Food factories nowadays produce literally thousands or millions of individual food products. The products are manufactured in batches or consignments and it is humanly impossible for the manufacturer to check or handle each item. Yet mistakes and low quality items sometimes enter the production line. These products are either not saleable or they pose a health risk to the public. The manufacturer therefore needs some form of system to track and record their products, and food traceability software systems are one option.
There are two main causes of trouble with food products, causing the manufacturer to trace and monitor them. One is that the food is past its expiry date. This is an administrative matter that the manufacturer cannot do anything about. Even if the food remains fit for human consumption, if legislation does not allow the food to be sold then it cannot be, regardless of its quality. No matter how bureaucratic this may appear to be to the consumer, stores cannot disobey the legislation.
But the other reason is more serious. One would expect this to be limited to the perishable products like fresh fruit and vegetables and dairy, but even tinned foods and long-storage cereals suffer from the issue of decomposition. Once this has set in, the product is genuinely useless and cannot be consumed, let alone sold.
The software systems are used to tag and record each batch of products. The manufacturer can then track the batch and monitor its movement, so that they can locate it and eliminate it from the market if they need to.
The public, however, can also take steps to ensure that what they buy is still fit for consumption. The trouble is that any system of recording, tagging and location can be manipulated by retailers and producers. The date that you see on the product is not always the correct expiry date. There are certain things that consumers can check themselves to protect themselves from this unscrupulous practice.
An example of a product that the consumer can inspect themselves is tinned food. Tins that have been penetrated, dented or that are rusting should be avoided. If the contents of a tin are decomposing, the tin will inflate. This may also indicate that air has entered the tin.
There are also products on the market these days that are designed to be marketed as having a long shelf life. However, they are not exempt from expiry, either. Retailers or wholesalers might sometimes try to put these items on the shelves for a very long time, even a couple of years. Yet consumers should always check the expiry date. Where a retailer refuses to adhere to the expiry date, the manufacturer or even the authorities can be contacted with the complaint.
Expired food products are a serious threat to public health and they should be identified and eliminated from sale as soon as possible. This is not only about the taste or quality of the products - the public should be protected against avoidable diseases.
There are two main causes of trouble with food products, causing the manufacturer to trace and monitor them. One is that the food is past its expiry date. This is an administrative matter that the manufacturer cannot do anything about. Even if the food remains fit for human consumption, if legislation does not allow the food to be sold then it cannot be, regardless of its quality. No matter how bureaucratic this may appear to be to the consumer, stores cannot disobey the legislation.
But the other reason is more serious. One would expect this to be limited to the perishable products like fresh fruit and vegetables and dairy, but even tinned foods and long-storage cereals suffer from the issue of decomposition. Once this has set in, the product is genuinely useless and cannot be consumed, let alone sold.
The software systems are used to tag and record each batch of products. The manufacturer can then track the batch and monitor its movement, so that they can locate it and eliminate it from the market if they need to.
The public, however, can also take steps to ensure that what they buy is still fit for consumption. The trouble is that any system of recording, tagging and location can be manipulated by retailers and producers. The date that you see on the product is not always the correct expiry date. There are certain things that consumers can check themselves to protect themselves from this unscrupulous practice.
An example of a product that the consumer can inspect themselves is tinned food. Tins that have been penetrated, dented or that are rusting should be avoided. If the contents of a tin are decomposing, the tin will inflate. This may also indicate that air has entered the tin.
There are also products on the market these days that are designed to be marketed as having a long shelf life. However, they are not exempt from expiry, either. Retailers or wholesalers might sometimes try to put these items on the shelves for a very long time, even a couple of years. Yet consumers should always check the expiry date. Where a retailer refuses to adhere to the expiry date, the manufacturer or even the authorities can be contacted with the complaint.
Expired food products are a serious threat to public health and they should be identified and eliminated from sale as soon as possible. This is not only about the taste or quality of the products - the public should be protected against avoidable diseases.
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