Lot marking is the code or mark on a prepacked food that identifies the batch to which it belongs, required under Directive 2011/91/EU, and is the essential link between a retail or trade unit and the production, packing and raw-material records that support a recall or withdrawal.
In trade practice
The lot mark is typically preceded by the letter L unless the date marking itself serves as the lot identifier, which is permitted under the Directive. Suppliers must ensure the lot mark is legible, durable and traceable back to internal batch records covering raw-material intake, processing parameters and finished-product test results. Buyers and certification auditors verify that lot marks appear on both outer and inner packaging and that the supplier can retrieve the full batch record within the timeframe required by their food safety standard. A frequent non-conformity is the use of lot codes that are not documented in the supplier’s traceability system.
In a specification
Purchase contracts and specifications should require the lot mark to appear on each sales unit and each outer case, and should define the format and the minimum traceability record retention period.