Simple traceability solution for fresh produce easy inventory traceability, recall, audit: manage fresh produce simple traceability packing and processing.
Processors and packers involved in the fresh produce industry deal with a lot of compliance and traceability issues. If the worst happens and a product recall needs to be effected immediately, they have to be able to trace where the raw ingredients of fruit and vegetables came from, what was done to them, when and where the finished products have gone.
Fresh produce processors and packers manufacturers are subject to quality audits and they can often practice recalls and food safety incidents. From a business perspective, these activities often can be expensive and cumbersome to comply with, without the use of a simple traceability solution that is integrated into the businesses fresh produce handling processes and guidelines.
As a supplier to the food manufacturing or fresh produce processing or handling and retail industry, quality control and traceability are key for any manufacturer. Farmsoft delivers solutions in Australia, USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Africa, and Asian regions. Use farmsoft to become compliant and increased efficiency.
Without a simple traceability solution:
Simple traceability solution
Simple traceability solution
When details are requested about a specific shipment, it was not uncommon to see people combing through reams of paper to trace the required traceability information.
To ensure compliance and to make efficiency gains, implement farmsoft to manage key critical traceability points in the fresh produce handling process: Research and Development, Document every detail, Record all changes before QA and Production, Quality Assurance, Manage new product approval, Corrective Action Reports, Lab Results, Supplier Accreditation, Renewals
Production: Handwritten production records – scanned, classified, routed to Production and QA managers for approval. Records are automatically linked to the product and batch for instant record retrieval
Other processes that can be automated: Quotes, A/P Invoice Approvals, Purchase Requests, Maintenance Requests, Document Management.
Some immediate results of implementing a simple traceability solution include: Tracking shipments, batches and ingredients could take days, with a simple, modern, cloud based traceability solution instant recalls can be produced in less than 3 seconds. Forget about legacy traceability systems that required days, hours, or event minutes to perform product recall. Management meetings have instant access to the status of Projects, Corrective Action Reports and Maintenance Requests without days of preparation.
Quality Audits are less stressful and more efficient. Fresh produce processors and handlers need to be compliant, but this does not have to affect their efficiency negatively.
Using technology to solve the challenges throughout the food chain, we provide solutions that ensure food traceability by marking containers (cardboard boxes, rpc-recycled plastic containers, wood crates, waxed boxes etc.) of all fresh produce throughout the food chain with Lot ID, storage locations / cool room / cold stores, supplier name, date and time, and other important information ensures fresh, safe, and healthy fruit and vegetables.
Citrus Australia explores blockchain traceability system
Citrus Australia, the organisation representing Australia’s citrus fruit growers, has commissioned a pilot study to improve traceability using unique digital identifiers on a blockchain.
The pilot will be run with the help of digital ID label start-up Laava and real-time blockchain company Trust Provenance, backed with A$200,000 ($120,000) in funding from Agriculture Victoria, Australia’s largest agriculture producer spanning more than 29,000 businesses.
Simple traceability solution
Simple traceability solution
It aims to provide a simple way to tell the origin of citrus fruit grown in Victoria, protect against counterfeiting, and improve control of the supply chain from “tree to table”, for example allowing rapid recalls of fruit if needed. Australia’s citrus sector exported A$540 millions-worth of fruit last year, with A$162 million of that total coming from Victoria.
Minister for Agriculture Jaclyn Symes said the programme was scheduled to take place over seven months during the 2020 citrus harvest period from early May to the end of July, although it may be delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.
The results will be used to show other horticultural industries the benefits of traceability.
Source: securingindustry.com
Vietnam city rolls out QR origin traceable vegetables
Vegetables have joined pork in Ho Chi Minh City to have their origin made traceable via a simple QR scan using a free app.
Simple traceability solution
Simple traceability solution
The first batch of traceable greens will hit selected Ho Chi Minh City supermarkets on Wednesday. Plans for a nationwide roll-out are expected sometime around April.
The program is the second of its kind launched by the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), with the origin of pork sold in the city’s markets and supermarkets made traceable since January.
The new QR labeled vegetables will allow origin traceability, according to Huynh Thi Kim Cuc, deputy director of DARD.
