A Guide To Effective Traceability In The Food Supply Chain.
Food supply chain traceability creates a complete history of where food comes from and where it goes. This tracking system helps find contaminated products or dangerous allergens quickly, before they make people sick.
When bacteria, chemicals, or allergens are found in food, good traceability lets you remove only the affected batches. This targeted approach protects customers while saving money on unnecessary waste.
UK food laws require all businesses to track their products carefully. Solutions like warehouse management systems (WMS) play a key role in improving traceability. For example, Balloon One provides WMS solutions that help businesses manage inventory and maintain accurate records.
This guide shows how to build tracking systems that keep food safe, meet legal rules, and make your business run better.
- Food traceability shows where food comes from and where it goes, helping businesses keep it safe and meet legal rules.
- Strong tracking systems make recalls faster by showing exactly which products need to be removed.
- UK food businesses must keep clear records to prove their food is safe and follows the law.
- The best traceability systems use smart tools, well-trained staff, and regular practice to spot problems quickly.
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What is Food Supply Chain Traceability?
meeting regulations. It creates a complete record of where food has been and who handled it.
These tracking systems record important details at each step:
- Where and when food was grown or made
- Batch numbers and processing details
- Storage temperatures
- Shipping information
With modern systems like Körber WMS, food businesses – particularly those using a food and beverage warehouse management system – can quickly find problem batches when contamination happens. This means you can remove just the affected products instead of everything on your shelves.
Why is Food Supply Chain Traceability Important?
Food supply chain traceability stops unsafe products from reaching people by quickly finding and removing contaminated items. This makes it essential for food safety.
“One key step food businesses often miss when improving traceability is connecting warehouse operations to the wider supply chain. WMS data often remains isolated, not extending beyond the warehouse’s internal operations. But, true traceability depends on integrating supplier information, warehouse handling, and outbound logistics. A fully integrated WMS gives you live oversight and significantly strengthens traceability across the supply chain.”
– Vivek Jani, Senior Consultant at Balloon One
When problems happen, good tracking systems save money. You can pull specific batches rather than entire product lines.
Main benefits:
- Keeping unsafe food away from customers
- Spending less money on recalls
- Following FSA, HACCP, and DEFRA rules
- Protecting your company’s reputation
For food companies handling many products in different temperature zones, effective food warehousing solutions play a key role in maintaining safe storage conditions and reducing waste. Precise tracking also saves significant money during safety problems.
Food Traceability Laws in the UK.
UK food businesses must meet specific tracking requirements set by government agencies to sell food legally. These rules protect public health and ensure businesses can remove unsafe products quickly.
Table 1. Different regulations to sell food legally in the UK, the focus area, and the documentation required
These rules protect public health and make sure companies can pull unsafe food quickly. With a good tracking system, showing this information during inspections becomes simple.
How to Build a Reliable Traceability System.
Step 1: Identify Critical Tracking Points
Map your food’s journey to find where tracking matters most. Look at each step from when ingredients arrive to when products leave.
Focus on risky areas:
- Where raw meat is handled
- Cold storage rooms
- Places where allergens are used
For each spot, ask: “If something went wrong here, what information would we need?” This shows you what to track.
Step 2: Decide What Data to Track
Choose only the information you truly need. Too much data makes your system slow and hard to use during recalls.
Important things to track:
- Batch numbers
- Supplier names
- Expiry dates
- Production dates
- Temperature records for cold foods
For cold foods, track temperatures during storage and shipping – a robust WMS for cold chain safety ensures these records are accurate and easy to access. This proves they stayed safe and helps pinpoint when problems might have started.
Step 3: Choose the Right Traceability Technology
Pick technology that works for your business size and products. Four main systems help food companies track their items.
- Barcodes are a reliable and cost-effective solution for tracking food products at key points in your supply chain. Staff scan them when products arrive, move around, and leave your building. They’re affordable and familiar. Most people already know how to use barcode scanners, which makes training easier.
- RFID tags automatically ping their location to receivers in your warehouse. No scanning needed. These smart tags work through packaging and inside freezers. Fish suppliers and meat processors often use RFID because it tracks items without opening cold storage doors.
- Blockchain creates records that cannot be changed later. Each entry locks into place permanently. This matters for high-end foods where customers pay extra for authentic sourcing. Organic brands and speciality importers use blockchain to prove their premium claims.
- QR codes work like mini websites on your packaging. Both your team and customers can scan them with phones to see where food came from. They’re versatile – working for internal tracking while also sharing stories with shoppers.
Start with what you need right now – a scalable WMS for the food industry can grow with your business while ensuring efficient tracking and inventory control. You can always upgrade later as your business grows. Most companies begin with basic barcodes before adding fancier systems.
Step 4: Integrate Traceability with Your Systems
Connect your traceability tools with other business systems, such as a food distribution ERP, to create a complete tracking network. When all your systems talk to each other, information flows smoothly and nothing gets lost.
