EAN.UCC solutions for Traceability

Firstly a reminder of definitions which are often used in the matter of traceability.
Traceability is the ability to trace the history, application or location of a supply chain entity by means of recorded identification.
Tracing is the capability to identify the origin of a particular unit and/or batch of product located within the supply chain by reference to records held upstream.
Tracking is the capability to follow the path of a specified unit of a product and/or batch through the supply chain as it moves between organisations towards the final point-of-sale or point-of-service.

Any traced or tracked entity must be uniquely identified. The unique identifier is the key that enables access to available data about its history, application or location.
In a majority of food supply chains, products are tracked and traced by their production batch, which have undergone the same transformation (production process), and by their transport/storage paths (distribution process).

Traceability requires pre-defined data to be captured and recorded throughout the supply chain.
The accuracy and speed of data recording and retrieval are the main performance indicators of any traceability system.

Traceability requires the management of successive links between what is received, produced, packed, stored and shipped.
If one of the partners in the supply chain fails in managing these links this will result in the rupture of the information chain and in the subsequent loss of traceability.

Traceability requires associating the physical flow of products with the flow of information about them.
To ensure the continuity of the information flow, each supply chain actor must pass on pre-defined traceability data to the next, enabling the latter to apply traceability principles.

GS1 has published Guidelines about beef traceability. The aim of these Guidelines is to provide a solution for the implementation of the Beef Labelling Regulation (EC) 1760/2000, using an internationally accepted numbering and bar coding system. The use of common identification and communication standards significantly improves the accuracy and speed of information related to the origin and processing of beef, resulting in increased efficiency and cost reduction within the beef supply chain. These Guidelines provide a current best practice model for the efficient implementation of the Beef Labelling Regulation. The use of GS1 System in the beef supply chain is based upon the ‘GS1 General Specifications’. They are recommended by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).
(20 pages, A4 format ).

The need to facilitate traceability for fresh food has been recognised by GS1. Guidelines on this subject have been developed with a wide number of companies and partners and can be downloaded from the GS1 website (GS1 Applications / For Industries / Agriculture & Food / Fruits and Vegetables)