Traceability is the ability to follow a food product and its ingredients one step back and one step forward through the supply chain, a legal requirement under EU Regulation (EC) 178/2002 that enables targeted withdrawal or recall when a safety issue arises.
In trade practice
Suppliers maintain traceability by linking field or apiary records, processing lot numbers, packing batch codes and outbound delivery documentation so that any unit can be traced to its origin within a defined timeframe. Buyers verify this system during supplier audits and require lot codes on all shipping documents and labels. A common failure is the use of batch codes that do not uniquely identify a production run, making it impossible to isolate affected stock precisely. Food safety schemes such as BRCGS and FSSC 22000 require suppliers to demonstrate a full traceability exercise, typically within four hours.
In a specification
Contracts and specifications require each delivery to carry a unique lot or batch code that links to the supplier’s internal traceability records, with the supplier obliged to provide a full trace report within an agreed timeframe on request.