Cuc said customers could use any QR code scanner, available on their smartphones, to scan the one-time label on any package of vegetables under the program, which will provide them with all the necessary information regarding the produce.
This information includes the vegetables' name; where and when they were grown, when they were packaged and distributed; as well as a list of any pesticides and fertilizers used.
source: tuoitrenews.vn
From local sustainable farming to ready meals and convenience food
Made by Farmdrop is Farmdrop’s new range of healthy, simple and fresh handmade ready meals and convenience food. Every single ingredient is sourced from the company’s existing community of local, sustainable farmers and producers and the line will also have 100% plastic-free packaging. The line includes nourishing breakfast pots, quick midweek dinners, or salads for lunch on the go.
Simple traceability solution
Simple traceability solution
The range will be inspired by nature, governed by the seasons and centered around the fresh, seasonal ingredients that the company’s producers are growing and making. At its heart, Made by Farmdrop aims to bring sustainable and 100% traceable ingredients straight into the consumer’s home in a convenient way, for the days when a little help is needed in the kitchen.
Every element that goes into the Made by Farmdrop meals can be found in the company’s shop, which guarantees the commitment to organic, high-welfare and the sustainably produced food. The company will also be working with farmers and producers to help incorporate surplus or glut produce, helping to further tackle food waste.
The range is focused on taste, traceability, and sustainability. With absolutely nothing to hide, it uses local, seasonal and organic ingredients, simple recipes and 100% plastic-free packaging.
Free traceability suite offered to all growers and shippers
iTradeNetwork offers its newly-enhanced iTracefresh Traceability Suite software to over 2,000 growers and shippers, free-of-charge. The first 40 to sign up will receive an exclusive start-up package inclusive of hardware to easily run the software.
The iTracefresh Traceability Suite aims to reduce food-borne illnesses, recalls and food waste by giving participants complete transparency into every step of a product's journey. With mobile-app capabilities, the tool allows growers and shippers to trace products from field to fork, automate and speed up receiving, and improve shelf life and quality while simplifying substitutions to increase efficiency within the supply chain.
"We need to take steps to minimize the harmful effects of recalls for all parties - consumers, growers, retailers, and the industry as a whole," said Rhonda Bassett-Spiers, CEO of iTradeNetwork. "By offering a year traceability solutions for free, iTrade will foster greater supply chain visibility, optimize product receiving, improve product shelf life and quality, enable more efficient recalls, boost brand loyalty, and ultimately usher in a supply chain we can all trust."
All growers and shippers to sign up for this unprecedented offer will receive one year of access to two of iTrade’s programs – Label, a PTI solution, and Transit Mobile, a PTI-Palletized Advance Ship Notice solution. Additionally, the first 40 to sign up will be given an exclusive hardware start-up package inclusive of two mobile devices for convenience on the field, a printer and field kit to make set up quick and simple.
"Since iTradeNetwork’s founding, we’ve built the industry's largest network of retailers, distributors, grower/shippers, food manufacturers, operators, and logistics providers," says Dale Slaughenhaupt, CTO of iTradeNetwork, "This wide reach puts us in a very unique position to take meaningful strides toward industry-wide traceability to create the world's safest, most transparent food supply chain.”
To sign-up or learn more about the iTradeNetwork's iTracefresh Traceability Suite, please stop by booth #4223 at PMA Fresh Summit this week or visit www.info.itradenetwork.com/itrades-traceability-offering to sign up.
Blockchain technology is gaining importance in the fruit and vegetable sector
The French company “Connecting Food” developed a transparency platform based on blockchain technology. “By scanning the QR code on the packaging of the final product, consumers are able to know when the product in their hands was produced and if all the specifications have been met,” explains Coline Laurent.
Blockchain technology is a multi-branch solution which is gaining importance in the fruit and vegetable sector. Recently, the producer “Les Fermes Larrère” joined Connecting Food for their flat cabbage, choudou, and their asparagus. “They want to have a blockchain solution in order to no longer waste energy entering all the data from the products in different formats for each client.”
