When the New Era of Smarter Food Safety plan was announced by the Food and Drug Administration in April, a strong emphasis was placed on the “modernization” aspect of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The message was loud and clear—every food supply chain participant needs to work together “to create a more digital, traceable, and safer system.”
For many, traceability has already been a priority to avoid repeating costly food recalls, dating back to the notorious spinach recall of 2006. Thanks to widespread industry collaboration since then, more than half of the produce industry has implemented traceability processes utilizing GS1 Standards. These standards are more than just the barcode we see in the checkout line—global data standards provide consistency and interoperability that allows trading partners to “see” products as they move through the supply chain.