TEKLYNX barcode labeling solutions enable compliance with new food manufacturing label requirements

TEKLYNX barcode labeling solutions enable compliance with new food manufacturing label requirements

Posted on May 19, 2014 in Products

TEKLYNX International continues to support manufacturers as they address industry and regulatory changes. Making headlines recently are three food manufacturing initiatives that will affect the way suppliers create labels: the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI), the Food Information for Consumers regulation (FIC) and proposed FDA changes to Nutrition Facts labels. TEKLYNX barcode labeling software supports the creation of label designs for all three initiatives.

“TEKLYNX is dedicated to supporting our customers’ changing needs,” said Laura Henderson, General Manager of TEKLYNX. “Our products scale with your business and adapt to legislative changes to reduce the risks that non- compliance creates for your business.”

The PTI is an industry-wide effort to improve track and trace procedures through the food manufacturing supply chain by developing a standardized labeling approach. The initiative has been publicly embraced by both Walmart and Sam’s Club stores, who announced they would begin rejecting produce shipments with non-compliant labels by January 1, 2014. In a TEKLYNX poll, fewer than 20 percent of webinar attendees reported that they were prepared for the PTI, despite the deadline having already passed.

TEKLYNX barcode labeling software allows for the generation of PTI-compliant label templates with algorithms built-in for the ability to calculate CRC16 for the voice pick code, a unique two- to four-digit code that must now be included on produce shipment labels.

TEKLYNX continues to heavily support the Produce Traceability Initiative,” said David Kane, Label Design Product Manager. “We are the only label design software that includes features to easily generate voice pick codes, which are a major component of the initiative. The PTI label template is available for download for ease of use within TEKLYNX’s barcode label design software.”

The Food Information for Consumers regulation incorporates EU Regulation 1169/2011, which pertains to mandatory labeling changes for food items sold in Europe. The changes include highlighting allergens in the ingredients list, improving legibility and indicating the country of origin on unprocessed meat labels. The change will also affect food manufacturers in the United States who export to Europe or sell food products online to European vendors. The TEKLYNX website offers FIC-compliant label templates for download, and TEKLYNX software features variable field styling. This allows label makers to automate stylistic differences for particular ingredients, such as automatically bolding peanut products when they appear in an ingredients list.

Proposed changes to Nutrition Facts labels in the United States, which were announced by the FDA and first lady Michelle Obama earlier this year, include visual changes to emphasize total calories, added sugars and nutrients such as vitamin D and potassium. Serving sizes will also be updated to reflect realistic eating habits. While the FDA plans to give manufacturers at least two years to prepare for the change, TEKLYNX customers can easily make the necessary updates to their labels immediately, using the WYSIWYG (“what you see is what you get”) label designer, which enables users to easily make responsive visual edits. TEKLYNX software can support label designs for each of the three regulatory changes and any combination of the three, while also supporting automated label changes to comply with individual vendor parameters. TEKLYNX supports all food manufacturing labels, even if an industry regulation isn’t driving the design,” Kane said. “With TEKLYNX software, users can quickly get up to speed with new initiatives, and our unique subscription licensing model allows companies to start using the application at a low cost of entry.”