Food products are manufactured in large volumes these days. The mass production of foodstuffs means that millions of products are produced and transported in bulk consignments. This makes the individual checking and handling of each product impossible. Yet there are instances where a defective product is manufactured or the food starts to become a hazard to the consumer's health. In such cases, the manufacturer needs to be able to track the product, and they can use food traceability software systems to do this.
The two primary reasons for problems with food products are that they are either too old to be sold or they are a health hazard to the public. When a product is legally too old to be on the market, this does not automatically mean that it is unhealthy. It simply means that the legal expiry date has passed. The product is then not permitted to be on the shelf. The retailer is not allowed to sell it, even though it is still fit for consumption.
But the other reason is more serious. One would expect this to be limited to the perishable products like fresh fruit and vegetables and dairy, but even tinned foods and long-storage cereals suffer from the issue of decomposition. Once this has set in, the product is genuinely useless and cannot be consumed, let alone sold.
The software systems are used to tag and record each batch of products. The manufacturer can then track the batch and monitor its movement, so that they can locate it and eliminate it from the market if they need to.
The public, however, can also take steps to ensure that what they buy is still fit for consumption. The trouble is that any system of recording, tagging and location can be manipulated by retailers and producers. The date that you see on the product is not always the correct expiry date. There are certain things that consumers can check themselves to protect themselves from this unscrupulous practice.
Canned goods are especially easy to check by the consumer because the metal changes shape as the product goes off. If the can is inflated, the contents are rotting, which may also mean that air has entered into the can. If the can is at all dented, punctured or rusted then it should not be purchased.
Some products are specifically marketed as long-life or long-term. But this does not mean that they never expire. The temptation for retailers is to stock them for a long time, so that even after one or two years they still have not past their expiry date. But they may yet be expired. If the retailer refuses to remove them from the shelves, the consumer has the right to contact the authorities or the manufacturer.
Expired food products are a serious threat to public health and they should be identified and eliminated from sale as soon as possible. This is not only about the taste or quality of the products - the public should be protected against avoidable diseases.
The two primary reasons for problems with food products are that they are either too old to be sold or they are a health hazard to the public. When a product is legally too old to be on the market, this does not automatically mean that it is unhealthy. It simply means that the legal expiry date has passed. The product is then not permitted to be on the shelf. The retailer is not allowed to sell it, even though it is still fit for consumption.
But the other reason is more serious. One would expect this to be limited to the perishable products like fresh fruit and vegetables and dairy, but even tinned foods and long-storage cereals suffer from the issue of decomposition. Once this has set in, the product is genuinely useless and cannot be consumed, let alone sold.
The software systems are used to tag and record each batch of products. The manufacturer can then track the batch and monitor its movement, so that they can locate it and eliminate it from the market if they need to.
The public, however, can also take steps to ensure that what they buy is still fit for consumption. The trouble is that any system of recording, tagging and location can be manipulated by retailers and producers. The date that you see on the product is not always the correct expiry date. There are certain things that consumers can check themselves to protect themselves from this unscrupulous practice.
Canned goods are especially easy to check by the consumer because the metal changes shape as the product goes off. If the can is inflated, the contents are rotting, which may also mean that air has entered into the can. If the can is at all dented, punctured or rusted then it should not be purchased.
Some products are specifically marketed as long-life or long-term. But this does not mean that they never expire. The temptation for retailers is to stock them for a long time, so that even after one or two years they still have not past their expiry date. But they may yet be expired. If the retailer refuses to remove them from the shelves, the consumer has the right to contact the authorities or the manufacturer.
Expired food products are a serious threat to public health and they should be identified and eliminated from sale as soon as possible. This is not only about the taste or quality of the products - the public should be protected against avoidable diseases.
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