Traceability - knowing what went where
Plain-language summary
Be able to trace ingredients, packaging and product one step back and one step forward, fast enough to act in a recall.
What the clause is really asking
When something goes wrong, traceability decides how much product you must pull and how quickly. This clause requires a system that links incoming materials and packaging to finished batches and on to the immediate customer, so you can isolate affected product precisely. Good traceability turns a potential mass recall into a targeted one.
What auditors look for
Auditors run a traceability challenge - pick a finished batch and ask you to identify every input and where the product went, or start from a raw material and trace it forward. They time it and check the quantities reconcile. Gaps or slow recovery are serious findings.
Typical evidence
Traceability procedure; batch/lot coding system; mass-balance and traceability test records; supplier and customer lot links; rework tracking
How to comply — recommendations
Make sure your lot coding connects raw materials, rework and packaging to each finished batch and onward to the customer. Test the system regularly with timed mock exercises and reconcile quantities (mass balance). Do not forget rework and packaging, which are common weak points.
Common nonconformities
Rework not traced; mass balance does not reconcile; traceability test too slow; packaging/label lots not linked
Related clauses
ISO 22000 8.9 (withdrawal/recall), 8.4; FSSC traceability requirement
Qlause provides interpretive guidance only and is not a substitute for the standard. Refer to your licensed copy of the relevant standard for the authoritative text.