Simple traceability solution
Ooline ads that at first, blockchain technology offers traceability. “The consumer is able to know where the product comes from, and when the product was sown and harvested. Additionally, we check that all the specifications followed by our clients are met. These specifications vary depending on the products and include criteria like size and freshness, for example. We retrieve the data and enter them safely on the blockchain.”
Simple traceability solution
Most of the clients of Connecting Food are about to launch their products in the stores. In France, besides fruits and vegetables, we can also use the technology for milk and duck breast. Products with a QR code will be available in supermarkets in February or March. In Germany, Connecting Food even tracks the fruits used by a brand of lemonade. The lemonade will be presented at the Paris Agricultural Show in a month.
Simple traceability solution
The milk brand “Juste et Vendéen”, which is tracked by Connecting Food, is already available in Super U supermarkets in France. In Italy, some organic eggs of the brand Vivi Verde are available in Coop supermarkets.
Simple traceability solution
The Connecting Food team
We do not know yet if blockchain technology could become an important technology for French consumers. “The coming months will define how this technology should be presented to the consumers. It is evident that they look for transparency, but we do not know yet if blockchain technology will reassure them best in this regard. But once the consumer is more enlightened, blockchain may make it possible to differentiate the products whose traceability is really solid from the simple storytelling of the brands.”
Simple traceability solution for fresh produce easy inventory traceability, recall, audit: manage fresh produce simple traceability packing and processing.
Traceability is one of several regulations affecting the U.S. fresh produce supply chain. Traceability regulations have centered on the cost of implementation which may increase financial burden to growers. This paper examines an economic efficient method of formulating and implementing traceability regulations in the fruit and vegetable industry.
Traceability is a "record keeping system designed to track the flow of product or product attributes through the production process or supply chain" (Golan et al., 2004; Fonsah, 2005a). The globalization of world trade, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), food safety in the fresh produce industry, and political and commercial realities have put the traceability regulation on the radar screen. Canada, which is now the number one trading partner of fruit and vegetables from the United States, has become an advocate of traceability, which means that the United States fruit and vegetable industry has no choice but to comply if they must export fresh produce to Canada (PMA, 2005; GS1, 2006; Fonsah, 2003a,b; Huang, 2004).
This study is aimed at developing economic efficient strategies of formulating and implementing traceability regulations in the fruit and vegetable industry. It utilizes techniques adopted by some multinational fresh fruit and vegetable corporations the world over. The specific objectives are (1) to provide fruit and vegetable producers with a practical standard operation procedure (SOP) on how to set up traceability systems, and (2) to provide producers with an alternative on how to economically and efficiently collect and handle traceability records.
How Can Traceability be Formulated in a Farm Firm?
The formulation phase of an integrated traceability process in a farm firm is a function of the following factors: (a) the food safety and quality management system, (b) identification of risk and opportunities involved in the operation, (c) identifying strengths and weaknesses of the organization, (d) aspiration and values of the stakeholders/owner of the organization, and (e) recognition of the non-economic factors to society. Management plays a vital role in both the formulation and implementation phases of traceability regulations adoption in a farm firm. A well-formulated strategy can still fail if not well managed. On the other hand, good governance can transform an inferior formulated strategy to success (Fonsah, 2003b).
Is the Implementation of Traceability Possible in a Horticultural Farm Firm?
Anecdotal experience shows that an effective implementation of an inferior strategic formulation can provide successful result. On the other hand, the ineffective implementation of even a superior or well-orchestrated strategic formulation can lead to failure (Fonsah, 2003b).
Organizational chart for implementing traceability in a large-and/or medium-sized farm operation.
That simply means that, although the formulation of a traceability program is important, the implementation is of utmost importance. The best place to start is with the organizational structure and relationship (see Figure 1).
Although the participation of each department on the organizational chart in Figure 1 is crucial, the most important person to implement and follow up the traceability adoption in a farm firm is the operation manager (OM), since he/she is expected to be adept with all the operations in the project. Figure 1 can be adjusted to reflect the structure of any small-, medium- or large-sized horticultural farm producing fruit and/or vegetables. A large farm in this study is defined as greater than 5,000 acres, while a medium-sized farm is from 1,001-5,000 acres. A small farm in this study is defined as less than 1,000 acres.
