Framework for the design of lot-tracing systems for the 1990's

Government regulations and the specter of product liability suits impose a requirement for lot tracing in many industries. This is particularly true in the food, pharmaceutical, defense, and consumer products industries. For many years lot-trace systems in these industries have had a significant impact on both product cost and quality and, as a result, have had a major impact on competitiveness. Several articles have been written on lot-traceability issues however, most of these articles report on lot-traceability issues from a single company's perspective. This article attempts to provide a broad framework for the 'state-of-the-art' lot-trace system and suggests several functions that should be included in these systems.