Traceability:Standardization

From TraceFood

The importance of standardization

The main objective of the TraceFood Framework is to make traceability through a whole supply chain possible, preferably in electronic form.

Similar to communication between human beings, computers and software programs need standardized words (vocabulary/ontology) and grammars (rules for coding and exchange of data) to understand information and communicate in a structured way. Even manual traceability systems benefit from such harmonization. The TraceFood Framework facilitates users with a total infrastructure for this purpose.

In the current situation, the buyers of food products each specify the structure and content of the information that is transmitted, often through lengthy forms to be filled out by the supplier. The supplier is then faced with a wide variety of forms to fill out, often with conflicting names and measurements.

By using a standard, information becomes re-usable and unambiguous, and workload is minimized. Suppliers can deliver information in one format and buyers can receive information the same format. A language for standardized electronic communication called TraceCore XML has been developed.

Information exchange without a standard:	Information exchange with a standard: