Foodservice Guideline Aims to Enhance Food Traceability and Safety

GS1 US has published a new “Implementation Guideline for Case-Level Traceability Using GS1 Standards,” which offers step-by-step guidance for the track and trace of food products as they move through the supply chain. Foodservice industry stakeholders participating in the Foodservice GS1 US Standards Initiative, including suppliers, distributors and operators, collaborated with GS1 US as part of a traceability workgroup to develop the guideline aimed at enhancing food safety and visibility.

The guideline focuses on the implementation of case-level traceability processes leveraging GS1-128 barcodes and capturing important traceability information such as product and location data, production dates and batch/lot numbers. By collecting and maintaining this information through the use of GS1 Standards, trading partners can support visibility of the product’s movement through the distribution channel and minimize the impact of product withdrawals by removing affected product faster.

“To become more vigilant about food safety, the foodservice industry needs visibility and continuity of information across the supply chain. Users of the guideline will understand how to gather and capture detailed product information, which will help to keep consumers safe, deliver information transparency and enhance operational efficiencies,” says Angela Fernandez, vice president of foodservice and retail grocery, GS1 US.

“Recognizing the importance of traceability, the workgroup collaborated to broaden our collective understanding of GS1 Standards and how they support food safety,” says Lucelena Angarita, ‎Quality/GS1 program manager, IPC (SUBWAY’s purchasing cooperative) and member of the traceability workgroup. “Moving forward, we hope the guideline will assist anyone in the industry as a blueprint for stepping up their traceability efforts in the most clear and efficient way possible.”

The Foodservice GS1 US Standards Initiative’s workgroups bring together targeted teams with technical and functional expertise to develop a variety of implementation tools, educational materials and industry recommendations. Members of the traceability workgroup will continue to meet throughout this year to discuss the application of GS1 Standards and best practices for the implementation of traceability and supply chain visibility programs.