Internal Traceability And External Traceability

Internal Tracepower And extraneous TraceabilityTraceability itself does non make pabulum safe. However it is a risk c atomic piece 18 tool whenever a diet gumshoe problem is concerned. Past experiences puzzle maneuvern that the operation of fare or cater market disregard be jeopardized when it is impossible to trace food or lam. Seafood is a highly putrefi sufficient food item, increasingly glob anyy traded and many finicky conditions have to be taken into account (Schrder, U. 2008). Therefore a comprehensive scheme of traceability is targeted to lift unnecessary wider disruption in food visit line.According to ISO 84021994, traceability is throttles as the ability to trace the history, application or lieu of an entity by means of re economyd denomination. scratch line from 2002, all angleery w ars in European gist must(prenominal) be labeled with commercial designation of the species, the growthion method and the amaze field of operation or crossway ion location according to traceability Requirements for lean ( decree EC/2065/2001). E.U. ordinary Food Law Regulation 178/2002 (Article 3) menti id that traceability means the ability trace and come up a food, fertilize, food producing wildcat or substance intended to be, or expected to be incorporated into a food or feed through all stages of overlapion, bear upon and scattering. Traceability is menti adeptd in the Food hygiene Regulation 2009 (Regulation 10) that it should be identified as one meter back from where the food came and one step precedent where the food went at any contract stage in the food fibril80.5% of tiltery production in Malaysia is captured whereas 94.4% of seafood in European meat is capture tilteries. Marine look for get in Malaysia has been quit consistent around 1300 tonnes per annum (Buku Perangkaan Perikanan Tahunan, 2009 Fisheries statistic, 2011). However, at that place is a skip of dropping in the capture of slantery products in the European Union from 7253 tonnes in 1998 to 5148 in 2008. Hence, European Union tends to logical implication more fish and has stringent rules and regulations on the import of seafood products.Traceability procedure whitethorn seem to be lengthy but its importance and benefits outweigh its all. The main purpose of traceability is to break galosh and note chequer and this could boost import potential, market price of admission and lead to better line of descent management and efficiency. In food safety issue, it not only safeguards against bioterrorism, but in like manner enables immediate re clapperclaw and separation when a risk or hazard is identified. Besides that, it excessively provides a channel for transp arnt and fair trading in the midst of operators. Accurate entropy is provided to the public so that consumers will not be misled by imprecise label and make informed purchasing decisions. Traceability records help control governing to perform better risk ass essment (Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 (Article 18)). Traceability similarly helps to increase ones market share or product value. Its importance in the conditional relation of sustainable sport look for may be unseen by the society. With traceability record, seafood business operators cannot make false claims and we can get rid of the false knowledge of plentiful seafood translate in the marine eco system of rules.2.0 Internal Traceability and External Traceability prevalently, traceability can be divided into two display cases, which is the indwelling traceability and outside(a) or orbit traceability. Internal traceability is the recordkeeping of a product within a lead officular operation, telephoner or production facility. It relates the data round warm cloths and serve upes to the net product before it is de sufferred. Many seafood treat companies have efficient internal traceability systems as part of their HACCP ground quality authorization systems. Interna l traceability is aimed at productiveness improvement and cost reduction within a production social unit much(prenominal) as fish plant. This type of record keeping is already required throughout the seafood industry as it is essential for keeping cross of inventory, purchasing and other in house accounting.External traceability refers to traceability the product outside of a business entity, in the entire fork over chain. It is between companies and countries and depends on the presence of internal traceability of from separately one entity. Therefore it is a challenge that requires the cooperation of all operators in the supply chain from elevate to table. For instances, external traceability allows the tracking of a product and attributes of that product through the successive stages of the scattering chain such as from boat or fish farm to table. one(a) step back and one step ahead approach is the simplest model of external traceability. It comprises the capability to track the movement of the product forward through the supply chain to understand where it has gone, what it has gone into and what it has come into touch modality with. Besides, it enables to trace a product back to understand the custody chain of product, components and ingredients. Under this system, apiece partner in the supply