Fresh produce traceability, explained
Traceability is the ability to follow a lot of produce forward to every customer who received it and back to every input it came from. Here is what to record, how to label it and how software makes it automatic.
The building blocks
| Term | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Lot / traceability lot code (TLC) | Identifies a quantity of produce handled together | Romaine packed on line 2, June 15 |
| Critical tracking event (CTE) | A point where the product is handled and a record is needed | Harvest, cooling, packing, shipping, receiving, transformation |
| Key data element (KDE) | The data recorded at each CTE | Lot code, product, quantity, location, date, partner |
| One-up, one-down | Knowing your immediate supplier and customer for each lot | Received from grower A, shipped to DC B |
| Full chain traceability | Linked records across every business in the chain | Consumer pack back to field block |
What good traceability looks like in a packhouse
- Every receival gets a lot code tied to grower, block, variety and harvest date
- Packing batches record which input lots went in – including packaging materials
- Pallets carry an SSCC; cases carry GTIN + lot (PTI) labels
- Shipping links pallets to the customer, PO, invoice and truck
- QC results and photos are attached to the lot, not filed separately
- A forward or backward trace takes seconds, and mock recalls are routine
Producepak records all of this as part of normal receiving, packing and shipping – nobody types traceability data twice. See fruit and vegetable traceability and the Producepak traceability app.
Regulations and standards to know
- FSMA 204 (USA)Lot-level records for foods on the Food Traceability List.
- EU General Food Law 178/2002One-step-forward, one-step-back traceability in Europe.
- PTI case labelingGTIN, lot and voice pick code on every case.
- GS1 fresh fruit & vegetable guidelineGlobal traceability standard for produce.
- QR codes & GS1 Digital Link2D barcodes that carry lot and expiry data.
- IFPA traceability resourcesInternational Fresh Produce Association guidance.
Traceability by crop
Questions
What is a traceability lot code?
A code that identifies one lot of food. Under FSMA 204 it is assigned when produce is initially packed or transformed, and it must travel with the product to the next business.
What does one-up, one-down mean?
Each business can show who it received a lot from and who it sent it to. Full chain traceability links all of those steps together.
How fast should a trace take?
Regulators expect records within 24 hours (FSMA 204). With Producepak a forward or backward trace takes seconds.