The Produce Traceability Initiative, designed to help the produce industry maximize the effectiveness of current traceback procedures, is currently developing a response to the Institute of Food Technologists’ 10 recommendations released by the Food and Drug Administration in the document, entitled, Pilot Projects for Improving Product Tracing along the Food Supply System Final Report.
The Produce Traceability Initiative and its four administering organizations (Canadian Produce Marketing Association, GS1 US, Produce Marketing Association and United Fresh Produce Association) will work to collect industry feedback and commentary on each of the 10 recommendations outlined in the report.
FDA is now seeking comments on the pilot-project final report as a next step in the process of submitting the findings to Congress and developing proposed traceability rules in support of the Food Safety Modernization Act.
The pilot projects were designed to explore and demonstrate methods for rapid and effective tracking and tracing of food, including types of data that are useful for tracing and ways to connect the various points in the supply chain.
“Many of us in the grower/packer/shipper community are pleased to see that the IFT recommends a uniform set of recordkeeping requirements, encourages current industry-led initiatives, and suggests the development of standardized electronic mechanisms for the reporting of traceability data,” said Sabrina Pokomandy, marketing and public relations manager at JemD Farms, which also co-chairs the Produce Traceability Initiative Communications Working Group. “These recommendations are in alignment with the goals and vision of PTI and help us move forward with industry-wide traceability implementations.”