chain is responsible to record input signal and output data but not for culture which may be several steps ahead or behind in the supply chain (Can-Trace, 2007). Tracing upstream means looking back along the supply chain towards the harvester or producer steps. Downstream looks forward towards distribution and consumption. External traceability makes use of a array of tools that abets in traceability such as identifiers, carriers (Bar code and RFIDs) and readers. As seafood supply chains arrive longer and convulated, there is raising demand for external traceability data by some(prenominal) regulators and consumers.Both internal and external trace ability system had been apply in European Union (EU) and Malaysia. They are used to achieve dissimilar purposes or objectives such as for food safety regulatory requirements or to match quality and other contractual requirements. Besides a well-developed technological infrastructure, the advance of trace-back and trace-forward (traceability) is influenced by well-functioning and well-organized satisfactory administration (CAs). Legistlation and the accuracy, efficiency of data exchanges and controls are merry to the functioning of the CAs. The Malaysia food safety system is characterized by its complexity and vicissitude with incompatible empowerment entrusted with the task of ensuring food safety at different stages of the food chain such as Ministry Of Health (MOH), plane section Of Fisheries (DOF) and piscary Development Authority Of Malaysia (LKIM).Cemailprotected traceability systemexternal and internal.jpgFigure 1 External versus internal traceability. (Source Pete rsen and Green, 2007)3.0 look for Scenario in Malaysia What Causes Malaysia to Change?The introduction of import conditions for seafood and other fishery products by European Union (EU) in year 2002 had been a wakeup call for the Malayan authorities. In year 2005, the Directorate General of health and Consumers (D.G. Sanco) visited Malaysia afterward the harmonization of the EU members import condition. Among the main problems identified were (Shahridan and Nagalingam, 2011)No specific formula was in place to ensure that fishing vessels and landings sites are in line with EU standards,No generic approval of a farm for export, those who wish to export must register with the Animal Health insulate Centre of the section of Fisheries,Laboratories involved in testing were not adequately equipped and staff were not knowledgeable enough,The HACCP programme was not a prerequisite for an establishment to be proposed for the EU export list, andThere was a necessity to consume minimum hygiene standards in bear upon plants, fishing vessels and landing sites.After the findings, recommendations were made to improve the situation by the conterminous visit in 2008. In year 2008, D.G Sanco found that close to of issues from the old visit have not been addressed and concluded that all semiofficial controls put in place by the Malaysian satisfactory authority were not equivalent to the EU requirements for import of live fish and blameless products. Therefore, EU contemplated to impose a ban, which would then be gazette into a law which would be harder to reverse. This lead the Malaysian competent authority to now impose an biased export ban to the EU (Shahridan and Nagalingam, 2011).The impact of unilateral EU export ban caused huge lost to the seafood and fishery products industries and the government. cardinal touch on establishments and one freezer vessel lost their licenses or EU functions to export to the EU immediately. Processing plants that had their shipment ready for EU and also in process had to appeal for a gestation point in term to fulfill those orders. The ready stock for the upcoming EU festive seasons had to be re urbane and repacked for other countries. Half of the affect plants in the estate shut megabucks and many lost their jobs overnight (Shahridan and Nagalingam, 2011).Several improvements were implemented to meet the EU requirements. New regulations were enacted ( panel 1) and the official controls put in place by the Malaysian competent authorities were reorganized (Figure 2). Details regarding traceability were discussed in detail in the next subtopic.Table 1 New regulations enacted to improve the food safety regulations.RegulationContentFood Hygiene Regulation 2009Health certificates convey to be issued for all relevant parties involved in finished product heading for the EU.Fisheries Regulations 2009Fishing vessels and aquaculture farms have to get quality control proof for seafood that would be proce ssed into finished product for the EU.Lembaga Kemajuan Ikan Malaysia Regulations 2010Hygiene and recognition of fish landing sites approved for al unneurotic material heading to the EU.MOHDOFLKIMCentral competent authorityDirectly responsible for public health in this matter. throws of beverage water supplyCompetent authority directly responsible for animal health matters in this field of operation.Competent authority for issuing the license that allows a company to carry out the activity of import/export of live fish or final product (fishing vessels).MOHDOFLKIMMiddlemen/ TransportersProcessing plantsSources of imported piercing materialWater and ice sourcesAquaculture farmsFishing vesselsLanding sitesMOH Ministry of HealthDOF Department Of FisheriesLKIM Fishery Development Authority Of MalaysiaFigure 2 Reorganization and expatiate explanation of competent authorities framework.