Food traceability

Abstract

Food traceability, at the heart of food safety, essential for a variety of food investigations and a valuable facilitator of global food trade, involves the ability to identify, at any specified stage of the food chain (from production to distribution) from where the food came (one step back) and to where the food went (one step forward), the so-called " one-up, one-down " system (OUOD). This necessitates that each lot of each food material is given an unique identifier which accompanies it and is recorded at all stages of its progress through its food chain. Because multi-ingredient foods may include materials from a variety of food chains and countries, importers may have to rely on the traceability systems of other countries up to the point of import. This Scientific Information Bulletin attempts to bring together the state of play on traceability legislation or impending legislation or voluntary arrangements across the globe, and to develop improved traceability.