Compliance with FSMA 204 is essential to ensure food safety, but can seem complex and overwhelming. Frederic Clulow of Kezzler and Kevin Davies of Provision Analytics met for a discussion about solutions for food safety managers and upper management alike to find success in achieving compliance and improving efficiency. 

The FSMA 204 Challenge

FSMA 204 introduces new traceability requirements, such as capturing Critical Tracking Events (CTEs) and Key Data Elements (KDEs). This requires standardized, interoperable data systems to replace outdated manual processes.

Key challenges include:

  • Data Fragmentation
    Many supply chains rely on disconnected systems that lack standardized data formats.
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Having unified data standards could be the greatest complexity that these operations face.
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Kevin Davies
CRO, Provision Analytics
  • Manual Record-Keeping
    Entering data manually into systems creates inefficiencies and increases error risks.
  • Slow Data Sharing
    Traditional batch data transfers (e.g., EDI) cannot meet the demands of modern supply chains.
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We're not in a world where EDI can keep up. Real-time, API-driven traceability is what companies need to make FSMA compliance functional.
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Frederic Clulow
Kezzler
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Solutions to Prioritize

To address these challenges, the produce industry must seek out digital tools with robust, API-driven frameworks in the back-end, but simple intuitive guidance for operators in the front-end. When browsing through the range of technical solutions available on the market, it's most important to consider:

  • Controlled Data Capture
    Critical Tracking Events should be facilitated by automated guardrails that minimize erroneous inputs and steer operators toward correct usage.
  • Interoperable Data Systems
    Platforms need common language to properly integrate data related to locations, products, companies, and more.
  • Unified Data Reporting
    Tracebacks can break or become slow and cumbersome if data is divided between multiple, unintegrated systems; reporting must be centralized in one hub.

Implementation & Optimization

To navigate FSMA 204 requirements, produce supply chain stakeholders should:

  • Streamline Data Transfers
    Advanced Shipping Notices are crucial to expedite receiving logs by transferring known data from one party to the next. But, EDI lags with batch transfers of data, leading to scenarios where products arrive before the information does. EPCIS 2.0 brings traceability into the 21st century, leveraging GS1 standards to harmonize data references, with seamless and real-time API data transfers.
  • Expedite Common Data References
    Solutions like Provision offer auto-fill recipes and can pre-structure common Key Data Elements related to suppliers, locations, and beyond. This enables operators to populate entire sections of records in 1 tap. Beyond speeding up compliance, this automation can eliminate data entry errors that break traceable histories.
  • Harmonize Data Before Traceback
    Does your operation leverage different software for various Critical Tracking Events? Kezzler is a central repository that can unify data from Provision and other API-enabled platforms. This enables seamless traceability to follow inputs through to shipments, without duplicating searches across many tools.

By adopting these strategies and investing in advanced traceability tools, companies can not only achieve compliance with FSMA 204 but also drive greater efficiency and safety across their supply chains.

For a deeper insight into these topics, you can explore the full discussion between Frederic Clulow and Kevin Davies in the podcast on Kezzler's blog.