(Source Shahridan and Nagalingam, 2011)Improvements4.0 Chain TraceabilityThe ability to connect suc ceeding(prenominal) and outgoing goods or one-step backward and one-step forward is a prerequisite for chain traceability to show the relationship between business partners. This requires that the business partners are known to each other and able to cooperate to successfully create traceability graphical record. This graph is a representation of elements and relationships consisting of knowledge about a traceable unit represented as a directed graph of trace events and relationships to resources, actors and other traceable units (Tracefish, 2009).Before establishing chain traceability, one must decide on what system, method and tracing tool to be used to discern, mark and label his products. It is also necessary to be able to define business partners that are involved in the traceability. The partners should be divided into the by-line categories which are suppliers (producers of naked materials, ingredients, finished products and packaging), customers (retailers) and transporte rs. Types of traceability system and the food supply chain will be further discussed below.4.1 Paper- found and electronic systems Identification, marking and labellingPaper based system and electronic system are examples of traceability system used throughout the food supply chain. The purpose of both systems is to provide study, recording and linking of the particular food from farm to fork. Most traceability system adopted by companies utilizes the smorgasbord of paper and electronic systems. The key factor in determining the type of traceability system depends on the size of the company.In both European Union (EU) and Malaysian perspectives, there is no definite and singular system to be employed throughout the food supply chain. In EU General Food Law, Article 18 states that the system must simply sanction a link supplier-product and a link customer-product which allows providing the essential discipline to the competent authorities upon their request. The very(prenominal) goes for the Malaysia, whereby Regulation 10 in Food Hygiene Regulation 2009 states that a food traceability system shall be provided to be able to identify one step back and one step forward at any specified stage from production to distribution.Although there are differences in approaching traceability and major structural differences between the chains for different types of fish, products and varies among countries, there is also a degree of commonality in schooling requirements by the respective law and regulations. These randomness requirements can be reason as (Tracefish, 2009)Each food business has to collect and record information and make it available to the competent authorities upon request and to other food business operators for the purpose of product withd madal or recall. reading on the nature of the food and the operations involved is required for particular purposes and must be available to the appropriate authorities.Commercially desirable information on the n ature of the food and the operations can be requested by food business for reasons such as, sizable Manufacturing Practice (GMP), ethical, environmental, quality assurance records, raw material or product standards and specifications.Paper traceability system is far-flung and is the oldest system used throughout the supply chain. Most companies in both EU and Malaysian, who are making small profit and producing limited measuring of products, utilise this system as it is cheap and changes can be intimately made. However, its dis usefulnesss are manually intensive, reliant on correct procedural operations, trace-back of information is season consuming and difficult and records are not easily reviewed. A paper traceability system also requires a lot of storage space.electronic traceability consists of bar code systems and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems. Bar code systems are widely used and are well established in the food industry in both EU and Malaysia. It is inexp ensive to implement and use. EAN.UCC system (European Article Number and Uniform Code Council) are the most widely used across EU. The more recent RFID applied science uses tags that publicise acknowledgment codes electronically to a receiver when passing through a reading area. RFID identifiers consist of a surface/chip, which can be link up onto or implanted into any surface to provide encoded information of identity. One of the major advantage of RFID is that it is able to scan the whole pallet in seconds while passing through a reader area as many tags can be read simultaneously even when not in-line of sight which is the disadvantage of bar codes. However, RFID is less widely used engineering science in EU when compared to bar code technology as it is expensive. so far, the usage of RFID technology in Malaysia has not been introduced in tracking seafood product. However, RFID technology had been introduced in government-run livestock tracking programme which is funded by the veterinary