Traceability in the food and feed chain:
requirements for system design and implementation

Introduction

This Standard documents the requirements of a traceability management system that has been developed following the Campden BRI guidelines for Traceability in the food and feed chain (Guideline 60, Campden BRI 2009). The development and implementation of a traceability system, based on recognised principles and full commitment from management and personnel, provides assurance that a food or feed operation has the capability to trace product externally (supplier/customer traceability - the one down/one up approach) and internally (process traceability) as applicable. The requirements documented in this Standard are designed to enable effective verification of the status and maintenance of a traceability system.

This Standard can be used by food and feed operators that wish to:

• establish, implement and maintain a traceability system,
• assure itself of its conformance with its stated procedures, and
• demonstrate such conformance to interested parties.

This Standard may aid food and feed operations to develop traceability systems capable of demonstrating effective traceability system management, when used with recognised systems of guidance.

Food and feed operations fully meeting the requirements of the Standard will be able to demonstrate to customers, regulatory authorities and other interested parties that a system of traceability has been implemented that is based on good practice and is appropriate to the nature of their production operation.

The Standard may be used by customers, auditors and regulatory authorities to ensure that best practice has been followed in setting up and maintaining a traceability system.

Food and feed business operators conforming to the standard should have a good basis on which to meet the relevant traceability requirements of private voluntary or international standards that apply to food and feed operations.

The Standard is not designed to be a practical guide to traceability. It is assumed that the user is familiar with what traceability is and, in broad terms, how to implement it. Such guidance is available elsewhere, including Campden BRI guideline Traceability in the food and feed chain: general principles and basic system requirements (Guideline no. 60).

Principles

There are four key objectives of any traceability system as applied by food and feed operations. These are:

• identify and trace what supplied materials are received (supplier traceability),
• identify and trace what is produced or handled from what, when and how (process traceability),
• identify and trace where finished product is sent (customer traceability), and
• efficient documentation and record keeping.

To achieve these objectives it is necessary to establish, implement and maintain a permanent procedure or procedures for traceability. There are three principal components of a traceability system:

• organisation and planning,
• implementation and operation, and
• monitoring and review.

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