Bilwinco software uses RFID to track and trace
(RFID) to track and trace products, will improve food safety
management information, its manufacturer claims.
The launch comes as new regulations oblige processors to track ingredients from their immediate suppliers and the products to their retail or distribution points.
The requirements have pushed companies to search for technological solutions allowing them to track and record items. As prices of RFID fall, firms are increasingly willing to switch over to the technology in an attempt to comply with regulations.
Successive outbreaks of food-borne diseases, such as mad cow disease, over the past decade and current fears over the possible spread of avian flu, has also made consumers more concerned about the origin of their foods.
Denmark-based Bilwinco's Weightlog 2.3 can be used to trace raw products all the way the through the production line, the manufacturer claims. Information received from RFID tags or collected manually using barcode scanners is processed and stored by the system. Combining RFID technology with system will allow companies to complete entire batch registrations automatically, increasing speed while reducing the human error factor, the manufacturer claims.
In the event of a health scare, requiring a product recall, the Weightlog can provide information from any point in the supply chain back to the raw material used in production, the manufacturer claims. Defective products can be traced to a specific batch rather than having to discard an entire stock, as would be required if insufficient data was collected.
The system could also be useful for ensuring the credibility of the EU's geographical indications certification system, which protects producers of traditional foods.
The Bilwinco software can compile information from up to four separate production lines on to the same PC. With batch number, product number and individual weighing results stored, each and every step of production can be isolated for further analysis, claims the company.
The software allows operators to view raw data and can provide plant managers with vital processing information including, capacity, tolerance and distribution, which can assist in decision making and planning.
Weightlog can interface with Microsoft Excel and Access to provide management with production reports, graphs and charts for presentation and publication.Companies with enterprise resource planning ERP software can integrate it with Weightlog.
The software operates in English, but user manuals are currently available in German, Danish and French as well as English.
Bilwinco can provide technical support to install the software and configure the system to production lines and existing computer networks.
The company is headquartered in Denmark and has operations in countries worldwide.
