The Produce Industry’s ‘Barcode’ of Approval

To bring the labels to the field, new designs for portable printers rugged enough to withstand field conditions were designed with ease of operation and low maintenance in mind. The ability to print and apply labels in the field was also a benefit to the operations in other ways—it provided real-time harvest information to the cooling facilities and sales teams by providing pack-out information that was not previously available on a real-time basis. And productivity increased by eliminating manual labeling, pen marking, and downstream guesswork.

With the engagement of the harvest crews, field managers and employees alike quickly developed a greater appreciation for the accuracy required for the products they handle in the field. They realized they are at the front end of traceability efforts and became more conscious of the requirements and expectations placed on them daily.

Packing within the four walls of a facility mostly eliminates the challenges of labeling from Mother Nature, but companies using either hand packing or high-speed packing lines face other obstacles. For example, many companies use pen and paper to document and track the movement of product, which can lead to inaccuracy of records and potential

mismarking of cases. Implementing a new system of labeling can be initially disruptive to the process, considering the learning curve and audit period to ensure proper label application is occurring. The industry acknowledges how much easier it is to use technology-driven systems compared to those that are paper-based, but even if an operation is already fully automated, some operations fear that installing new hardware for labeling could decrease efficiency and add functional complexity to the line.

Regardless of the operation’s strategy in applying a PTI label, it’s all made possible by an integration of software and hardware to maximize control over material handling, box and size recognition, and label application. When controls are put into place, the technology is able to direct cartons that have been labeled to designated pallet stations or mechanical palletizers via electronic carton controls. This enhances the use of previously installed conveyor systems and provides a granular level of product information to route the right carton to the right place for shipping to the right customer. These established processes have proven to reduce labeling errors to nearly zero.

Direct print on cases is also a challenge with many suppliers using corrugated brown, white bleached, and white printed material. These suppliers have found it difficult to establish enough contrast to print an acceptable barcode that will withstand temperature and humidity fluctuations throughout the supply chain. It has been tested and confirmed that suppliers using bleached or white printed areas on brown kraft can provide enough contrast for PTI compliant direct print GS1-128 barcodes, assuming high-resolution, well-maintained, and monitored direct print equipment is used. There is a continuous drive to use direct print to reduce costs by eliminating the use of a label. Methods currently being piloted include Drop on Demand High Resolution Inkjet, Thermal Inkjet, Industrial Laser Coding, and Digital Tissue Stencil Process. The real test of direct print will come when the entire supply chain is engaged and the direct print barcode is scanned multiple times.

Moving Forward

The produce industry has been referred to as the poster child for all other perishable commodities preparing to attain a level of whole chain traceability to meet the needs and demands of government agencies and ultimately the consumer. With millions of cases of fresh produce moving through the supply chain annually, it is imperative to have visibility of the movement of fresh produce should a situation arise where it must be removed from the marketplace. With industry demands and concerned consumers, whole chain traceability is on the near horizon.