traceability feature. Traceability tools allow users to track and trace both raw materials as well as finished food products via serial number, QR code, barcode and other enhanced inventory control solutions. The traceability function also enables users to produce comprehensive HACCP documentation to structure key terms of reference.
The system can help process hazard analyses and flow diagrams as well. In addition to the traceability feature, there is also the product quality control function often integrated into the food traceability system. This is very useful for food processors and manufacturers as it allows for efficient product testing and inspections. This feature provides access to real-time specification verification, quality control KPIs and certificates of analysis.
Supplier management is one of the most basic features that can come from any food traceability software in the market. It is meant to help manage the supplier approval process, which is crucial especially if you’re attempting to approve suppliers for the raw materials that you need in order to produce or manufacture your food products. This function may use a rating system that allows you to assign scores to different suppliers based on various risk factors, ability to meet deadlines, overall performance, etc. The tool also gives you the ability to identify non-compliance risks to your company as well as create a customizable workflow that enables your suppliers to take corrective actions.
Business intelligence or analytics and reporting capabilities complete the fundamental functions of food traceability solutions. Such features allow you to capture relevant data for analysis, so you can generate in-depth reports through a dashboard that you can customize to display food safety metrics, the most recent quality test results and other important information. You may also use the software to keep track of potential bottlenecks within the supply chain.
There are many benefits to implementing the right food traceability software in your food processing and manufacturing operation. Even if you’re only distributing or selling food products or providing a type of food service, this category of traceability tool can still benefit your business in a more comprehensive and practical way. Through a feature-rich food traceability system, food manufacturers, distributors and food service providers can be certain that they’re taking the appropriate steps and precautions to ensure proper compliance and adherence to industry best practices.
With proper implementation of a food traceability system, you can expect a much improved supply chain efficiency. Whether you’re a food and beverage manufacturer, distributor or a food service provider, this type of software can facilitate your supply chain to improve its efficiency. This is mainly achieved by having proper documentation and record-keeping, more effective inventory control and by initiating stricter and more efficient audits. All of these are offered by just about every cloud-based food traceability solution available in the market.
Food traceability software also offers better visibility for your entire inventory. As with any manufacturing business, inventory management has always been one of the most crucial aspects that require the right tools. Coincidentally, inventory management is among the strongest aspects of food traceability. A software solution that’s designed to help with food traceability can and will help deliver better visibility into your warehouse management process as it provides you with the ability to easily track and trace any relevant information. There’s the traceability initiative for finding and capturing food product data and then there’s the required track and trace for the purposes of regulatory compliance.
Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of food traceability systems is the great improvement on food quality and safety. Food traceability tools are meant to help keep food safe for public consumption. It provides food processors, manufacturers and distributors the ability to effectively and quickly identify faulty products and initiate a robust recall process for certain products or even raw materials that have already been distributed and stocked by resellers. This category of traceability software is also designed to help keep businesses in the food industry from producing more faulty products that could end up seriously hurting their consumers.
The main goal of using food traceability software is to ensure you are producing or manufacturing quality food products that are safe to consume. It helps prevent contaminated food and expired food products from ending up in the hands of your consumers. Finally, food traceability helps keep food-borne diseases from spreading, which not only affects consumers but your brand reputation as well.
Food traceability software can support different types of businesses in the food industry, whether they’re a manufacturer, a food processor, distributor, food service provider or a reseller. If the goal is to implement a solution that enables the user to easily track and trace food products across all distribution channels, then just about any food traceability tool in the market should suffice.
However, if you want something more, then a comprehensive food traceability solution is what you need. Best-in-class food traceability systems are equipped with a wide range of features and capabilities, such as track and trace capabilities, order management, recall management, inventory control, quality management, as well as recipe management.
