The past months, have been fascinating for those of us watching developments in the drive to increase security in the food and pharmaceutical industry. Along with this the interesting aspects of varied solutions different countries and continents are exploring.
EU laws require food to be traced back to the farm India has also a planned law on food safety that includes the ability to trace where a food item was manufactured Growing consumer awareness, particularly in the developed world, about the origin of food as well as the ills of global warming, carbon footprints and child labour It's estimated that in five years, 15-30 per cent of all products in India will be traceable
Formed in 1986 History of technical consultancy and project management services Entered barcode solutions business in 1989 Partners for AXICON Group, UK for India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh Accredited Member of GS1 since inception Focussed on barcode standards, quality and verification
Select clients we work with, include
www.barcodeglobal.com
IDENTIFICATION TRACEABILITY
When a QR code is scanned and is translated to reveal a URL; the mobile phone will the open that URL using its browser, this act is know as a hard-link.
Retail EAN 13 EAN 8 Article number for unit packs Short Code for very small retail packs
Warehouse / Logistics ITF Case Code EAN 128 Carton / Case marking for shippers Logistic control with variable information Encodation using application identifiers
QR Codes on business cards. Labelling for product information Storefront displays Call centre link Increase e-commerce sales Promotions, discounts and giveaways There is no need to write vital details down. A simple scan captures the desired information. QR Codes can be used to store addresses and URLs that can appear in magazines, on signs, buses, business cards or just about any product that users might need information about. A Data Matrix barcode can hold up to 2,335 alphanumeric characters; QR Code holds up to 4,296 alphanumeric characters
The advantages of barcoding to business operators in the retail sector are well known, but their utility as an anti-counterfeiting measure in the war against fake pharmaceuticals is becoming more established. The protection offered by barcodes and other innovative packaging strategies can ensure that at each stage of the supply chain, pharmaceutical goods can be monitored and the integrity of the process guaranteed
The development of the two-dimensional (2D) barcode has been exponential. The 2D code can now accommodate thousands of characters, and scanning techniques allow the code to be used for multiple purposes. The more sophisticated technology employed in these systems facilitates the transfer of the scanned information to other devices, such as smartphones and websites, enabling almost instant verification of goods and packaging. This technology is therefore a valuable tool in the detection of counterfeit products. Indeed, these codes mean that the location of a consignment at any stage of the logistics chain can be determined, including items as small as pills, bottles, compounds and products basic to the pharmaceutical industry.
Data hierarchy Primary packaging level Secondary pack level Carton or shipper level
GS1 DATAMATRIX has a relationship string triggered with a FNC1 Is covered by ISO-16022 and ISO-15415 standards
India sets back barcoding deadline for pharma exports 09-Apr-2013 India has deferred the start date for barcoding the primary packaging of exported pharmaceutical products by 12 months to July 1, 2014. The Director General of Foreign Trade announced the delay on the primary packaging requirements on April 5. The intention is to incorporate 2D GS1-compliant datamatrix barcodes on the strip/vial/bottle level that will include a unique product identification code (GTIN), batch number, expiry date and serial number. The deferment is designed to give Indian drugmakers more time to comply with the requirements for primary packaging, which is by far the most challenging aspect of the track-and-trace elements of the new regulation (which was first published in 2011). Requirements for barcodes on the secondary packaging of exports - with either a 1D or 2D code encoding unique product identification code (GTIN), batch number, expiry and serial number - came into effect in India on January 1, despite pleas for an extension from pharma export companies.
Symbol quality is of great importance and should be included in any production quality control process. The following should be confirmed with any technology supplier: Full compliance to the ISO/IEC 16022 standard The software is able to support GS1 Application Identifiers Data Matrix ECC 200 (not older, obsolete versions of Data Matrix) is supported Conformance of the encoded data (e.g., correct use of GS1 Application Identifiers, Check-Digits, etc.) Symbol Print Quality (e.g., according to ISO/IEC 15415). The FNC1 is supported both as a start and separator character
ISO 15415 Print quality specifications. ISO 15426-2 Verifier conformance standard Verification has to be compliance to stringent 21 CFR part II requirements Meet the standards of CIP (France) and Turkish, apart from the DGFT guidelines Verification test, mandated with specified light source BARCODE VERIFICATION is different from BARCODE SCANNING! Unused Error Correction, Modulation, Axial nonuniformity, Grid non-uniformity, Symbol Contrast, Reference Decode, Finder Pattern Damage, Bar Width Growth (X and Y), Quiet Zone, Contrast, Modulation
Conclusion Technology aids traceability Standards facilitate technology implementation Barcodes are the preferred tool for many applications Do your package barcodes scan : This defines if traceability works!