Traceability
Japanese: トレーサビリティ
System enabling tracking from raw materials to products. Enables cause identification when problems occur.
Traceability is a system enabling tracking of which raw materials, through which processes, and when a product was manufactured. Lot numbers and production dates form the basis.
If quality issues arise, the system rapidly identifies which raw material lot or process stage caused the problem, minimizing impact scope. As consumer awareness of food safety grows, traceability is the foundation of trust. Home labeling and fermentation journals represent personal-level traceability.
A system linking information from ingredient origin and variety through production conditions to shipping destinations. Digital advances have introduced sophisticated traceability using QR codes and blockchain technology. This trust infrastructure for food meets an era where consumers demand visible assurance of safety.