Consumers today are demanding increased information and guarantees about the safety of the food they eat. In response, the major produce associations—PMA, United Fresh, and CPMA—partnered with leading retailers and growers to define the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI). Currently, the FDA, USDA, and US Congress are working on legislation and regulations that will mandate food traceability in the near future. We expect these mandates to require companies to label each case of produce with a product ID and lot number, and to maintain this information electronically. Upon request from the FDA, these records must be provided within 24 hrs. Case level tracking is inevitable because it is connects each link in the path between the original packer and every participant throughout the supply chain. Together, the industry and government initiatives drive the requirement for increased traceability compliance throughout the fresh produce industry.

Whole Chain Traceability is based on standard information that provides links between individual companies’ internal traceability¹ systems enabling external traceability throughout the supply chain. External traceability² allows coordination between the FDA and all members of the supply chain when a food borne illness issue is suspected. 

RedLine Solutions’ suite of whole-chain traceability products can help!

Whether it’s the Produce Traceability Initiative or government-mandated traceability, we are committed to delivering solutions that enable compliance. RedLine Solutions is actively working with leading produce companies to implement traceability solutions that also drive internal operating efficiencies.

We understand that every customer has unique processes for harvest, packing, and shipping. We’ve designed flexibility into our solutions from the start, so you can realistically integrate traceability into your business. We have implemented dozens of traceability systems across multiple commodities. Our full suite of solutions allows you to collect data from the point of harvest or packing through shipment to your customers, with in-process visibility every step of the way. 

RedLine Solutions has extensive experience working with fresh produce companies. We can help you identify what’s needed for your operation. Whether you just need a printer or a complete traceability solution, we can help you implement the right pieces so you can meet your traceability requirements from start to finish.

What follows is a guide to "Traceability" including information on introducing barcode and wireless systems to your field, packing, cooling, and distribution operations. We outline the latest thinking in whole chain traceability solutions and take a look at the future of regulations, including helping you meet the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) milestones. We also provide insight into the path to a "Paperless Cooler," a concept whose time has come. Both papers provide a general overview of mobility for produce. To learn more about RedLine's specific offerings, please visit the Solutions section.

Each company's challenges are different, so we encourage you to contact RedLine Solutions to speak with a representative about how mobility can improve your specific operation.

• Read "Field to Fork"
• Read "Path to the Paperless Cooler"
  
  

1. Internal traceability: confidential or proprietary data and processes companies use within their own operations to track and trace products.
2. External traceability: the business processes and exchange of data between trading partners

• Article:"Standards in Traceability and Beyond" by Gary Fleming