Department of Malaysias Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based industries to control disease outbreaks among livestock (RFIDNews, 2009). One major advantage of electronic traceability systems is their ability to handle large falls of information in a precise manner. pictures and reports regarding traceability can be retraced in a short amount of time.Figure 2 Example of bar code (left) and RFID tag (right).In EU, all establishments handling food of animal origin must be approved by the national authority. Establishments here included abattoirs/slaughterhouses, cutting plants, mainframe computers etcetera All foods produced by the approved establishments must carry an EU identification mark, indicating the approval outcome. Under Regulation EC 1907/90, identification marks are required for all other products of animal origin except for eggs. This legislation came into force in January 1, 2006 to ensure traceability for products of animal origin. The mark must be in oval shape, legible, indelible and clearly visible for follow-up. The first part of the approval number is a two-letter national code (UK for United Kingdom), indicating the country in which the food was produced, followed by a site-specific approval number and shutting with the abbreviation (EC) for European citizens committee (Reily, 2009). This kind of regulation however is not implemented in Malaysia.Cemailprotected traceability systemEUeuidentificationmark.jpgFigure 3 EU identification mark comprising country code (UK), establishment code (AZ020), European Commission indication (EC).4.2 Traceability in fish transmittedIn both EU and in Malaysia, information on vessel name, fishing trip number, time of catch, quantity in haul, lot size, landing area and fishing area are required to be put down. The method of record keeping could be paper or electronic, depending on individual company.The only difference between EU and Malaysia is that the existence of a central database system for foods in EU (TraceFood) for tracking the movement of products. This allows information to be recorded and registered in each link. In Malaysia, information is managed manually each organization has their own charge of keeping and transferring information.In EU nations, fish are sorted on board according to species and iced in boxes. Each box is labeled with information on fish species, catch, betrothal, vessel name or number and a unique box number, readable as ordinary numbers and in the form of a bar code. The information is registered in a calculating machine onboard the vessel and the data are transmitted via a mobile phone to a computer at the next step in the chain, the storage battery. This enables the collector to receive all information from the vessel before it enters the harbor. At the collector, each specied of fish is sorted according to size, keeping the fish from each catch date separated to enable fish to be traced according to the same vessel with th e same catch date. At the collectors stage, information about the collector name, fish size/weight and a new box number registered at the computer adding this new information to the database (Frederiksen and Gram, 2004). This kind of technology is not implemented in Malaysia due to its high implementation cost and genteelness cost to the fishermen.Nevertheless, ongoing effort is being conducted by the Malaysian authorities to improve the traceability in both fish catching and aquaculture farms. The introduction of import conditions for seafood and other fishery products by EU in year 2002 was a wakeup call to Malaysian authorities. To enforce traceability in fish catching, all fishermen need to get comply regulations in Fisheries Act 1985 (i) Fishing license (ii) Fishing vessel permit/license (iii) Permanent marking of ID on fishing vessel. In aquaculture farms, Malaysian Aquaculture Farm Certification Scheme (SPLAM) was introduced which incorporated traceability principles. SPLAM is managed by Department Of Fisheries (DOF) which emphasizes in the implementation of HACCP at source. It is a voluntary turning away to encourage Good Aquaculture Practice to ensure the safety, quality, consistency and competitiveness of the products based on criteria, guidelines and standards determined by DOF. Aquaculture entrepreneurs have to fulfil certain requirements and criteria set by the DOF Malaysia, make an application, undergo a review audit and final approval before their farm can be awarded the certificate and logotype (Department of Fisheries Malaysia, 2011).4.3 Traceability in fish processing plantThe information generated from the stage of fish being catches on vessel until reaches the end consumer are transmitted from one link to the next unit. In fish processing plant, the raw material received to be processed from its own fishing vessels. The information that may obtain from catching and from production stage are shown in the Table 2. The freshness of fish an d fishery products are important along the processing as these products are perishable commodity. It needs to be evaluated frequently. There are several evaluation methods could be chosen from, which included microbiological methods, bio chemic and chemical methods, physical methods as well as sensory methods.Table 2 Information