Food traceability is no longer just a regulatory checkbox. It is a complex challenge that touches every link in the supply chain, from cold storage warehouses to the neighborhood restaurant.
In this episode, Reid and Liz Sertl welcome Amanda Brondy from the Global Cold Chain Alliance and Patrick Guzzle from the National Restaurant Association to explore how their members are preparing for FSMA 204 and the distinct challenges each organization faces as the compliance deadline draws closer.
The conversation covers the lack of standardization across data systems and why that creates confusion for third-party logistics providers juggling multiple customers with different requirements. Amanda explains how cold chain operators often lack contractual relationships with the suppliers they are being asked to share data with, while Patrick highlights the gap between federal regulation and the thousands of local health departments that inspect restaurants. The guests also discuss the traceability plan as a practical starting point, FDA's surprising level of engagement through the Partnership for Food Traceability, and why awareness remains one of the biggest hurdles for small and family-owned businesses across the country.
This is more than a conversation about a regulation. It is a look at how two very different parts of the food supply chain are navigating the same deadline with different tools, different relationships, and a shared commitment to safer food
In this episode, you'll learn:
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How lack of data standardization creates different challenges for cold chain operators and restaurant operators
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Why a written traceability plan is one of the most practical first steps toward compliance
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How FDA engagement through the Partnership for Food Traceability is helping industry find its way forward
Things to listen for:
(00:00) Intro
(03:29) Three concerns from cold chain members
(08:14) Cyclospora outbreak and restaurant exposure
(10:54) State food code adoption lag
(12:39) Third-party logistics and regulatory blind spots
(18:07) FDA engagement through PFT
(23:03) Traceability plan as a starting point
(25:38) Traceability versus recall
(30:00) A Beautiful Mind and supply chain complexity
(32:58) Favorite tech and closing thoughts
Connect with GS1 US:
Our website - www.gs1us.org
GS1 US on LinkedIn
Connect with the speakers:
Amanda Brondy on LinkedIn
Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) at https://www.gcca.org/
Patrick Guzzle on LinkedIn
National Restaurant Association at https://www.restaurant.org/