Traceability

The need for traceability has emerged in both industry and government. Traceability will improve all aspects of safety in the food supply chain, allow better management of inevitable food product crises or recalls, eliminate international food trade barriers, improve consumer confidence, and prepare for, contain and prevent potential bio-terrorism attacks.

The Case to Trace

Why traceability?
In the U.S. and beyond, there exists a "data deficiency." The quality and safety of a food product is influenced by a host of critical events and control points. Often times this valuable data is not captured. Furthermore, the inability to link these critical pieces of data makes it extremely challenging to minimize recalls, manage risk, respond in a timely fashion and improve food safety and security.

Companies within other industries such as automotive, aerospace and medical device manufacturing, have integrated and managed their entire supply or production as well as their regulatory requirements, in an effort to improve quality, reduce cost and improve efficiency and safety.

The food industry has the opportunity to remove the "data deficiency" issue with an information traceability system, making it possible to effectively manage food production and supply for not only quality, but also safety and security. For an overview of stakeholder benefits associated with traceability, click here.

QuaTIS (Quality Traceability Information System)
TÜV offers the most globally advanced traceability technology platform, QuaTIS (Quality Traceability Information System). This comprehensive information system enables complete security, quality control, and trace-back capabilities throughout the entire food production chain.

Food industry experts and software engineers designed this $2 million program as a solution that works for all the users in a system. In use for over three years in the European Union, the uniquely architectured QuaTIS system collects and utilizes data from the users' existing data management systems, thereby not requiring alterations or changes to existing systems. Links can be created through the appropriate interfaces to tie together current systems, such as product management and laboratory systems.

Traceability and Proof of Origin - The Quality Control Chain In One View
By integrating various monitoring systems into one comprehensive system, QuaTIS grants access to all critical data accumulated throughout food production, from both internal and external sources. The flexible configuration enables the modeling of various production chains and products within the food production industry. Integrated comprehensive guidance capabilities enable the specific allocation of tasks in monitoring, control and testing bodies. Hence the risk of loss of verification within the quality control process is minimized.

Knowledge-Based Risk Management
Intelligent and individual analysis capabilities, coupled with the ability to completely track and trace origin procedures, enable sensible risk management and continuous quality control. The resulting transparency within the food production chain allows all participants to make confident and knowledge-based decisions in the evaluation of quality improvement procedures, when responding to crises and for effective damage limitation management.

Developing technologies and current industrial standards were also considered during the development of QuaTIS. Through modern security system connections, access to data and content is selective, defined and always guarantees the necessary data confidentiality. Using the Internet as a means of communication, full integration of all participants across the industry is possible.

In the event of crisis, those responsible for the quality and safety of the food supply chain need to be able to react quickly to protect consumers. QuaTIS will help to make this demand a reality.

QuaTIS provides platform for:

• Food production chain management

• Mapping of production chains

• Tracing and tracking of product origin

• Tracing of product life cycles

• Tracing of quality-affecting measures

• Compilation of products from subcontractors

• Project management

• Integration of participating institutions like producers, authorities and examining bodies

• Assessment of Company
  • Auditing and Inspection Management
  • Laboratory Analysis and Results
  • Logistics of Samples

• Examination of Products
  • Scheduling of Verification and Analysis
  • Management of Samples and Analysis
  • Logistics of Samples
  • Results of Laboratory

• Certification Management

For technical specification of QuaTIS, click here.

For more info or to schedule a demonstration, contact us.

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