Why Should I Be Concerned About Barcode Quality?
Here is a snapshot of some important quality issues that are happening just this week:
- A second multi-state Salmonella outbreak involving fresh vegetables and products containing them such as salsas and salads
- A recall of over 100 pounds of ready-to-eat smoked andouille sausage
- Recall of imported Republic of Korean oysters due to potential norovirus contamination
- FDA recall of a Class 1 medical device
- Seafood stuffing sold at Aldi stores due to an undeclared soy ingredient
Recalls in May 2025
These are a few of the 28 recalls issued by the FDA just this month.
What does this have to do with barcodes and the importance of barcode quality? Two reasons come to mind:
- Barcodes can track specific products from specific suppliers to specific consumer outlets (grocery stores and restaurants in these cases) making recalls much more focused
- Barcodes make recalls faster and more efficient
This is every bit as important as the job that barcodes do in getting the product through the supply chain and to the user—but only if the barcodes work right.
Barcodes Manage Risk
Even when barcodes do work right, substantial damage is done:
- A lawsuit representing over 50 Salmonella-poisoned victims, against a San Diego County restaurant
- Listeria-contaminated deli meat put 60 people into the hospital and killed 10 people across 19 states.
…not to mention the liability of permanent damage or wrongful death.
Barcodes are an important risk management tool. When bad things happen, a barcode can limit the amount of damage by a mislabeled or contaminated food product, a malfunctioning medical device, a shock-hazard electrical appliance, a swallow-hazard child’s toy, a defective car tire that can suddenly deflate…the list goes on.
Manage Barcode Risk
The barcode is an important risk-management tool. That risk extends risk to the barcode itself. If a barcode doesn’t work right, it cannot minimize the inconvenience, suffering, injury, and death caused by a contaminated or defective product.
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