In September, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a new proposed rule regarding food traceability. This rule, which would be part of section 204 of the Food and Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), establishes event tracking requirements for specific foods and ingredients throughout the supply chain.

Many food and beverage manufacturers had anticipated this rule, and some already participate in programs like the Produce Traceability Initiative, which have similar standards. But the new requirements will still have a significant impact on the industry, especially for companies that still rely on manual processes. To keep from getting bogged down in time-consuming and error-prone data entry, food and beverage producers need an integrated EDI solution that is built with traceability in mind.