Supermarket Perimeter - June 2024 - 68

Technology
Traceability
By Andy Nelson
THE GROCERY INDUSTRY IS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER FOOD
INDUSTRIES IN MANY WAYS.
One crucial one is that in a typical grocery store, you can find most
if not every thing on the FDA's Food Traceability List. In addition, many
grocers manage their own distribution centers, and may have food
facilities that they own.
That creates a very complex environment in which to properly trace
all products, said Julie McGill, vice president of supply chain strategy
insights forTrustwell.
" Retailers are responsible for traceability recordkeeping at several points
across the supply chain, and often, these various business units utilize
different back-end systems and employ different operational processes. "
Trustwell helps enable all parts of the business, allowing for various
data capture options, centralizing the data storage so companies can
monitor for compliance and use the company's investigations tool to
stitch together critical tracking events across their business, McGill said.
Trustwell's traceability platform, FoodLogiQ Traceability, creates
a complete and holistic view of supply chains by connecting critical
tracking event data at the batch-lot level, utilizing GS1 Standards for
traceability, McGill said.
" Our approach is to level the playing field by enabling companies of
any size or technical capability. "
One of Trustwell's key points of differentiation from its competitors,
she said, is that its platform offers seven different data loading options
for traceability recordkeeping: an online form, a manual spreadsheet
upload, .csv upload via FTP, EDI or API, through its mobile app, and RFID
data capture.
68 - JUNE 2024
" We continue to innovate with our customers, and we are piloting
with new technology partners, such as Wiliot, to add even more options
for data capture. "
For a traceability plan to be successful, McGill said, companies must:
* Identify critical points across their supply chain where key data
elements need to be captured.
* Understand what information is captured today, how they capture it,
and where it's stored to aid in the identification of any gaps.
* Enhance existing processes, systems, and in some instances, add
new tools to not only ensure data capture, but also to analyze for
compliance.
Trustwell's traceability platform is constantly evolving to keep up with
industry changes, McGill said.
With FSMA 204, for instance, there were new attributes and new
event types that had to be added. Trustwell made enhancements
to its reporting tools and data validations and added an electronic
sortable spreadsheet, so companies can quickly export their FSMA 204
compliant data when a withdrawal or investigation occurs.
Those improvements now make it possible for Trustwell's grocery
customers and their suppliers to capture, store and share data required
for FSMA 204.
And, crucially, Trustwell's platform is easy to use.
" No matter what your technical capabilities, you're able to capture
the data and share with key partners, " McGill said. " We also offer a range
of professional services, providing FSMA 204 education, readiness
assessments, and supply chain mapping to help companies prepare for
the rule.
supermarketperimeter.com
zapp2photo, panuwat - stock.adobe.com
http://www.supermarketperimeter.com
Supermarket Perimeter - June 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Supermarket Perimeter - June 2024
