PTI (Produce Traceability Initiative)

The most wide-reaching industry initiative in the produce sector, PTI promotes the adoption and implementation of GS1 Standards. The Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) is a voluntary, industry-led effort designed to help the industry maximize the effectiveness of current traceback procedures, while developing a standardized industry approach to enhance the speed and efficiency of traceability systems for the future. The Initiative’s sponsor associations include United Fresh Produce Association (United Fresh), Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) and Produce Marketing Association (PMA).
Both internal and external traceability programs are needed in order to effectively track and trace product up and down the supply chain, achieving whole-chain traceability. At present, most companies have “internal” traceability programs, but not “external” traceability programs.

The PTI uses a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) to achieve external traceability. A GTIN number includes a GS1 company prefix that can be readily incorporated into a UPC barcode and works with RFID or human readable codes. It also includes a unique item reference number. The “GTIN Assignment Strategy” has been created specifically for helping suppliers ensure consistency when assigning GTIN’s to the cases by using standard product attributes to organize and categorize products for GTIN assignment. Similarly, to ensure that one label can be used for the entire industry, a standard case label template has also been created as a result of the GTIN Produce Pilot conducted in the fall of 2006. The PTI Action Plan outlines the steps for achieving traceability at the case-level by 2012. For more information about the Produce Traceability Initiative, contact Dr. David Gombas, senior vice president food safety and technology.