Traceability means that one can identify not only the source of the ingredients, but also a whole set of inputs—the entire history of what went into making the product
Taylor Farms is one of the largest suppliers of fresh-cut produce, sandwiches, deli salads, and other products to North American consumers. The company operates 28 processing facilities that source from multiple growing regions and commodity types. In this Q&A feature, Drew McDonald, Senior Vice President of Quality and Food Safety at Taylor Fresh Foods, discusses the company's food safety efforts, learnings, and progress on its journey to achieve compliance with FSMA 204, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) Food Traceability Final Rule.
DM: Traceability can mean a lot of different things to different people, depending on commodity and where they are in the supply chain. I suspect that a group of produce suppliers, buyers, auditors, and government officials sitting around a table would all have slightly different definitions.