Traceability

The ability to trace GM products along the entire food and feed supply chain

Traceability is legally mandated for food and feed consisting of or made from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This requirement is governed by EU regulation 1830/2003.

• In the first phase of bringing a GMO derived product to the market, the producer is required to inform the purchaser that the shipment contains GM products. The respective GMO ID code must also be specified.
• All documentation regarding GMOs must be retained and passed along at each stage of processing.
• All stakeholders must devise a standardised system for retaining information. They must know where GM products were obtained from, and to whom the products were sold. All documentation must be retained for five years. 

A realiable system of information and documentation is a prerequisite to trustworthy labelling when GM content cannot be proven by analyzing the final product.

As of 1 January 2005, tracability was made mandatory for all food and feed (even non-GM). The original producer must be identifiable from any point in the food and feed production chain (upstream tracing). Additionally, the entire route a product takes all the way down to the consumer must be accounted for (downstream tracing).