Bell peppers, hot peppers, sweet peppers — the FDA requires full traceability on all of them after years of Salmonella outbreaks.
Peppers were ultimately identified as the source of the 2008 Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak that sickened over 1,400 people — an outbreak initially attributed to tomatoes. The misidentification lasted months precisely because traceability was inadequate. Jalapeño and serrano peppers from Mexico were the actual source, but the lack of traceable records delayed the investigation and prolonged the outbreak.
Events in the supply chain where you must capture traceability data:
Data you must record at each tracking event:
Major retailers have their own traceability requirements for peppers, often stricter than the FDA's.
Track dozens of pepper varieties in one system — bell, jalapeño, serrano, habanero — each with its own lot code and GS1 data.
PTI-compliant pallet tags with correct commodity and variety codes for each pepper type.
Handle mixed-variety packing days without lot code confusion. Each variety is a separate traceable lot.
Partner packing for pepper growers — print under their brand, track under their quota.
Instant traceback to the specific field and harvest date for any pepper lot, any shipment.
The 2008 outbreak that was blamed on tomatoes for months was actually peppers — and the misidentification happened because traceability was broken. That's exactly the scenario FSMA 204 was designed to prevent. FieldToFile ensures every pepper pallet carries the data needed to trace it back to the field in seconds, not months.
Your first truckload is on us — up to 56 pallets, fully compliant. No credit card.