In February we looked at the available tools to track and trace products throughout the supply chain; that is, what occurs outside a manufacturing facility. But what about keeping track of products within the confines of the plant? That is: Ingredients that come in the door, are combined in a recipe and go out the loading docks. What happens within a facility is easy to track, right? Well, if that were the case, why were 47% of FDA recalls and 24% of USDA recalls in 2021 caused by undeclared allergens on the label, according to FMI?¹

Of course, these numbers don’t account for recalls due to metal, plastic or other fragments contained in the food—or recent issues like CIP/detergent chemicals contained in beverages due to improper CIP/cleaning procedures.² Any of these incidents can damage the brand. (For more on CIP, see this month’s article, “Make CIP an Integral Part of Your Process.”)