Food Traceability Solutions for a More Visible Supply Chain

Food traceability depends on being able to identify products, capture information at key points, maintain usable records, and respond quickly when something goes wrong. Barcode Factory offers labeling, temperature monitoring, sensing, and data capture solutions that can support food and beverage operations from production through delivery.

Find the Right Traceability Solution

Food traceability in a food and beverage supply chain

What the Food Traceability Rule Means for Your Operation

The FDA Food Traceability Rule establishes additional recordkeeping requirements for businesses that manufacture, process, pack, or hold foods on the Food Traceability List. Covered operations should be prepared for the July 20, 2028 compliance date and need a reliable way to capture and maintain traceability information as food moves through critical points in the supply chain.

Critical Tracking Events

Traceability information is tied to events such as initial packing, receiving, shipping, and transforming covered foods.

Key Data Elements

Required information must be maintained for applicable tracking events so products can be traced more efficiently through the supply chain.

Traceability Plan

Covered businesses need a traceability plan describing procedures for maintaining the records required by the rule.

Rapid Record Access

Required records must be available to FDA within 24 hours of a request, unless FDA agrees to a longer timeframe.

Is Your Food on the Food Traceability List?

The rule applies to foods specifically included on the FDA Food Traceability List and, in some cases, foods that contain a listed food as an ingredient when that ingredient remains in the same form in which it appears on the list.

Examples include categories such as certain cheeses, shell eggs, nut butters, certain fresh and fresh-cut produce, and seafood.

Certain Cheeses

Shell Eggs

Nut Butters

Fresh Produce

Fresh-Cut Foods

Seafood

Traceability Is More Than a Barcode

Product identification and recordkeeping help you understand where food has been. Temperature indicators and electronic sensors add another layer of visibility by helping you understand what may have happened to the product along the way. Together, these technologies can support stronger food safety, cold-chain, quality, and traceability workflows.

Food Traceability Products & Solutions

Different operations need different levels of identification, condition monitoring, and data capture. Explore solutions that can work individually or together as part of a broader food traceability strategy.

Temperature control label for food traceability and cold-chain monitoring

Visual Condition Monitoring

Temperature Control Labels & Tags

Temperature indicators provide a simple way to monitor temperature-sensitive food during storage and transportation. They can help identify exposure to excessive heat or freezing conditions, giving teams another tool for making informed decisions about product handling and quality.

Monitor temperature exposure throughout storage and transportation

Identify potential heat or freezing incidents

Support faster visual checks at receiving, storage, and other handoff points

Help reduce avoidable product loss caused by harmful temperature exposure

Explore Temperature Control Labels

Fresh-Check®: See the Effects of Time and Temperature

Fresh-Check® indicators use reactive material that changes color irreversibly over time, with the reaction occurring faster at higher temperatures and slower at lower temperatures. The visual indicator can help supply-chain teams evaluate temperature exposure, support stock rotation and markdown decisions, and give consumers another freshness cue.

Varcode Smart Tag time and temperature barcode indicator

Digitized Time & Temperature Monitoring

Varcode Smart Time & Temperature Tags

Varcode Smart Tag™ turns a temperature indicator into a scannable data point. The barcode changes dynamically based on temperature exposure, allowing each scan to provide information about whether a product exceeded an acceptable temperature for a defined amount of time.

Single-use, irreversible time and temperature monitoring

Scan with a smartphone or compatible device for immediate results

Configurable temperature thresholds and time parameters

Supports common barcode formats including Code 128, UPC, EAN, GS1 DataBar, and more

Can be applied in-line or post-production

Explore Varcode Smart Tags

Temperature Threshold Visibility

Zebra Temperature Indicators

Zebra Temperature Indicators provide clear visual alerts when defined temperature thresholds are breached. They are designed to help businesses monitor temperature-sensitive products through storage and transportation without adding a complicated monitoring process.

Clear visual indication of temperature threshold exposure

Supports temperature-sensitive storage and transportation workflows

Helps teams make faster decisions about product condition

Useful across food, healthcare, pharmaceutical, and other sensitive-product environments

Explore Zebra Temperature Indicators

Electronic Monitoring

Zebra Electronic Sensors

Electronic sensors add data-driven condition monitoring to food and cold-chain workflows. Zebra sensor solutions are designed to help monitor and manage critical environmental conditions while improving visibility and data accuracy across industrial and commercial operations.

Electronic monitoring for critical environmental conditions

Creates usable condition data for operational decision-making

Supports stronger visibility across storage and transportation workflows

Can complement labeling, barcode, and traceability processes

Explore Zebra Electronic Sensors

How Varcode Smart Tags Add Temperature Data to Traceability

Smart Tags make condition monitoring part of a familiar barcode workflow, helping teams capture temperature information at important points in the product journey.

How Varcode Smart Tags work for food traceability

Apply

Add the temperature-sensitive Smart Tag™ to the product, package, case, or shipment.

Scan

Capture the tag at key points such as shipping, receiving, transportation, or storage.

Record & Act

Use the captured temperature information to identify excursions and support cold-chain and traceability decisions.

Traceability From Production to Delivery

A stronger traceability strategy connects product identification, data capture, and condition monitoring across the points where food changes hands.

Step 1

Produce & Pack

Identify products, lots, and cases with labels and barcodes that can carry information forward through the supply chain.

Step 2

Transport

Add time and temperature monitoring where product condition during transit matters.

Step 3

Receive & Store

Scan identifiers, review condition indicators, and capture the information needed at receiving and storage events.

Step 4

Sell & Distribute

Maintain product visibility through downstream distribution while keeping traceability information accessible when needed.

Build a Solution Around Your Operation

There is no single food traceability setup that fits every facility, product, or supply chain. Barcode Factory can help you compare the technologies that make sense for your workflow.

Labels & Identification

Support product, lot, case, and shipment identification with labeling solutions designed around how your operation works.

Monitoring & Data Capture

Add visual indicators, Smart Tags, electronic sensors, and barcode data capture where added product visibility is needed.

Expert Guidance

Compare options based on your products, environment, processes, and traceability goals instead of forcing your operation into a one-size-fits-all system.

From Fortune 500 companies to your small business, 125,000+ companies trust our products, service, and support.

Our Top Partners

Barcode Factory works with leading hardware, media, and software manufacturers to help businesses build reliable identification, tracking, and data capture solutions.

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Need Help Building Your Food Traceability Solution?

Tell us about your products, workflow, and traceability challenges. Our team can help you compare labeling, temperature monitoring, sensing, and data capture options. Fill out the form below to get started.

For more information or to discuss your project, Contact Us or call 888-237-8525.

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