registered or generated in fish processing stage.Information from catchingInformation from productionVessel nameFishing trip numberFishing areaFish speciesUnits per catching dayCondition of fishWeight of fishRatio of ice to fishOther parameters conjure up of productOrigin of raw materialPlant number self-assurance number (especially for EU perspective)Product number or code occupation date or lot numberBest before dateProduct weightTemperatureQuality and processing parametersSensory evaluation resultsMicrobiological resultsIn Europe, since the European Union (EU) Regulation 178/2002 requires mandatory traceability for all food and feed products in EU countri es, there is a comprehensive and complete traceability system implemented in the region. In the fish processing plant, several batches of raw materials may be processed into different finished product in one day. Different batches of raw materials came from different vessels, and graded mechanically. The graded raw materials will be distributed into different containers or tanks according to size. Each container tagged with a grade ID. These graded fishes are ready to be processed, which is also known as in-feed batches. The in-feed batch ID carries the information which able to be introduce back from final product. The information are carried between links of batch number, grade ID and in-feed batch ID, or even final products. The processing diligencers must also able to identify whom they provide their products to.For Malaysia perspective, the traceability in fish processing plant is adopted from ISO 22005, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control bear witness (HACCP), Good Manufa cturing Practice (GMP) and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP). ISO 22005 described a traceability system is influenced by regulations, product characteristics and customer expectations within a feed and food chain. The manufacture company should identify the product or ingredients used, the raw materials suppliers and finished products customers, flows of materials, manufacturing process history and other colligate information. These information shall be recorded as documentation for traceability data.Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) is aimed to determine whether there is any food safety hazards that are likely to occur on the fish and fishery product processed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical and physical hazards from the raw material, to processing, distribution and consumption of the finished product. At the same time, the hazard analysis is to identify possible preventive steps that may be applied to control those hazards. The general records that required to make included name and location of the processor or importer, date and time of the activity that record reflects, signature or initials of the person performing the operation and identity of the product and its production code. These records should be done at the time that it is observed. All records as well as all plans and procedures required should be available for official review and write at reasonable time plosive speech sounds, usually 1 year from the processing date for refrigerated products and 2 years for frozen, preserved or shelf-stable products.Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification scheme aimed to assist manufactures of food products and food related products to provide assurance to consumers that the products are manufactured in a hale manner and the best practices in manufacturing accordingly. GMP is one of the pre-requisite programmes (PRP) required to established anterior implementation of HACCP. Records are made al ong the manufacture process show all the steps required by the defined procedures and instructions were taken to achieve the expected quantity and quality. The documentation may divide into quality manual, in operation(p) procedures and support documentation. Support documentation will be the important element for traceability system. It records how the manufacture company carries out and details of their processing process on materials, procedures, operations and finished products. These records may enable the complete manufacture process of a batch to be traced are retained in a comprehensible and accessible form.Meanwhile, Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP) emphasize on the sanitation aspect for a fictional seafood company processing a cooked ready-to-eat seafood product. There are several steps in this operating procedure and several records had been made accordingly. Daily Sanitation Control Record is the main document that used in seafood processing monitoring, such as in safety of processing water and ice, condition and cleanliness of food contact surfaces (included utensils, gloves and outer garments), prevention of cross-contamination, protection of food, food-packaging material and food-contact surfaces from adulteration, labelling, storage, employees health and hygiene, toilet facilities as well as pest control. Other documents are included municipal water bill and periodic sanitation record, building plumbing inspection report and periodic sanitation control record. These records will be reviewed and unplowed on file for two years.4.4 