Food safety and traceability

This chapter provides an overview of traceability systems and their role in helping assure food safety. Food safety has a long worldwide history of importance to consumers and the methods used to mitigate food safety risk are ever-evolving and hinge on traceability systems. This chapter largely focuses on US beef and cattle traceability because its history, development, and dynamic status highlight many economic concepts applicable to other countries and industries. Definitions and background on traceability systems are provided, along with an extended discussion specific to the case of livestock and meat traceability as a key source of ongoing evolution. Traceability and food safety assurance linkages are discussed noting how effective food safety efforts rely on traceability. The chapter ends with remarks on the economic importance of aligning incentives for private action with societal benefits.