GTP:Electronic exchange
From TraceFood
Electronic exchange of traceability information on standardized format
An important part of the TraceFood Framework is the electronic language used for coding and exchanging information about food products in general, called TraceCoreXML. This language has been developed for food businesses who want to send and receive traceability information in a standardized electronic format, and hence have the opportunity to directly re-use information without any re-punching.
TraceCoreXML contains a specification for how traceability information can be coded, transmitted or made accessible in standardized electronic format, called XML (eXtensible Markup Language).
TraceCoreXML is an electronic carrier that makes it possible to exchange the predefined data elements listed in the sector specific standards. Nevertheless, as the word extensible explains; it is a flexible "language" where new data elements may be added to the vocabulary and exchanged when needed.
In practice, TraceCoreXML is based on the concept of request and response messaging. This means that when a food business needs specific information about a Trade Unit, one can send a request message for this purpose. The receiver will then send and response message containing the requested information (one or more data elements). In this way communication is reduced to a minimum, and since the information is directly reusable, this is also a very costly form for data exchange.
Example of the TraceCoreXML schema:
Schematic example of how TraceCore XML may be used for exchange of information between different traceability databases.
How to implement TraceCore XML
The business partners that requests an electronic exchange of traceability information should strongly insist that their software suppliers builds the solution on TraceCore XML.
The software suppliers should study the TraceCore XML and the sector specific files. The business partners may in cooperation with their software supplier’s work out more industry specific information and include this into the XML before implementation.