What are the Functions of the Operation Manager in Implementing Traceability?
First, records of the day-to-day operations of the farm firm from planting to packaging must be kept in writing. This record keeping process only requires the operation manager to reallocate his/her work schedule to accommodate time for compiling records. A ledger or a notebook is required in the case of a small-sized farm firm or a computer in the case of a large- or medium-sized farm. Some corporate and multinational fresh fruit and vegetable companies around the world have adopted the ledger system because of its cost effectiveness (Fonsah & Chidebelu, 1995). The advantages of the ledger are as follows: (1) All supervisors must read and sign the ledger prior to going to the field; (2) Any unclear or well-defined instruction must be clarified prior to carrying out the operation. The clarification can be done either by radio, telephone, or the fastest means of communication available; (3) When the ledger is full, the beginning and ending date is labeled on it and filed for future reference; (4) If any field operation is wrongly implemented, it is easy to trace where the communication breakdown occurred; and (5) It is cheaper to use a ledger than a computer, especially in the case of small farmers who in most cases lack computer proficiency and do not even want to be bothered with it. It is recommended that the records be kept for at least five years.
What Techniques Can We Use for Traceability Data Collection/Record keeping?
The rule of thumb is to have a surveyor demarcate the farm into parcels or plots and draw it into a map. A good map should have the following information: (1) parcel numbers; (2) acreage per parcel; (3) all primary and secondary roads; (4) all ponds or rivers; (5) irrigation system main and secondary lines, if applicable; (6) drainage system, if applicable; (7) bridges, if applicable; (8) offices, packing house, physical plant, or any building infrastructure; (9) cableways network, if applicable; and (10) nursery, if applicable. Mapping is a common practice.
How Do We Obtain Traceability Information from Field Operations Using a Map?
A staff person can be designated to enter these instructions in the ledger for the supervisors to read and implement. These instructions must be written at least one day prior to execution to give the supervisors enough time to read, collect, and arrange for all the logistical needs to successfully carry out the recommended operations. In the case of a large- or medium-sized farm, the physical plant or field operation supervisor or a combination of technical people will be the ones to implement these instructions. For example, the following is some pertinent information to be entered in the ledger during the planting of bell pepper: (1) date; (2) state manual or mechanical planting, plot, or parcel number, (3) planting pattern (for example double or single rolls); (4) crew number and names of crew members; (5) seed number and company from which it is bought; (6) origin of seed and date purchased; and (7) color plot or parcel where the planting operation took place. Enter the same information for all the plots or parcels planted and use different colors for different planting dates. It is suggested here that the same information must be entered for all plots or parcels planted such as weed control, fertilization application, irrigation, insect, pest and disease control, harvesting, handling, and sanitation, respectively.
How Can Packing House Information be Collected for Traceability?
Each packed box must be legibly coded prior to leaving the packing station with a simple stamp code. The coded number should contain the following information: (1) date the box was packed; (2) packer's number - optional; (3) packing station number if the company has many; (3) packing line number - optional; (4) harvested date; (5) harvested plot number; and (6) harvested crew number and names. If the crop is field packed, the packer will stamp each box immediately after the operation. The stamps are small and self-inked.
Tracking Traceability Back to the Farm with All the Information Gathered
Assuming there is an outbreak of disease on bell pepper shipped to a supermarket in Montreal, how do we trace it back to the farm? In Figure 2, simple steps to follow are presented, assuming the produce goes through a two-level distribution channel: (1) The customers report to the retail chain manager of company ABC supermarket in Montreal, Canada; (2) The manager complains to the wholesaler at the Ontario Food Market Terminal; (3) The wholesaler requests the box number and consignment date from company ABC manager in Montreal; and (4) The Ontario Food Market Terminal manager sends the number to the horticultural farm firm manager where the pepper was cultivated; (5) On receiving the box packing code, the manager or his associate immediately determines the date on which the box was packed and by which packer; and (6) The manager opens the ledger on the packing date and retrieves the following on packaging, harvesting, fertility application, irrigation, weed, pest and disease control, land preparation, cultivar, and source of the seed that was planted.
Traceability in a two-level distribution channel for horticultural crops.
