eProduce Software Helps Fresh Produce Supply Chain Members Meet GS1 Compliance Standards

April 21, 2009 - PRLog -- DEMING, NM -- Premier produce business process management food tracking software, eProduce, recently helped fresh produce supply chain firms adhere to the product labeling standards required for GS1 compliance through the recommendation of superior hardware and software labeling solutions. By using eProduce's recommended stationary and mobile labeling solutions, supply chain companies have found that complying with the labeling standards for GS1 requirements actually helps them improve overall inventory monitoring.

Initially, many produce vendors adapted produce traceability labeling solutions using pre-printed labels featuring serialized barcode numbers. Although this system allows consumers to look up serial numbers to access harvest and grower data, it does not allow users to access tracking information for produce that may have been re-packed by distributors or wholesalers, which is a requirement for GS1 compliance. Essentially, pre-printed labels cannot contain product lot numbers and pack dates, making them obsolete to firms adhering to the new compliance standards.

In the new wave of fresh produce traceability, instead of pre-printed labels, supply chain firms now need to employ product labeling solutions that accommodate both field and in-house labeling requirements, allowing inventory control clerks to create produce labels on-demand. These labels must display or reference the GTIN, which identifies the brand owners, lot number, product codes, pack dates and additional appropriate fresh produce data.

Firms are finding that the key to meeting GS1 labeling compliance requirements lies in product labeling hardware and 'middleware' (software). It is essential that the 'middleware' efficiently communicate between the product labeling hardware and the produce supplier's business process management solution software, which is used to maintain trace-back supply chain data. Fresh produce firms are assured that they are exceeding the 'One-Up-One-Down' rule by usage of bar coded/human readable GTINs with various application identifiers which identify fresh produce product characteristics.  

Although many supply chain firms understand the technology necessary to comply with GS1 labeling standards, they are still unsure as to which products offer the best hardware and software labeling solutions. eProduce's recommendation of superior product labeling solutions is helping to solve this dilemma.

"Fresh produce supply chain firms have discovered that eProduce is a cost effective, essential tool to help them effectively meet recent requirements set forth by the new Produce Traceability Initiative. By recommending superior hardware and software labeling solutions, we are proud to continue to help companies meet GS1 compliance, which when implemented will effectively help to reduce or possibly eliminate fresh produce product category recalls," states Anderson Grogen Sr., CEO of The Next Version Software. (eProduce) (http://www.eproduce.biz)

For direct thermal or thermal transfer print, eProduce is recommending Paragon Labeling Systems' PLS 400 series. As a premier manufacturer and leader in the automated labeling systems industry, Paragon Labeling Systems is continually at the forefront of technology, producing systems that are easy to install and maintain. The firm's PLS 400 series prints at speeds up to 12" per second and more than 200 dpi, ensuring superior quality printing of text, bar codes, graphics and RFiD print, encode and apply.

Additionally, for a superior mobile printing solution, eProduce recommends the Zebra QL series printer. This special thermal printing system allows mobile users to conveniently print, encode and manually apply bar code labels within seconds using a hand-held computer.

As part of its produce labeling solutions, eProduce is also recommending the Symbol MC3000 series hand held computer scanner. This compact scanner gives users the ability to scan, capture and create bar code GTIN's, UPC codes and more quickly and easily, while guaranteeing inventory count accuracy.  

For fixed bar code scanner/readers, eProduce is endorsing the Microscan MS860 Industrial Raster bar code scanner/reader. On the fresh produce production line, this high speed bar code scanner uses wide sweeping angles to allow for maximum flexibility in scanning labels that may be adhered in different locations or include multiple symbols.  

Lastly, for RFID scanning and reading capabilities, eProduce highly recommends the Alien DS ALR 9650. This unique piece of equipment features a built in antenna and supports popular software platforms including Microsoft BizTalk as well as RFID applications by GlobeRanger, Oat Systems and more.

Created by Next Version Software, eProduce provides a web-based, real-time fresh produce trace-back, business process management software solution, allowing fresh produce supply chain members to easily comply with current Produce Traceability Initiative Committee GS1 standards requirements. Along with meeting produce traceability requirements, eProduce also offers produce supply chain firms reduced costs by effectively monitoring and controlling their existing management and order fulfillment processes. Additionally, by offering instant access to shipment information, many firms have discovered eProduce ensures more orders are delivered correctly and on time, which increases overall customer satisfaction.

"By using eProduce and products recommended by eProduce, fresh produce packing facilities, growers, wholesalers and distributors are able to effectively meet government compliance requirements, while also implementing 'best practice solutions' that help their businesses run more efficiently," concludes Grogen Sr.

# # #

About eProduce: eProduce (http://www.eproduce.biz) was developed by Next Version Software, LLC in response to the US Bioterrorism Act 2002, which mandates protection of the nation's food supply. eProduce has mastered fresh produce traceability, country of origin labeling, carton and retail product level labeling and tracking, utilizing GS1 traceability standards that use Global Trade Item Numbers, Serialized Shipping Container Codes and GS1 Data Bars -- enabling users of eProduce to perform fresh produce product trace-back from the 'farm-to-fork', literally within seconds.