Traceability during Fish and Seafood Products Transportation and StorageIn EU perspective, information inevitable to be kept during fish theodolite and storage includes the name and address of supplier, quantity, batch number and the nature of the supplied fish and seafood products. Other information such as areas and dates of harvesting, location and the date of processing and packaging are also nece ssary. A more detailed description of the products is recommended such as pre-packed or bulk products, processed or raw fish and seafood products. The conditions of the transportation means should be recorded specifically. This includes the temperature, humidity and the asynchronous transfer mode of the transport vehicles, length and conditions of handling and also the duration of transportation and storage. The location where the products are stored and the date by which the products should be used are needed to be recorded. Meanwhile, the name and address of the customer (wholesaler or retailer), quantity, batch number and the nature of the fish and seafood products that were yielded to the customer and the date of transaction or sales talk should also be recorded.Whereas in Malaysia, basic information such as the name and address of the supplier, quantity and batch number are recorded. alteration and validation of the cold chain maintenance is required. Record keeping of the temperature and time control, GMP records such as the personnel and sanitation is also required. In general, the information recorded in the transportation in Malaysia is similar to the information recorded in EU.4.5 Traceability in RetailerThe record keeping of retailer in EU and Malaysia shares the commonality. The retailer should have the record on the information of the producers name, product name and quantity, pallet number, carriers name, shipment number and also wholesalers name and address. RFID system and bar code can be used upon the arrival of the products and these systems aid in the traceability of the food products. Besides, the temperature and hygiene of storage conditions of the products upon receiving date and places of arrival should also be recorded. Types of boxes or container used and the weight of the fish and seafood products should also be recorded. In addition, the retailer should have the record on the origin of the products.In general, the commercial docu ments for these highly perishable products are usually kept for the period of 6 months after the manufactured date or delivery. The legislation of handling and processing of fish and fish products for export to EU are controlled by the Fisheries (Quality Control of Fish for Export to the European Union) Regulations 2009 under Fisheries Act 1985 together Food Export (Issuance of Health Certificate for Export of Fish and Fish Products to the European Union) Regulations 2009 and Food Hygiene Regulations 2009.4.6 Information available to customersIt is important that there is information available about the seafood products sell in the market for consumers. This is to upraise consumer confidence and by confirming the foods that they consume are safe as well as free from any contamination or diseases. Besides, it is also to strengthen the food safety by increase the effectiveness of product recall during the emergency case such as food poisoning. Information on traceability system enabl es consumers to avoid specific seafood easily due to the allergenicity, food intolerance or even lifestyle choice (ICTSD. 2006). For consumers, traceability system provides a more controllable condition in food chain which meant to deliver a safer and higher quality of food. Thus, traceability system may be an effective system that provides information about the whole process of product, from the production to the distribution among consumers by providing the consumers information of the origin for that particular product and give consumers a greater choice in deciding whether to buy or not. introductory information such as species of seafood product, origin of product and suppliers is needed on the package of products as well as Halal certification/ enfranchisement especially in country like Malaysia. With this information, consumers will feel safer in that they will be able to see the detailed information about the origin country and also the farm of the seafood products. Due to the undeveloped and out or keeping(p) management of traceability system, Malaysia is still practicing conventional and manual record keeping. Thus, more detailed information about the product is not available to customers in the market. In developed countries like EU, there are tools to identify the trade and logistics items such as EAN.UCC system. Every item will be given one unique number, and the number will give identity to the products and consists of information concerning the products.Besides, it is receptive in providing the locations where the products are assigned and ensure the efficient flow of products. through with(predicate) the system, information related to the products can be passed from one stage to other until to the end, which is to the consumers. The information available to consumers are such as fish species (Trade/ Latin name), catching area, catching date, production me