Traceability.
Made Clear.
Farm-to-fork visibility for FSMA 204 compliance. Track lots, trace product, and stay recall-ready.
What is traceability?
Traceability is the ability to track a food product — and all of its inputs — forward from the farm to the consumer and backward from the consumer to the farm. It relies on lot codes and Critical Tracking Events (CTEs).
In plain terms: if a customer gets sick from a bag of spinach, traceability is what lets regulators figure out which field, which harvest date, and which shipment was involved — in hours, not weeks.
Why traceability matters.
Recall Readiness
The FDA expects farms to trace product within 24 hours. Fast, accurate traceability limits the scope of a recall.
FSMA 204 Compliance
The FDA's Food Traceability Rule requires additional record-keeping for high-risk foods.
Buyer Confidence
Retailers and food service companies increasingly require traceability documentation before purchasing.
Reduced Liability
Complete traceability records demonstrate due diligence and can limit legal exposure.
Any farm that grows, packs, or holds produce on the FDA Food Traceability List — including leafy greens, tomatoes, melons, herbs, sprouts, and fresh-cut produce.
What FSMA 204 requires.
The rule centers on recording Key Data Elements (KDEs) at each Critical Tracking Event (CTE).
Growing
Record lot codes, field locations, planting and harvest dates, and who performed the work.
Receiving
Document what you received, from whom, the lot code, quantity, and date — even for inputs like seeds and soil amendments.
Transforming
When produce is washed, packed, or combined, link input lots to output lots so nothing gets lost in the chain.
Shipping
Record what left your farm, where it went, the lot code, quantity, and the date and time of shipment.
Why paper systems fail.
Spreadsheet Chaos
Tracking lot codes across dozens of spreadsheets leads to errors and missing records.
Missing Data at Recall Time
During a recall you have 24 hours to trace product. Paper-based systems can't deliver that speed.
Multi-Supplier Complexity
When you source inputs from multiple suppliers, linking their lot codes to your finished product is a manual nightmare.
Replace the spreadsheets.
Lot codes, photo evidence, mock recall drills, and audit-ready traceability reports — all from your phone.
GAP APP is an independent compliance-readiness platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to the FDA.