What is traceability? Explain its importance and the steps in a food recall.

1. 1 · Open in two lines. Traceability is the ability to follow a food through all stages of production, processing and distribution. It rests on 'one step back, one step forward'.
2. 2 · Draw the chain. [Diagram: Supplier → Receiving (lot) → Processing (batch) → Finished product (batch on label) → Distributor → Consumer]
3. 3 · Records that make it work. Supplier and licence number, date, lot or batch, quantity, production logs, dispatch notes.
4. 4 · Importance.
   • Fast, targeted recall.
   • Finds the root cause.
   • Legal duty and consumer protection.
   • Protects the brand and limits loss.
5. 5 · Recall steps.
   • Detect and assess.
   • Identify lots; stop sale.
   • Inform authority, trade and public.
   • Retrieve, segregate, dispose.
   • Root cause, corrective action, review.
6. 6 · Link to imports and exports. Imported food is cleared by FSSAI's authorised officers; exports are certified by the Export Inspection Council.
7. 7 · In a hospital kitchen. A receiving log with batch numbers lets the kitchen pull a recalled lot of milk powder at once.
8. 8 · Close in one line. Without traceability, a recall becomes a guess; with it, unsafe food is removed fast.

Scoring tip: Draw the chain with the record at each arrow. Then the recall steps follow naturally.