Workers recorded harvest field origin codes and packing line lot numbers on paper tags. Tracing a specific supermarket produce carton back to its exact harvest field block required staff to manually search filing cabinets full of paper manifests, taking up to two days per audit request.
Building an FSMA 204 Compliant Crop Traceability Portal for Fresh Produce Packing Operations
A fresh vegetable packing house supplying regional grocery chains needed to upgrade its lot tracking software to satisfy FDA FSMA Section 204 regulations.
Challenge
Solution
FlipWorks engineered a web and mobile food traceability portal. Harvest crews scan barcode tags on field totes; the packing house system links harvest block data, washing timestamps, and packing line IDs to master GS1-128 shipping labels.
Result
- Reduced food safety traceability audit lookup time from two days to sub-second digital queries.
- Achieved 100% compliance with FDA FSMA Section 204 Critical Tracking Element requirements.
- Eliminated paper harvest tag re-entry errors at packing line intake stations.