Since no one knows which pathogen will strike next in the produce or the food industry, ScoringAg can cut the losses of recalls. Traceback codes directly attached to container's and/or retail packaging, gives consumer's direct product information.

With traceability codes directly attached to the container and/or retail packaging, the consumer or food handler can see the products movement record Field To Fork.

Farmers, field hands, and food handlers production data is entered in the ScoringAg database from field to fork, which gives greater control of the products real time movement records and ease of searching in case of a event or incident.

When contamination can happen at any point along the food chain starting at the field of origin, better and faster recall methods need to be implemented. ScoringAg’s traceback labeling code system can help cut recall time and product volume because it ties lot code product number to specific sites that the product has come from or is at even on the shelf.

The FDA traceback rule is another traceability requirement, on top of regulations on trace-back or trace-forward activities under the Bioterrorism Act. Traceability records allow manufacturers and regulators to track food from the consumer to the source faster. This makes it easier to pinpoint problems when a food safety incident occurs, and to make site-specific recalls if necessary.

The PIDC location code generated from the ScoringAg system pin points total movement of raw or finished product to the grocers shelve. All activities associated with data from each food producer, processor, and transporter have entries within the ScoringAg database for uniformed site-specific record keeping facilitating traceback. Those data entries that enhance full traceback includes agricultural best management practices (BMP) at field location sites which are based on HACCP site records such as water quality used for crop protection and irrigation. Other data entries like field inspections, buffer zones, nearby crops, soil test, storm runoff, manure or fertilizer applications, access and sanitation facilities for employees, can be recorded in the database.

Records for transporters and containers that carry harvested product to warehousing storage all have data entries in the ScoringAg database as required by the FDA Bioterrorism law. As the system can cut losses by its real time recordkeeping system and search engine from the online webbased system there is no need to start a recall industry wide. Only specific time and date handled product entries need to be recalled. The package code changes can be minute by minute or by location as product is labeled whether in the field or as it’s commingled in the packing plant.

ScoringAg’s traceback system is more decisive in records then tradional systems that only tracks product by productions shifts and lot codes. As the product moves through each food handler a time date stamp associated with the location code is added to the products record. Laboratory testing analysis data can be inserted, also for water quality, pH, temperature, and water pressures on the fly as it is reported by instruments. Monitoring the product by machine or by a supervisor can be done with real time entries even including the work force.

Since the e-coli spinach recall took many weeks to find the specific field that was contaminated the losses where great. If ScoringAg’s traceback code system had been used on the spinach packages in question, the investigators would have been able to do their search within a known chain of custody of food handlers and transporters. This Point-to-Point Traceback™ information can be displayed at any point during food production and handling, right up to retail.

The information in the barcode can be accessed in the field or at any point during the food handling process with a barcode scanner, even at retail with encrypted login. This would have saved the industry millions of dollars and saved many from getting ill or hospitalized. Many in the industry need to look at their risk assessment to prevent risk blindness of possible losses but instead need to use ScoringAg for record keeping and better risk management.

Source: scoringag.com