What’s all the “buzz” about Traceability for Meat and Seafood? Regulations from the FDA, NOAA, Homeland Security in the US, international regulations, and requests from the consumer who wants fresh and sustainable food, make it clear that meat and seafood companies need to implement a formal traceability program. The question is not “Do I implement traceability?” It’s “How do I find a traceability system that benefits my business?”

for the Meat and Seafood IndustriesAutomating Traceability

TR ACEABILITY DEFINEDGS1 (Global Traceability Standard) defines traceability as “the ability to track forward the

movement through specified stage(s) … and trace backward the history… of that which is under

consideration.”(1) Taking it a step further, “a traceable item source must know what has happened…

during its internal process…”(2) In other words, the company must be able to identify a specific

product (lot, batch) and know where it came from before entering the facility, what happened to it

within the facility, and where it went when it left the facility.

Meat and seafood processing takes one item and breaks it down to make many. During this process,

lots or batches may be mixed, separated, divided, packed, and/or repacked. Details such as gross

weight, net weight, temperature, and product details such as species, color, grade, etc. require

complex data collection and reporting. Finding an automated traceability system that tracks these

details accurately throughout this process can be a challenge.

Who Regulates Traceability in the US?

• GS1 sets international standards

• TheFDA sets safety standards that include

inspections, sampling and analyzing,

and examination of imported meat and

seafood to name a few.

• Homeland Security focuses on preventing

a wide-spread bioterrorist act through

tainted food

• NOAA focuses on eliminating fraud and

encouraging sustainability.

The bottom line is a lot of agencies want a lot

of information about meat and seafood, which

are arguably the most perishable of all flesh

foods. This requirement presents a high level of

complexity for meat and seafood.

“GS1 Standards Document”, November 2012, Issue 1.3.0, page 13 for (1), page 37 for (2)

Tag Carcass at Receiving to Initiate Lot Traceability

In a perfect world we would combine the advantages of the paper-based system with those of a

computerized system. An automated traceability system married with business processes can pay

for itself in just a few months. The result:

1. Elimination of errors.

2. Increased data entry speed and elimination of duplicate data entry (write it down the key it in.)

3. Real-time information for management and the production team, allowing for “on the fly”

adjustments to production.

4. Accurate inventory records. Know what to sell at the moment it’s packed.

5. Shipment verification that reduces errors, eliminates some manual steps (automatically print

Bills of Lading) and virtually eliminates disputes with the receiving entity.

WHY AUTOMATE?Many companies in the industry are recording information for traceability and quality reporting

manually. Why make the transition to an automated system?

Here is a comparison:

Paper-based traceability system Computerized traceability systems

Advantages Its familiar – what we’ve always done. No extra training necessary.

Data can be input quickly with minimal if any errors.

Inexpensive to implement. Information is available in real-time.

Flexible – easy to change the process.

Reporting is fast and easy – allows for fast reaction to problems within production.

Information is readily available to others within the company (i.e. sales) and the supply chain.

Disadvantages Labor intensive and slow. Can be costly to implement.

Error-prone. Requires higher level of training.

Recordkeeping is labor intensive. Employees may be frightened of technology.

Reporting is not easily reviewed. The environment is hard on equipment.

Cloud-based ERP Standalone Real-time

Least Expensive Most Expensive Middle of the road costs

No database for business use

Extensive accounting data Production, traceability and inventory

May be easy to use Double entry of traceability data Real-time, easy data entry

No sales info Sales, purchasing, payroll No sales or purchasing modules

No true reporting Reports typically for accounting Production & traceability reporting

Not all traceability systems are the same. Many claim to provide “full end-to-end traceability”, but

in reality they are tracking a finished goods’ case or pallet. The issue for most software is the “one to

many” (deconstruction) concept. Accounting-based systems and ERPs typically can’t deal with the

complexity of meat and seafood processing and provide any depth in traceability.

“Depth” in traceability means the ability to track backwards through various steps in production

and forwards to the packaging of the finished product, defining each stage in the process and

CHOOSING AN AUTOMATED TR ACEABILITY SYSTEMA well-designed traceability system is flexible and comprehensive. It doesn’t make you change

your process and it does provide detailed information that follows your product through

processing, commingling, re-packing and shipping. The best systems provide production, inventory

and shipping information in “real- or near-real-time”.

