BBD Tracking in Food Production

BBD Tracking refers to the systematic recording, management, and monitoring of Best-Before Dates (BBD) and Use-By Dates (UBD) throughout the entire production process—from raw material receipt to processing, finishing, and shipping. For food manufacturers, BBD tracking is not an optional optimization; it is a legal requirement, a core element of traceability, and a prerequisite for the FEFO (First Expired, First Out) principle.

Faulty expiry management is a leading cause of food recalls, inventory write-offs, and audit failures. It is also an area where the gap between paper-based and digital production environments is most apparent.

Legal Foundation: EU Food Information Regulation

The EU Food Information Regulation (FIC, EU 1169/2011) mandates that pre-packed food must be labeled with either a Best-Before Date or—for highly perishable goods—a Use-By Date.

• BBD: Indicates how long a product retains its specific properties (taste, texture) under proper storage.
• Use-By Date: A safety date; consuming a product past this date can pose health risks.

Manufacturers are fully liable for these dates. Furthermore, the EU General Food Law (Reg 178/2002) requires seamless "one-step-forward, one-step-back" traceability, making batch-level BBD tracking an essential operational mechanism.

FEFO: The Golden Rule of Inventory Management

FEFO – First Expired, First Out dictates that goods with the earliest expiry date must be processed or shipped first, regardless of when they arrived in the warehouse.

While FEFO sounds simple, it is an operational challenge. Without active control, the "FIFO problem" occurs: older stock remains hidden in the warehouse while newer goods are picked. The consequences include:

• Raw Material Waste: Expired stock must be disposed of.
• Product Recalls: Finished goods containing expired ingredients.
• Audit Non-Conformity: Inability to prove FEFO implementation to auditors.

BBD Tracking Along the Production Chain

Effective tracking spans four critical stations:

1. Goods Receipt: Every raw material batch must be recorded with its BBD, supplier batch number, and internal ID. Remaining shelf life must be checked against minimum requirements before acceptance.
2. Warehouse & Picking: This is the critical FEFO station. Digital systems like an MES or WMS should automatically direct staff to the oldest eligible batch.
3. Production & Processing: This is where raw material BBDs are converted into finished product BBDs. If a batch contains multiple ingredients with different dates, the most critical (earliest) BBD typically determines the final product's shelf life.
4. Shipping: Every dispatched batch must be documented with its BBD to allow immediate identification of affected customers in the event of a recall.

Why Batch Management and BBD are Inseparable

BBD tracking is structurally impossible without Batch Management. A date is only useful if it is linked to a specific physical unit of goods.

An MES (Manufacturing Execution System) that records batch links in real-time—documenting exactly which raw material batches went into which finished product—is the technical backbone of compliance. Without this digital link, reconstructing history during a recall is a manual nightmare that can take days instead of minutes.

What Auditors Look For (GFSI, IFS, BRCGS)

During food safety audits, inspectors focus on:

• FEFO Evidence: Can you prove that the earliest-expiring goods are consistently used first?
• Calculation Logic: Is there a documented, validated method for how the finished product's BBD is derived from raw materials?
• Non-Conformity Handling: What happens when an expired ingredient is found? Is there a clear quarantine and CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Action) process?

FAQ

What is the difference between BBD and a Use-By Date? The Best-Before Date (BBD) is about quality (sensory properties). After this date, the food might still be safe but may lose flavor or texture. The Use-By Date (UBD) is a safety deadline for highly perishable items (e.g., ground meat, fish). Selling or consuming goods past their UBD is a legal and health violation.

How do I calculate the BBD of a finished product with mixed ingredients? As a general rule, the most critical (earliest) raw material BBD serves as the baseline. The product-specific shelf life—validated by laboratory stability tests—is then applied, but it cannot exceed the expiry of its most sensitive component unless specifically validated.

What happens if an expired raw material is accidentally processed? The finished product must be immediately blocked (quarantined). A risk assessment must determine if the product is safe. If there is any doubt, a recall or market withdrawal is mandatory. This event must be documented as a "Non-Conformity" for audit purposes.

Can an MES automate BBD monitoring? Absolutely. An MES tracks the "life cycle" of every batch. It can trigger alerts when raw materials approach their expiry, prevent the "start" of a production order if the ingredients are expired, and generate instant traceability reports for auditors.