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.”)