Why Lot Tracking for the Food and Beverage Industry is Important

With new regulations emerging all the time by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), gaining perspective on Lot Tracking is more important than ever.

Traceability of food ingredients intended to be incorporated into the food chain should be established at all stages of production, processing and distribution. Using EDI to can help in meeting the best practices called for by the FSMA and other regulatory requirements. It not only can lower production costs, it can help mitigate regulatory and commercial risks.

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What is Lot Tracking?

Lot tracking keeps a record of what raw materials were used in production of particular finished goods.

It has two main goals:

1. Tracking inbound ingredients through the manufacturing process to the finished product that it was produced from.
2. Tracing back from the finished product lot number to identify ingredients, amounts and lot numbers when used producing the finished product.

With the use of an Advance Ship Notice (ASN) you can electronically provide information on when the order was shipped and what products were contained in that shipment. You can use this information to better manage inventory and margins. It also makes tracking everything back to the original source much easier, allowing you better options insolating and managing the exact impact or exposure of recalls and a greater understanding which customers might be affected.

GSI US states, “Having an effective traceability program in place will help ensure that you meet your customers’ expectations for safe products while also helping you to differentiate your brand in the marketplace.”

For instance, in late 2015 and early 2016, several Chipotle chains throughout several states made the headlines due to an E. Coli outbreak. Unfortunately, they couldn’t immediately trace the origins or destination of the contaminated food products or ingredients. The result was closing several locations until the outbreak was declared over by the CDC and sales dropping over 46% (source Business Insider).

By utilizing the ASN, the food and beverage industries are equipped to meet the FDA regulatory data requirements for product traceability Food Safety Modernizations Act (FSMA) and Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA).

At Data Communication Solution (DCS), our EDI specialists know the ANSI X12 and GS1 (formerly 1SYNC) standards published by the Uniform Code Council, which are comprehensive and time-tested. These methods include the twin components of EDI (format and transmission) that have evolved over the years to increase efficiency without hassle due to proper consulting. Contact us for more information or schedule a no-cost assessment to help to get you started.

GS1 US® works with the food service industry to help address these business challenges. By leveraging the power of GS1 Standards, companies are improving business efficiencies and sharing reliable product information to stay relevant and competitive. Click here for more information.