All of these operations can take less than 30 minutes. Strategic management decisions can then be made in a timely manner to minimize further costs incurred because of the disease outbreak.
Cost of Implementing Traceability
The economic efficient initial cost of formulating and implementing traceability in a small, medium, or large-farm firm producing bell pepper in Georgia is estimated at $25.98 per acre, respectively (Table 1). This is the cost which the grower will incur for purchasing a personalized rubber stamp with the packer's code number. Although one stamp is capable of producing thousands of impressions, this study assumed that at least two packers will be needed to pack 1,500 boxes of bell pepper per acre to be economically efficient, irrespective of whether the fresh produce was packed at the packing shed or in the field. The initial cost will eventually reduce as only a self-inking replacement pad which cost from $4-$7 will be needed after the ink runs out.
The field operation or pre-harvesting variable cost, harvesting, packing, and fixed costs were derived from an enterprise bell pepper budget (Fonsah, Escalante, & Byrd, 2005c). It was assumed that two temperature recorders was needed per container worth $64, and since 1,500 boxes of pepper can fill 1.64 containers, a total of four recorders worth $128.00 would be required. However, this is a common practice whether traceability is adopted or not. Further, the cost of polyethylene pallet covers needed for tracing co-mingled produce in the same container was $27.52. This is also a common shipping and/or refrigerated container transportation SOP. Different color polyethylene pallet covers can be used for each consignment. One roll that can cover 88 pallets costs $77.50. The cost of a ledger was not included because any notebook will suffice and it is part of the office stationery.
Is Traceability Possible During Transportation?
During transportation, any kind of recording device that would provide accurate documentation in different time and temperature ranges could be used to track any fluctuation in temperature that would affect the quality of the fresh produce. There are so many inexpensive ones, such as the cox recorder or a disposable strip temperature chart recorder. The price ranges from $10 to $450 per unit and it is recommended to have at least two in a container, one at the back and one at the front. This is a standard procedure in the fresh fruit and vegetable business irrespective of whether traceability is implemented or not. A grower, small, medium, or large, who is yet to adopt this technology, is taking a great risk. There are more sophisticated data logging software that can be installed in the computer to monitor all containers carrying fresh produce to various destinations around the world right in the office. Although these are more expensive, they are better for well-established larger growers and the price becomes cheaper in the long run. In this study, 4 disposable strip temperature chart recorders were utilized for the price of $32 each, which is equivalent to a 1.64 container of fresh pepper and to 1,500 boxes per acre.
Is Traceability Possible if There are Mixed Produce in the Same Container?
In the case of co-mingling of produce, one of the most economic efficient ways to trace them is by using a different colored pallet strap for each category of produce. Another technique is to use different color covers. Some of the commonly used ones are the polyethylene and insulated pallet covers, respectively.
How Can One Use Rubber Stamp for Traceability?
A rubber stamp is an efficient method to trace who and when the produce was packed, and possibly where, in the case of multiple packing stations. Although any shape of rubber stamp will do, for quality and cosmetic appearance purposes, a round self-inking stamp will suffice. One of these is capable of producing thousands of repetitive impressions without re-inking and better still, the stamp can be re-inked. The stamp is small, light, portable, and convenient to carry. Furthermore, you can customize it and the prices range from $12.99 to $23.99 each. Assuming 1,500 boxes of bell pepper per acre, 2 stamps at $12.99 each should suffice.
Notes
In the first section, information on how traceability can be formulated was provided. Secondly, information on the implementation strategy was discussed. Thirdly, the functions of the operation manager in implementing traceability were elaborated. Then the techniques on how to collect traceability data and/or record-keeping were provided. Next, the methods of obtaining traceability information from field operations using a map were vividly discussed. In section six, the strategies utilized to collect packing house traceability information were provided. Section seven provided information on tracking traceability back to the farm in the case of a disease outbreak. The cost of formulating and implementing traceability using our economic efficient model was discussed in section eight. Section nine provided information on how traceability could be adopted during transportation of fresh produce. Section ten discussed the implementation of traceability when fresh produce are co-mingled. Finally, the use of rubber stamps in the adoption of traceability was elaborated.