If any case highlights the importance of food traceability, it’s the 2013 horsemeat scandal.

The story broke after equine DNA was found in frozen beefburgers sold in several Irish and British supermarkets.

After hitting the headlines, each day brought a new twist in the story – a new product affected, a new retailer, a new country, traces of a new undeclared meat…

The presence of horse or other meat was not a health issue in itself. But there was a risk that the veterinary drug phenylbutazone used in sports horses – and banned in food animals – could’ve entered the food chain.

The horsemeat scandal was the subject of memes and jokes. We all probably shared one at some point. But it was no laughing matter for the food industry.

The impact of the horsemeat scandal

The case starkly showed the vulnerabilities of the food chain and the impact of food fraud, with wholesalers facing legal action for knowingly misselling meat, amongst other charges. Food crime costs the UK food industry around £11 billion a year.

People lost trust in brands and retailers, and sales of affected products dropped. It got consumers thinking, many for the first time, about where their food comes from.

The crisis undoubtedly helped those businesses who use provenance or health and sustainability claims to convey quality or luxury and build trust: ‘locally grown’, ‘corn-fed chicken’, organic, hand-milled grains’…

For example, farm retailers saw an 89 per cent increase in sales during the pandemic and expect sales to increase further in 2022, with people drawn to local produce and exciting artisanal products.

While small specialist businesses have been able to develop a captive market, the focus on ‘origin’ and such-like also brings its downsides.

The food ‘track and trace’ challenge 

Small food businesses are born out of passion. Their focus is rightly on their product or the way they make it. They’re likely aware of some basic level of food safety control they need to meet. Still, many are unprepared for what their traceability responsibilities entail.

They may not realise that Trading Standards will come down hard on them if they make any claims about their products that they can’t substantiate.

And, as the horsemeat scandal shows, traceability is not simply a marketing issue but a critical food safety one.

What happens if you make meat pies and there’s a safety alert concerning beef from a certain abattoir? Can you trace your meat supply back through the butcher or wholesaler to check if your meat comes from there? If it does, do you know if it’s from the affected batch?

If you can’t, there’s no good outcome. You’re potentially putting your customers at risk by not knowing. You’ll have to destroy all products rather than just the ones you know are likely to be affected.

Small businesses are just as vulnerable as the major retailers if they don’t get their traceability processes right. They have the same responsibilities in law but don’t have the same budget for robust supply chain mapping or bespoke IT portals to assist them with the task.

Food traceability in action

So, how do you manage food traceability if you’re a small business?

Trading Standards and the local council’s enforcement team can offer generic guidance and advice, but they’re unlikely to provide the support you need for your unique business.

This is where a food safety consultant can be worth their weight in gold.

I can help you demonstrate your ‘due diligence’ by ensuring:

• You have all the documentation you need through the whole supply chain to back up any claims you’ve made about your product and to support you in the event of a recall.
• Your suppliers (whether wholesaler, farmer or local butcher) meet their documentation responsibilities to help you meet yours. You need a contract confirming how the product is batch controlled and transported etc.
• Your labelling and marketing materials don’t carry any claims you can’t back up.
• You can answer and evidence all the questions restaurants, wholesalers, and retailers ask of your product when carrying out their own traceability checks. This is a crucial element of SALSA accreditation which I can help you achieve.
• The right level of support for your business. From a basic approach for low-risk food items to scaled-up support for businesses with higher-risk, more supply chain-complex products. It may include audits and sample testing.

Ultimately, the work you do to manage food integrity at the front end (such as branding, labelling and robust hygiene processes) counts for nothing if you can’t evidence the integrity of your raw materials. This is your responsibility, but I’ll ensure you’re not alone.

Get in touch if you have any questions about food traceability or if you think you’d benefit from some more in-depth help and support from a consultant who will take the time to understand your business.