Do You Recall This Much Recall?

StevenSimske — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 05:04:00 GMT

We are rolling into the Thanksgiving Holiday here in the States, which traditionally coincides with a modicum of gluttony. Historically, the time right after harvest was the time of festivals--might as well eat the food and let it ferment inside you rather than your cellar!. Given the recent news and FDA announcements, one wonders what is safe to eat at all...

The youngest might not want their formula:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081126/ap_on_he_me/infant_formula_6

Don't put tomato sauce on your veggies:

http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/wegmans11_08.html

Heck, don't have the veggies, period!:

http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/stopnshop11_08.html

Don't try cheese as an alternative dessert:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27914220/

Or an alternative cheese as an alternative-alternative!:

http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/panos11_08.html

Don't try a dietary supplement in place of the big meal:

http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/balancedhealth11_08.html

Or try fat loss capsules to keep the weight off!:

http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/fashionsanctuary11_08.html

And don't try rewarding the pooch with an extra helping:

http://www.petcare.mars.com/

Guess it's time to start that diet! Either that, or time for a reliable food track and trace mandate. On that sour (sweet, bitter, salty, MSG or other taste, for that matter) note...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Cheers, Steve

ePedigree Delay a Sign of An Eventual Supply Chain U.N.?

StevenSimske — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 05:49:00 GMT

I have been remiss in discussing the delay in the California ePedigree until 2015. This has been interpreted as a long-term delay for track and trace and overall product safety. For a nice overview and analysis of the problem, see http://www.industryweek.com/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=17793.

However, ePedigree initiatives are underway by the WHO, FDA, EU, AQSIQ (China), GS1 and other standards/regulatory organizations. A full serialization+pedigree requirement may be delayed until 2015, but it is unlikely that ePedigree will not already be in place before then. Recent passing of PRO-IP and Country-of-origin labeling (COOL) legislation in the US indicates that the US,too, will continue with initiatives before 2015.

The delay of California ePedigree legislation, moreover, may be indicative of another passing of the torch. Much as the recent Presidential (and Congressional) election results likely signal a more collaborative, less "independent" US foreign policy, the delay in ePedigree may signal a more collaborative, less independent nation-to-nation legislation in the future.

Will the big players--WHO, FDA, EU, AQSIQ, GS1, ISO, and others--work together to create a reasonable roadmap for product track and trace, pedigree and provenance? In effect, create a "United Nations" for track and trace? I, for one, hope so. With the increasingly convoluted supply chains for virtually all products resulting in chaos during recall, fraud and even normal node-node shipping situations (how many retailers can confidently tell you everywhere a product has been on its way to their shelves?), how long can it be before the legitimate market says, "enough is enough"? Plus, a universal process will reduce confusion, lower cost, and improve response time around the planet.

Is the current combination of counterfeiting, diversion, factory overrun, smuggling, return fraud and other supply chain crime the commerce equivalent of the two World Wars? A series of events so drastic that the set of collective players decides to band together into a United Nations to try to prevent such a meltdown in the future? (I realize the United Nations is by no means perfect--but we have been without nuclear combat for 63 years...). Maybe so. And maybe the delay in the California ePedigree shows that the US, rather than defining the path forward, is willing to work with the rest of the Supply Chain United Nations in formulating the optimum set of requirements moving forward.

-Steve

Security Printing and Imaging : Recall, FDA

Do You Recall This Much Recall?

ePedigree Delay a Sign of An Eventual Supply Chain U.N.?