TRACEABILITY PLAN:
ENSURE THE CONTROL OF YOUR PRODUCT

by marketing on 14 de October de 2025

COMPLETE GUIDE TO YOUR TRACEABILITY PLAN

Implementing a robust traceability plan is no longer just a regulatory requirement: it is the best guarantee that every stage — from receipt of raw materials to delivery to the customer — is fully documented and under control. In the modern food industry, where speed and accuracy are key, integrating dynamic weighing systems and identification technologies allows you to anticipate errors, streamline recalls and increase consumer confidence.

Throughout this guide, you will discover how to design a comprehensive plan, what records your traceability sheet should include, and how combining Varpe's weighing and inspection solutions can turn traceability into a real competitive advantage. 

WHAT IS A TRACEABILITY PLAN AND WHY DO YOU NEED ONE?

A traceability plan is a set of procedures that allows a product to be identified and tracked throughout the entire supply chain. In other words, the traceability plan definition involves recording what, how, when and with what each batch has been produced, thus ensuring food safety and rapid action in the event of incidents.

Its legal basis is found in Regulation 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council, which requires companies to be able to trace ingredients and products ‘backwards’, ‘forwards’ and internally. Implementing a detailed plan not only complies with the law: it reduces the risk of recalls, strengthens consumer confidence and optimises processes thanks to accurate data that facilitates audits and continuous improvement. 

BENEFITS FOR THE WEIGHING AND QUALITY CONTROL INDUSTRY

Implementing industrial weighing solutions within a traceability plan brings tangible benefits that go far beyond simple regulatory compliance: 

Reduced recalls and complaints

By recording the exact weight and batch data at each stage, labelling errors and overweight issues are minimised. When an incident occurs, you can accurately isolate the affected batches and avoid mass recalls of safe products. This reduces direct costs and protects the brand's reputation. 

Productive efficiency and resource savings

Dynamic weighing equipment checks each unit in real time, detecting weight deviations or defects before they move down the line. This reduces raw material waste and avoids reprocessing, resulting in more agile production cycles and optimal use of installed capacity.. 

Improve quality control

Integrating high-precision scales with inspection systems (X-rays, metal detectors) centralises critical data on a single platform. The result is a continuous verification process that ensures each product complies with weight and quality specifications.  

Data-based decision making

Complete traceability generates key indicators—line performance, rejections, deviations—that can be analysed to implement improvements in OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) and predictive maintenance.
Overall, traceability supported by industrial weighing solutions strengthens quality control, boosts production efficiency and drastically reduces the likelihood and impact of recalls, becoming a differentiating factor against the competition. 

PRODUCT TRACEABILITY SHEET: KEY COMPONENTS

A product traceability sheet acts as a ‘passport’ that accompanies each batch throughout its life cycle. In order to fulfil its function and facilitate integration with HACCP records, it must include at least these key components: 
Component What it collects Why it is crucial
Product identification Trade name, internal code and presentation Avoid confusion with similar references
Batch number and barcode Batch number and label with EAN/QR code Speed up data capture and the location of specific items
Date of manufacture and expiry date ‘Date of production’, ‘best before...’ Allows you to assess stock turnover and risks of out-of-date products
Raw materials and suppliers Origin, delivery note number, quality certificates Facilitates backward traceability in the event of an incident
Process parameters Temperature, time, target weight, critical control points Link the sheet to the HACCP control points.
Inspection/weighing results Dynamic weighing, rejection due to excess weight or defects Online documentary proof of compliance
Destination and customer Shipment details, carrier, departure batch Supports forward traceability for selective recalls
Signature or validation Quality or production manager Ensures the integrity of the registry
These elements link directly to HACCP records, ensuring that any deviation detected on the line—for example, excess weight captured by the controller—is reflected and can be investigated quickly.

By standardising fields and using scanner-readable batch and barcode numbers, manual errors are reduced and data flow to quality management and ERP systems is streamlined, closing the loop on effective traceability.

TYPES OF TRACEABILITY AND THEIR FLOWS

Effective traceability relies on three complementary flows that enable any incident to be located quickly and selectively: 

Backward traceability: origin of raw materials

It allows you to identify where each ingredient, batch and supplier comes from.

· What you must record: delivery notes, quality certifications, incoming weight and date of receipt.

· Added value: if a contaminant is detected, you can limit the investigation to the specific batch and notify the appropriate supplier, avoiding unnecessary production stoppages.

Internal traceability: in-process control

Connect all stages within the plant—mixing, cooking, packaging—by linking target weight, critical parameters, and HACCP records.

· Key systems: dynamic checkweighers, RFID, and MES software that link each movement to a batch.

· Direct benefit: reduces reprocessing and facilitates audits by demonstrating that each unit met quality specifications before leaving the line.

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