Food safety is a major concern for consumers and the food industry alike, which is why the FDA has put in place traceability requirements as part of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). But, it doesn’t have to be a burden. When you have the right traceability system in place, you can stay compliant with the FDA and give your business a competitive edge.
In this blogpost, we’ll discuss the current traceability requirements for food items on the FDA’s Food Traceability List (FTL). We’ll also look into the proposed traceability requirements that the FDA recently announced and how they’ll apply to your business. Finally, we’ll explore how EZ Digital-T can help you take advantage of modern traceability systems to meet FDA requirements and make your business more efficient.
Understanding Current Traceability Requirements
The FDA’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety blueprint focuses on food traceability with section 204(d). This section requires additional traceability recordkeeping for items on the FTL, which includes food items deemed to be the highest risk to consumers. To comply with these requirements, companies must create and keep records with Key Data Elements (KDEs). While these requirements currently only apply to FTL foods, the FDA encourages voluntary adoption of these stringent traceability practices across the industry. In addition, companies must establish and maintain traceability program records that help regulators understand an entity’s traceability program. This includes cataloging and describing KDE reference records, tracking shipped foods, and having a description of how traceability lot codes are assigned.
Looking Into the Future: Proposed Traceability Requirements
What Does This All Mean for Your Company?
With the FDA’s emphasis on traceability as part of its New Era of Smarter Food Safety blueprint, it is clear that they will continue to put an emphasis on traceability as part of a larger effort to modernize the food system. To be prepared for the current and any future traceability regulations, companies should establish a robust traceability system that relies on real-time digitized information. Not only can this help you meet current requirements, but it can also make your company more efficient and therefore, more profitable. A modernized traceability system can be linked to sales, inventory, and delivery systems to connect all of the dots in your distribution chain.
How EZ Digital-T Takes Your Company to the Next Level
EZ Digital-T is the perfect solution for companies looking to take advantage of modern traceability systems. It is a single platform that is easy-to-use and handles all of your sales and inventory in one interface. It also links this to shipping information and has automated features to take away the headache of tracking data by hand and across different software.
EZ Digital-T is built upon transparency and tech-enabled traceability so you have full control over data, such as lot numbers and shelf life. And, it is completely scalable so you can easily expand into new markets.
Find out for yourself how EZ Digital-T can take your company to the next level.
Reach out to us today to discuss your traceability needs and how EZ Digital-T helps you meet FDA traceability requirements in the USA.
