Traceability systems for fresh produce in Kenya

Product traceability has become a worldwide societal concern and can be described as the ability to identify a product at any stage in the supply chain, according to ISO 9000:2005 (2005). Traceability ensures that unsafe food does not reach the customer, minimizes instances of food incidents hence manage liability concerns. It can be simple, or complex based on the products and market involved. A traceability system should be constructed with due consideration for the likely product market and potential consumers. Globally, traceability has broadly been associated with a range of potential functions and objectives, from food safety to biosecurity, animal health, market access, supply chain management, product differentiation, and quality verification.
Research has demonstrated that traceability increases consumer confidence in terms of safety, quality, and control. The results show that traceability contributes to improved food safety systems. It creates a connection between producers and consumers. Adequate traceability gives details of the activities at each stage of product production, distribution, and sale. This helps identify where the problem may arise especially during a product recall.
Despite the importance of traceability in ensuring food safety, the Kenyan local market selling fresh fruits and vegetables in the open-air markets have a minimal or inadequate traceability system to guarantee the safety and quality of the vegetables. This exposes the consumers to malpractices at the farm and the supply chain which may result in unsafe food. The level of risk involved with such untraceable supply chains remains unknown since the product cannot be traced to production.
Moving fresh produce between the point of origin (farm) and the point of consumption requires due diligence to preserve its safety and integrity. Produce is susceptible to physical or chemical damage as well as microbial contamination during transportation.
The distribution channel used for these products is also a very critical element in any traceability system. Unfortunately, the fresh produce transport system in the local market lacks adequate controls to preserve the produce integrity and to ensure its safety. There are instances where produce is transported in open vehicles with no temperature control and prone to possible cross contamination. The hygiene control for the transport vehicles is also not well controlled. There is a need to map the current distribution systems or channels used for fresh produce in the informal market so to identify the most appropriate mechanisms that can safeguard the safety and quality of the produce.