title: Whole-chain traceability, is it possible to trace your hamburger to a particular steer, a U. S. perspective.
abstract: Traceability through the entire food supply chain from conception to consumption is a pressing need for the food industry, consumers and government regulators. A robust, whole-chain traceability system is needed that will effectively address food quality, food safety and food defense issues by providing real-time, transparent and reliable information from beef production through slaughter and distribution to the consumer. Traceability is an expanding part of the food safety continuum that minimizes the risk of foodborne diseases, assures quality and cold-chain integrity. Traceability can be a positive competitive marketing edge for beef producers who can verify specific quality attributes such as humane production or grass fed or Certified Organic. In this review we address the benefits as well as the remaining issues for whole-chain traceability in the beef industry, with particular focus on ground beef for the markets in the United States.
authors.affiliation: Center for Food Safety and Department of Food Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72704, United States. crandal@uark.edu
authors.forename: Philip G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Crandall
authors.forename: Corliss A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: O'Bryan
authors.forename: Dinesh
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Babu
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jarvis
authors.forename: Mike L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buser
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Adam
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marcy
authors.forename: Steven C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Ricke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D059022:Food Safety; D005523:Food Supply; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D040541:Marketing; D008461:Meat Products; D014481:United States