CSB-System International, Willowbrook, Ill., offers a fully integrated traceability system that enables companies to obtain International Food Standard’s “higher level” certification and meet all legal requirements.

This system links to external consumer databases such as fTrace and Mynetfair to check the authenticity and history of the products they are purchasing. It’s designed to link all areas of operation—from raw material procurement through processing and packing to onward dispatch—through a single central database that monitors and reports back on the progress or whereabouts of a product at any time.

Each traceability system is tailored to specific customer requirements taking into account particular national and international standards or regulations, including EU hygiene regulations, HACCP, ingredients and nutritional information and COOL (Country of Origin Labelling).

This integrated system also helps to reduce inputting manual information thanks to its capability of online capture of data directly at the source, thus enhancing accuracy and control of production.

Central to the system is the use of lot numbers to link all parts of the production and supply chain. CSB carries out an in-depth analysis of each customer’s current operations and all areas that are to be included.  This, combined with the amount of detail included in the lot number, determines the number of check points along the material and information flow and the structure of the data to be processed to create the bespoke system.

The system links both equipment, such as weighers and weigh price labelers, finished packs and storage facilities. The posting of information about the identified units is carried out in goods receiving, inventory, production and sales. RFID and barcode readers enable information to be readily available throughout the process for checking and amendment as required.

The use of lot numbers helps to ensure identification of ingredients and components during manufacture and provides links to finished products to deliver a comprehensive overview of product origins. This includes identification of all suppliers of processed raw and auxiliary materials.

The system can also form part of an efficient logistics program with faster order picking and information sent onto carriers in advance to enable planning of loading requirements and delivery routes.

CSB-System International
800-852-9977
www.csb.com