Product barcode integrated traceability system, no need for a separate QR code, scan with your phone and know instantly

In recent years food safety scandals have kept coming, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare has mandated that specific foods establish a traceability system. Many manufacturers therefore had to redesign their packaging to print QR codes, and with costs rising they have been complaining bitterly. Last year the Food Industry Research and Development Institute developed a new platform that integrates the traceability system into a product's existing barcode, so consumers only need to scan it with a dedicated app to easily learn the timeline of a food's ingredient intake, production and shipping, and businesses do not have to spend a lot of money reprinting packaging - killing two birds with one stone.

Currently 6 manufacturers have joined, and the Taipei International Food Show, which opened on Wednesday, has set up a special area to introduce it, attracting many people who held up their phones to try it out. Today is the last day of the show, and those interested can seize the chance to try it on site.

Traceability combined with product barcodes puts all the data in plain view

Traceability systems are as numerous as hemp, and food experts urge the establishment of a unified standard

Hsu Fu believes that combining product barcodes with a traceability system is a good direction. The principle of traceability is that every food must have a unique ID card; product barcodes have batch numbers and fit today's logistics model, which is more convenient for businesses. The government can also combine them with electronic invoices and cross-check them against the taxation system to ensure data accuracy, which is what will really be effective in advancing food safety.
Although the Food Industry Research and Development Institute says it can help businesses move from the previous platform to FMIS, few businesses have joined so far, and there is still no dedicated agency managing the food cloud on the market.

Hsu Fu said that food cloud certification spans the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Council of Agriculture, among others, so Taiwan, China still has no dedicated agency and no standard data format. Abroad, large manufacturers such as Walmart and Nestle have their own product traceability systems, and the entire industry chain must use their platforms, but Taiwan, China has no manufacturer that large. He called on the government to take the lead in management and establish a unified standard without harming trade secrets, ideally combined with product barcodes and overseen by the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Note:
Taipei International Food Show
Time: June 24 to 27, 2015, 9:00-17:00 (Wednesday to Saturday)
Location:
Taipei Nangang Exhibition Hall 1, upper floor Zones M and N, lower floor exhibition areas Zones J and K
Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall, 1st floor, Zone A
Tickets: NT$300 each, sold until 3 p.m.
*The above ticket is valid for 1 day, and one ticket admits entry to both the TWTC exhibition area and the Nangang exhibition area