Evaluation Criteria for Solution Systems 98

In evaluating the myriad of systems and technologies commercially available, a set of guiding principles was established. Effective systems were those deemed to:

• Leverage existing transactions in the supply chain • Use distributed rather than centralized databases

• Develop or utilize a common standard that allows querying of data • Leverage existing network technologies e.g. XML to develop software

Component of Temperature Monitoring

Perishable products may be shipped with temperature monitors. These come in a variety of types, from color indicators, and monitors that are returned to a central location for data upload, to monitors that the recipient can download information from (such as those that use RFID).

There are a few companies who specialize in temperature monitoring (“cold chain management”) who have created an option to enter additional information on RFID based monitors, or associate a monitor ID with additional information using web based software.

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Additionally, some have developed thermally activated inks that can be used to develop bar codes that, when activated, interfere with the standard bar code on a product and are recognized by a scanner as product that has been held out of spec. However, this ink is still used as a bar code, and unless the bar code is unique for each individual product, the cold chain feature offers no explicit product tracing function.

Analysis: Advantages:

• If these temperature monitors are currently in wide use, tracking the movement of a tag would result in an improvement in traceability.

Challenges:

• The sense from some in the produce industry is that these tags are not always used (for example, when different products must be shipped together, and the temperature ranges do not overlap, temperature monitors are not used since they will show temperature violations).

• Temperature monitors are costly and therefore, are never used on every item. At best they are used on a case, but more frequently limited to a pallet, and often only one or two monitors on a truck are used. This severely limits the usefulness of the monitor for traceability purposes.

a. It is common for multiple types of products, from multiple sources (e.g., multiple farms) to be shipped together on one truck. If there are only 1-2 temperature monitors on a truck, product tracing cannot be accomplished.

• Product tracing is lost when items are unpacked, such as on a grocery store shelf, or likely, even earlier in the supply chain.

• Infrastructure is needed regardless of whether the monitor contains tracing data (scanners/readers are necessary) or if the unique ID of the monitor provides product tracing (this number will need to be recorded, and ease of product tracing depends on storing the number in a centralized location, similar to bar codes).

Tracking of a Unique Medium

Some companies offer traceability by providing both a unique medium, such as a printed bar code or RFID tag, as well as a software system to track the movement of those media as they move through the supply chain.

Analysis: Advantages:

• This was the only type of system whereby each individual food product could, in theory, be tracked from the farm to the table, or rather, from the table to the farm, without capturing intermediate handlers, which would need to be identified for product tracing. Challenges:

• Adhesion of the label (such as a bar code) to every product.

• Space required (as a % of the total package or item size) for a label or tag.

• Labor required to read each number, and data synchronization challenges between trading partners.

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• There is a need for all supply chain partners to track this information, or product tracing is lost.

Information Transfer Platform (Software as a Service)

The majority of vendors do not provide RFID tags or bar codes; instead they simply gather information in a centralized location (on a computer server) or through a distributed network and “connect the dots” between suppliers.

The mechanism for this “software as a service” (SaaS) varies: in most cases, the provider pulls information on manufacture dates, locations, lot numbers, recipients, etc. from each point along the supply chain. In limited cases, the solution provider offers services beyond traceability (such as inventory management) and uses the information to provide traceability.

Analysis: Advantages:

• If data exist in different systems, these solutions provide means for relating those data in a way that can be quickly queried.

• If data exist in paper form (such as paper bills of lading) they can be scanned and electronically associated with the record for the components of the shipment.

• Most SaaS systems can accommodate information from a variety of sources, including bar code scans, RFID scans, or manual entry

• They can also usually interface with existing systems in a company (such as an inventory system) to automatically capture information, limiting the amount of labor required for use. However, this ability is highly dependent on the specifications of the system, and the data format issues are addressed below.

Challenges:

• When SaaS providers mention flexibility in their systems, this is interpreted as the need for the client (food industry) to have IT support to build the necessary applications or make modifications so that the solution fits the needs and requirements of the client. Some members of the food industry lack IT support, and therefore, the internal resources to make these modifications.

• This type of system requires that there actually be linkages between points in the food supply chain. For example, if a plant receives ingredients that don’t have a lot number, or the lot number is not recorded, this type of system is not functional. Similarly, if the incoming ingredient lot numbers are recorded, but they are not related to use in a specific batch of finished product, the appropriate links cannot be made.

• The format and standardization of data need to be agreed upon by all contributing partners in a supply chain.

• All in a supply chain need to use the same SaaS solution. In some cases, all are required to pay for the service; in other cases, there are ways that data can be uploaded (but not retrieved without payment), but all who are in contact with the product still need to transfer data to the system.

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