Food recalls have increased steadily since the COVID pandemic, with undeclared allergens, Salmonella contamination, and Listeria outbreaks (and recalls) occurring with alarming frequency. Recent widespread, multi-state recalls have included cinnamon, charcuterie meats, cantaloupe, and dairy products.
Beginning in January 2026, the new Food Traceability final rule aims to improve food recalls by facilitating faster identification and removal of potentially contaminated food from the marketplace. The rule, issued under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), will require food businesses—including farms, manufacturers, processors, distributors, restaurants, and retailers—to:
- Develop traceability plans, assign traceability lot codes, and maintain accurate, up-to-date tracking records.
- Keep accurate records about foods’ product descriptions, information about where foods came from, quantity and unit measure, etc.
- Provide traceability information (quickly and accurately!) to the FDA upon request.
Would your restaurant be able to comply with these new requirements? If not, you need to make some changes.
Why is traceability so essential?
A huge challenge for food businesses is being able to accurately track and trace food products throughout their supply chain journeys—from farm to fork. Better traceability helps identify unsafe or contaminated foods, allowing these products to be removed quickly and completely from the marketplace. Recently, there’s been growing awareness of—and demand for—accurate and efficient traceability in the food industry. Consumers are becoming more concerned about food safety, and regulators are implementing stricter policies and standards to ensure food safety, traceability, and transparency.
To be truly effective, food tracing requires a coordinated and standardized effort from all supply chain partners, including producers, processors, distributors, restaurants and retailers. Each step in the supply chain must be properly and accurately documented, and the data must be stored in a way that can be provided to the FDA in sortable spreadsheets within 24 hours. Then, in the event of a recall, it’s easy (and accurate) to trace products’ journeys through the supply chain for quicker, more complete removal of contaminated products from restaurants, store shelves, and consumers’ homes.
Therefore, supply chain partners must work collaboratively and cooperatively to improve transparency through every step of the process—from harvesting to processing, manufacturing, shipping, storing, selling, and serving.
Since food recalls have recently reached a five-year high, it’s obvious that things need to change to make foods safer and make recalls more effective. The new Food Traceability rule aims to accomplish this. Per the new guidelines, any organizations that work with foods on the Food Traceability List (FTL) —including fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, nut butters, soft cheeses, etc. —must maintain careful records to boost traceability. And that, obviously, includes restaurants.
Restaurants (and other food businesses) must improve their traceability compliance and standardize their recall processes now—prior to the upcoming deadline—because it will significantly improve their recall responses at a time when recalls are rising dramatically. To accomplish this:
Use tech tools. For instance, tech platforms are revolutionizing various aspects of the food industry, including recall management. From predictive analytics to automated traceability systems, tech is transforming and improving all aspects of the recall process. Tech tools can also provide a structured approach to recalls, guiding users through the necessary steps to notify stakeholders, track responses, and provide full documentation with clarity and ease. Tech tools can help assist with regulatory mandates, alleviate compliance burdens, and build confidence in stressful situations.
Improve traceability. Elevate traceability now, in advance of the new requirements. Having better traceability systems in place improves food safety – and will help immensely whenever recalls happen. Recognize the important overlap between traceability and recalls.
Standardize data and processes. The food industry lacks a Recall Ready Community approach, where everyone across the supply chain collaborates with shared plans and standardized data. Using disparate data and processes complicates and hinders recalls. On the other hand, standardized data and processes will better protect people, brands, and businesses.
Join the Recall Ready Community. Shift your way of thinking about, preparing for, and conducting recalls. Embrace the new Recall Ready paradigm, using standardized data and processes, clear and proactive communication, and a collaborative approach with supply chain partners and regulatory bodies. The food industry should abandon the old, fragmented approach to recalls and adopt a more streamlined, integrated approach to be certain that recalls are being conducted quickly, accurately, and thoroughly.
Collaborate with key stakeholders. Supply chain partners, regulatory agencies, tech providers, and other key stakeholders should collaborate to increase traceability, trackability, and transparency. By working together—and using cutting-edge tech tools—the industry can improve food safety, public health, and consumer trust.
It’s essential to modernize recall processes now, in advance of the upcoming deadline. Consumers and regulators understand that an environment of transparency and cooperation is the key to a safer food supply. So, act now, using tech tools and standardized data to improve transparency, traceability, food safety, and recall management.
Roger Hancock, CEO of Recall InfoLink is one of the world’s foremost experts on recalls, with experience that spans the retail, tech, data, regulatory, and supply chain. Recall InfoLink, makes recalls faster, easier, and more accurate across the supply chain to protect consumers and brands. As the only company focused entirely on recalls, Recall InfoLink’s solutions drive immediate action, streamline the recall process, and simplify compliance. Recall InfoLink helps brands become Recall Ready by standardizing data, collaborating with their supply chains, and practicing recall simulations.
Matt Regusci is a supply chain compliance expert and FSMA consultant who is dedicated to helping the food industry achieve, maintain, and benefit from improved food traceability procedures and systems that comply with the FDA Food Traceability Rule.