The second criteria is that it must be easy to use. A real-time system requires data entry on the

production floor. Because worker turn-over is high and time to train is limited, so make it easy

for them.

Make sure the traceability system benefits the business. A traceability system will be of minimal

benefit if it provides information for the government and the customer but cannot be used to run

the business.

And the company who provides the system should be established, knowledgeable and

responsive. The meat and seafood plants are fast-paced business that can’t wait for a delayed

return phone call when something goes wrong. Find a trusted partner.

Traceability systems come in various forms:

At dock/Auction House record: Boat #, Capt.

Grade, Lot #, Total Weight, # Bags. Then print a SIMBA 2D bar code.

Transport to plant

Shipping can be done by order number or complete van loads

Rebox (Processing): Fillets/Bellies. SIMBA Prints a new label for

each item.

Cold Storage/Freezer

Receiving: QC ReGrade & confirm weight. SIMBA prints a new carton label.

recording any mixing of lots or change in

form (filleting, deveining, etc.). The complete

traceability system starts at the “origin” (the

fishing dock, the pond or tank of a fish farm

or the receiving dock in the plant) and follows

it through processing, packing and labeling,

storage, palletizing, and shipping.

The sample flow chart has data collection

points that provide depth in traceability plus

detailed production data:

Track Shrimp Processing Through Many Steps For Complete Traceability

AUTOMATING DATA ENTRYThe goal for data collection in the meat and

seafood plant is to input the maximum amount

of detail in the least amount of time with the

fewest errors.

Methodologies:

• Computer keyboard data entry: This is

usually accomplished using a combination

of keyed entry and drop-down menus.

Data entry is more accurate than pen and

paper and does give real-time information

to management. Training may be time

consuming and reliability of the equipment

can be problematic.

• Touch Screen data entry: Pushing buttons

on a touch screen, especially if the data entry

software is designed to link information

without additional input, is fast and accurate.

It is also the easiest for workers to learn.

• Digital Input from Equipment (cutters,

etc.): Because this method eliminates

human intervention it is the most accurate and the fastest way to enter the

data. It is also the most costly to implement.

• Barcode Scanners: Barcode scanning is as accurate as digital input and equally

fast. Unless “fixed” scanners are used, it does require a worker’s time. There can

be a great deal of information stored in a 2-dimensional barcode, including

the lot number, case number, species,

grade, etc.

Ruggedized Equipment

One of the barriers to implementing an

automated data collection system on the

processing plant floor is finding equipment for

the wet, cold, dirty environment. The solution

to this issue is available with advances in

technology made in the past few years. Look

for “IP-65” or better environmentally-rated

devices, which means the equipment is sealed

against dirt and moisture, plus can withstand

multiple drops to concrete. Choose equipment

from a reputable manufacturer and verify

the warranties.

Synthetic Tag on Tuna

Touch Screen Data Entry is Fast and Easy to Learn

SUMMARYAn automated traceability system must be reasonably priced, easy to use, require minimal training

and few changes to your process, have equipment that can withstand the rough environment,

and provide depth of traceability plus business reporting. Take a look at the SIMBA system from

Dynamic Systems: http://www.dynamic-systemsinc.com/software/meat-and-seafood/.

Workers like the easy-to-use touch screens that sit on the plant floor; the software does not require

any process changes; SIMBA offers in-depth traceability throughout the process; and management

and sales get real-time reporting to help the business.

800-342-3999 / 425-216-1204

11411 NE 124th ST Suite 275 Kirkland, WA 98034

www.dynamic-systemsinc.comRESPONSIVE. INCLUSIVE. AFFORDABLE.

• Wash-downandWipe-downComputersprovidetheenclosuresrequiredinthewet

environment. The Wash-down Computer can literally be hosed down.

• RuggedTabletsareavailableforuseinremotelocations,suchasthefishpond,dockor

auction house.

• RuggedandFreezer-ratedMobileBarcodeScannersaredesignedtoworkinwetand

cold environments.

• ReliableLabelPrinterscanmeetyourduty-cyclerequirements(labels/hour).

• SyntheticBarcodeLabels&Tagswillwithstandthewetenvironmentandrough handling.

Zebra Technologies is a global leader respected for innovation and reliability.

Zebra is the world leader in the manufacture of barcode and RFID printers and

mobile barcode scanners. Their equipment has been implemented by some of

the largest meat and seafood companies in the world.