How to set up a food traceability system

You must have a system to track your food ingredients from your supplier through to the final product you sell. This is a legal requirement in the UK known as food traceability, and it’s essential for managing safety issues or product recalls. The simplest way to comply is to start a dedicated logbook or spreadsheet from day one, recording key details for every ingredient delivery.

Why is Traceability So Important?

Traceability isn't just about paperwork; it's a critical part of your food safety management system. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) requires all food businesses to have a system in place. Its main purpose is to allow for quick and targeted action if an ingredient is found to be unsafe. For example, if a supplier recalls a specific batch of flour due to contamination, your traceability records will allow you to instantly identify if you used that batch and which products are affected, protecting your customers and your business's reputation.

The rule is often summarised as 'one step back, one step forward':

• One step back: You must be able to identify who supplied you with every ingredient.
• One step forward: If you supply other businesses (e.g., you sell your cakes to a local café), you must record who you sent your products to. You do not need to track individual customers who buy directly from you.

What Information Do I Need to Record?

Your system doesn’t need to be complicated, but it does need to be accurate and consistent. For every ingredient you receive, you should log the following information:

• Name and address of the supplier
• A clear description of the product (e.g., 'Plain White Flour')
• The quantity and date of the delivery
• The batch number or lot number from the supplier's packaging

Keeping these records in a simple spreadsheet is often the easiest way to manage the information.

A Simple System in Practice

Here’s how you can put this into action:

1. On Delivery: A sack of flour arrives from your supplier, 'Miller & Co'. You open your traceability spreadsheet and log the date, supplier name, product ('Organic Wholemeal Flour'), and the batch number printed on the sack (e.g., 'WH-54B21').
2. In Production: You bake a batch of 50 loaves of wholemeal bread. In your daily production log, you note that 'Wholemeal Batch 001' was made using flour from batch 'WH-54B21'.
3. In Case of Recall: A week later, 'Miller & Co' issues a recall for batch 'WH-54B21'. You can immediately check your records, confirm you used it, and know that 'Wholemeal Batch 001' is the only product affected.

Top Tip: Get into the habit of logging deliveries as soon as they arrive. Making it part of your daily routine ensures records are always up-to-date and nothing gets missed during a busy service.

By keeping these simple records, you are not only complying with the law but also demonstrating that you are a responsible and professional business owner who takes customer safety seriously.