Körber WMS can connect with:
- ERP systems that handle orders and finance
- Transport management systems that track deliveries
- Automated robots that move products in the warehouse
This connection means batch numbers, expiry dates, and location data move automatically between systems. No manual typing means fewer mistakes.
Liam Nicholson, Systems & Projects Director for Huel, emphasised this integration benefit: “Implementing a warehouse management system will enable us to have full control of our real-time traceability, quality control and stock management processes.”
Step 5: Train Your Staff on Traceability Protocols
Teach your team how to use your traceability system properly. Even the best technology fails if people don’t use it correctly.
Create clear step-by-step guides for:
- Scanning incoming products
- Recording batch information
- Handling product recalls
- Running traceability reports
Regular training keeps everyone sharp. Schedule practice sessions every few months and whenever rules change.
Midland Chilled Foods found staff training crucial when implementing their system. According to Steve Rooney, their Head of IT: “Some of our staff have been with us for decades and instead of pen and paper, we were asking them to use a scanning gun and computers. It blew their minds at first, but they have accepted it all now and have realised that it’s actually making their lives easier.”
Step 6: Test Your Recall Process
Practice your product recall plan regularly to make sure it works. Don’t wait for a real emergency to find problems in your system.
Run at least two mock recalls each year:
- Pick a random product and try to find all locations where it’s stored
- Time how long it takes to complete the process
- Check if you can track all affected items
- Practice your customer communication
For better preparation, consider making one of these tests unannounced to see how well your team responds under pressure.
After each test, fix any problems you find. Can you make the process faster? Were you able to find every affected product? Could your team follow the plan easily?
Managing Recalls with Precision and Speed.
Pinpoint Contaminated Products
Find bad products fast using your traceability data. When you learn of a problem, your system should quickly show which specific batches are affected.
Körber WMS lets you:
- Search by batch number or production date
- See every location where affected products are stored
- Block affected items from being shipped
- Generate pick lists for removing bad products
This targeted approach means you remove only contaminated products, saving thousands of pounds in unnecessary waste.
Build a Reliable Recall Plan
Create a detailed recall plan before you need it. When food safety problems happen, having clear steps to follow makes everything faster and less stressful.
Your recall plan should include:
- Who makes recall decisions
- Steps for identifying bad products
- How to remove products from warehouses and stores
- Message templates for suppliers and customers
Assign specific roles to team members so everyone knows their job during a recall. Include contact details for everyone who needs to be involved.
Communicating Recalls Effectively
Tell people about recalls clearly and honestly. Good communication protects customers and shows you take safety seriously.
When issuing a recall:
- Explain what product is affected
- Describe the problem simply
- Tell people what to do with the product
- Share what you’re doing to fix the issue
Keep detailed records of all recall communications. These help prove you took proper action if regulators ask questions later.
Common Traceability Problems and How to Fix Them.
Food businesses face three main tracking problems. Each creates risks but has straightforward solutions.
Table 2. Problem, solution, and business impact of poor traceability in food warehousing.
Birchall Foodservice experienced these challenges with their paper-based system. “Our warehousing suffered from poor housekeeping, inadequate inventory records and duplicate work across multiple systems,” explains Operations Director Nicola Watson.
After implementing K.Motion WMS with barcode scanning, they gained complete traceability. “It’s great for new staff as the scanner instructs them what to do, making it virtually foolproof,” Watson adds.
These improvements not only reduce food safety risks but also save money by preventing expensive product write-offs and improving inventory accuracy.
Take the Next Step With Balloon One.
Balloon One helps food businesses build tracking systems that protect customers and save money. Our expertise in supply chain technology means we understand what food companies need.
Körber WMS provides precise tracking throughout your warehouse and connects smoothly with your other business systems. We’ve helped companies of all sizes – from specialty food distributors to major retailers.
Contact us today to improve your food traceability and meet regulations while supporting your business growth.
Download our free guide now.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
Yes, traceability supports HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) systems, though they serve different functions. HACCP focuses on identifying and controlling specific food safety hazards through preventive measures. Traceability provides the documentation needed to track products if these controls fail. While traceability isn’t a control measure itself, it ensures that affected products can be identified and removed quickly when safety issues arise.
EU regulation defines food traceability as the ability to track food through all stages of production, processing, and distribution. The EU General Food Law (Regulation EC 178/2002) requires all food businesses to identify suppliers and customers for all products. This “one step back, one step forward” approach creates a complete chain of information across borders.
Yes, traceability is a legal requirement for all food businesses operating in the UK. The Food Safety Act 1990 and Food Standards Agency regulations make traceability mandatory. Failing to maintain proper traceability records can result in fines, forced recalls, or even criminal charges in serious cases. Good tracking systems protect both public health and your business.
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