Global supply chain technology provider Körber has announced the launch of STEPLogic Tracker, a specialised software solution developed to assist food and beverage companies in meeting the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Traceability Rule.
The software rollout is timed to address growing industry pressure ahead of the FSMA Section 204 compliance deadline on 20 July 2028. The digital tool is designed to replace manual, paper-based, and fragmented recordkeeping systems with an automated framework that captures and retrieves critical supply chain data within the federally mandated 24-hour recall window.
FSMA Section Two Hundred and Four Compliance Mandates
The FDA's Food Traceability Rule represents a significant shift in regulatory oversight, establishing strict recordkeeping requirements for businesses that manufacture, process, pack, or hold foods on the official Food Traceability List (FTL).
Under the terms of the federal rule, covered entities must maintain detailed lot-level traceability records and make them available to the FDA within 24 hours of a formal request.
The regulation is structured around tracking product movements throughout the entire supply chain. To ensure compliance, businesses must precisely document specific operational milestones, which the FDA defines using two core components:
Critical Tracking Events (CTEs): Key milestones in the lifecycle of a food product, including harvesting, cooling, initial packing, receiving, transformation, and shipping.
Key Data Elements (KDEs): Detailed information linked to each CTE, including traceability lot codes, quantities, locations, dates, and contact information for the immediate recipient or source.
By formalising these requirements, the FDA aims to accelerate foodborne illness outbreak investigations, shortening the time required to identify and isolate contaminated food products from retail shelves and distribution networks.
Traceability Workflows and Critical Tracking Events
The STEPLogic Tracker application provides food manufacturers with a structured mechanism to record and manage food genealogy from raw material intake through processing to final shipment.
The system leverages mobile app-based workflows to streamline data collection at the physical shelf edge and on the warehouse floor. To support the diverse operational requirements of food processors, the platform organises data collection across three primary operational areas:
📥 Receiving Workflows – Logging incoming shipment quantities, supplier information, and original traceability lot codes immediately upon arrival at the facility.
⚙️ Transformation Tracking – Recording the food genealogy when raw agricultural ingredients are processed, mixed, packaged, or repackaged into finished consumer goods, generating new traceability lot codes linked to the original inputs.
🚛 Shipping Management – Capturing outbound logistics data and linking the corresponding KDEs to the transport carrier and receiving customer to complete the outbound chain of custody.
The structured recording of these activities ensures that if a food safety event occurs, quality assurance teams can execute rapid, backward-looking and forward-looking tracebacks to identify affected product runs, reducing the financial and brand damage associated with broad, untargeted product recalls.
System Integration and Software Architecture
The launch of the traceability application comes as many mid-sized food manufacturers continue to manage critical compliance data using legacy spreadsheets, physical paperwork, and disconnected software systems.
These fragmented methods introduce substantial operational risks, as manually consolidating data from multiple departments during an active FDA audit makes meeting the strict 24-hour response window difficult.
STEPLogic Tracker operates as a configurable, cloud-based module within Körber’s broader STEPLogic software suite. The application is engineered for rapid deployment, utilising low-code and app-based implementation techniques to minimise integration timelines and reduce the IT burden on mid-market food brands.
According to Matthew Deep, Director of Product and Services Consulting at Körber Business Area Supply Chain, food processors require practical, structured systems that integrate smoothly into real-world warehouse and processing environments. He noted that the new platform is configured to simplify the operational realities of FSMA Section 204, providing businesses with a reliable, scalable framework to organise, store, and quickly retrieve compliance data.
By integrating the traceability platform into existing warehouse management systems (WMS) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, Körber aims to help food companies standardise their recordkeeping, protect supply chain integrity, and transition smoothly toward digital, compliant operations ahead of the 2028 regulatory deadline.
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