Food traceability guide launched in Australia

Deakin University has launched a new guide that is designed to help Australian agrifood businesses track and trace food products from the farm gate to the dinner plate.

The Australian Guide to Implementing Food Traceability (AGIFT) was developed in partnership with GS1 Australia, Woolworths Group, and Meat and Livestock Australia’s Integrity Systems Company.

The 11 learning modules in the guide cover everything from on-farm production, manufacturing, distribution and retail-to-consumer information and exporting, and are designed to be ‘stackable’ with businesses able to incorporate all modules into their operations or pick and choose the ones they need.

Dr Hermione Parsons, Industry Professor and founding Director of the Centre for Supply Chain and Logistics (CSCL), explained that the AGIFT builds national consistency and integrity into Australia’s food traceability systems and ultimately gives a clear line of sight along a product supply chain.

Parsons said the guide responds to the needs of both industry and consumers by explaining the ‘who, what, where, when and how’ of tracking and tracing food products.

“It’s clear that the current standard of being able to trace one step forward and one step back within the supply chain is no longer enough, with consumers calling out for more detail about how their food is produced,” she said.

“Consumers want to know they can trust any claims a business is making about a food product being organic, Halal or part of a sustainable supply chain. And, in a worst-case scenario, they want to know that any food safety notices and product recalls will be handled as transparently and efficiently as possible.”

Tony Boll, Chair of Deakin University’s Food Traceability Laboratory and former CEO South Pacific, DHL Global Forwarding, said AGIFT will benefit not only consumers, but also growers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers.

“For the first time, the industry will have an easily accessible methodology that can be used by everyone along the length of the supply chain, enabling information to flow freely regardless of software or technology,” Boll said.

“And with Australia’s recent announcement that it aims to boost its food export target to $100 billion by 2030, the timing has never been better.”

The Australian Guide to Implementing Food Traceability can be purchased through Deakin University’s Centre for Supply Chain and Logistics. Further information is available on the Implementing Food Traceability website.

 Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/marilyn barbone