High performance software 'optimizes' bakery supply chain traceability
The food and beverage IT specialist, based in Germany, provides bespoke software to “help maximise production and planning efficiencies and provide full traceability.”
Its technology allows users to control, document and monitor the flow of goods for products throughout the entire value chain.
Although it has customers in a range of food sectors, bakery is particularly strong, as well as meat because of the freshness required, according to a CSB spokesman. Bakery production often involves a lot of ingredients and needs to be produced and sent out quickly.
A fully integrated traceability system can offer companies “a vital competitive advantage.”
Thomas Kersten, industry specialist at CSB System International, said it means companies can easily demonstrate due diligence and be certain they are meeting all legislative and regulatory requirements.
Kersten added: “Such a system helps to generate an increase in consumer trust and means that should any problems arise with a particular product, the situation can be handled quickly and competently.”
Each traceability system can take into account particular standards or regulations, including EU hygiene regulations, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) requirements, ingredients and nutritional information, and Country of Origin Labelling.
The production line
CSB-System’s bespoke software is now being utilised by among others a German frozen cake manufacturer Pfalzgraf Konditorei, which produces 30,000 flans and cakes every day.
The technology is used as part of production scheduling. Raw material requirements are calculated from the recipe and the number of products to be manufactured, and then sent directly to suppliers.
When the goods are received, other relevant information, such as shelf life or temperature storage requirements, is also made available.
For the production of each product, ingredients or goods are booked out as required and weighed and prepared in preparation rooms.
Specially-designed industrial workstations for automated data capture, called CSB-Racks, are linked directly to the scales and ensure that all required steps are carried out in line with specifications.
Operators have to confirm each stage on the screen for the process to continue, ensuring production and recipe consistency.
The production of each finished cake and flan can be broken down by the system into its individual raw materials and primary packaging, through the EAN-code and batch number provided by the system.
CSB said it has enabled Pfalzgraf to guarantee full traceability of its products – from receipt of goods, through to production, packing and dispatch, which can be used both internally and by its customers.
Meeting regulations
European Union countries rank highest when it comes to global food traceability regulations and requirements, according to a report last summer from the Global Food Traceability Center (GFTC).
It said that traceability becomes particularly important in the event of, for example, foodborne illness, animal or plant disease and product recall.
