Traceability software for the food industry

The global economy in food products is struggling with the new threat of bioterrorism. People are very concerned about this issue and the implications of foodborne illness outbreaks. Establishing the security of the food supply chain requires control of food products in addition to regulations. In the United States, the Bioterrorism Act includes requirements in this area regarding the establishment of records to identify the immediate previous sources and immediate subsequent recipients of food, including its packaging; this is in effect for larger processors (US Food and Drug Administration, 2002). Food security regulations have been implemented in most countries worldwide; therefore every company must comply with food processing regulations. Enforcement depends on the size of the company. In response to these concerns, distributors and processors of food products are taking action by implementing traceability both of ingredients and finished goods products. Large business players in food products are demanding traceability from their suppliers as standard operation in running the business; most processors and suppliers have recently recognized that a traceability system that can be used to prove food safety must be implemented as a minimum operations standard.