A Redmond, Washington, U.S.A.-based company specializing in traceability systems recently announced the launch of new traceability software designed specifically for shellfish businesses.
Dynamic Systems Inc. launched the SIMBA traceability and real time inventory systems for shellfish processors in April. According to a press release sent by Dynamic to SeafoodSource, the software tracks shellfish from landing at the dock through to shipping the final product.
Among the noteworthy features of the software is a tablet that captures data from harvested shellfish at the beach, which is then automatically entered into the processing plant's system. That system then “tracks production from receiving to packing in real-time using touchscreen computers.”
“SIMBA records receiving and production data in real-time, labels and tracks shellfish and provides full traceability from the source to shipping faster and more accurately than traditional shellfish production systems,” Dynamic said.
The software is also able to help make mass balance checks, which ensures that the yield of processed seafood is commensurate with the seafood input into the manufacturing process.
“The unique ability of SIMBA to modify weight as the product moves down the production line helps shellfish companies know true weights received and packed,” the press release said. Such checks are considered an important safeguard against seafood fraud, where illegally caught fish may be surreptitiously introduced into a lot.
The software also deals with the difficult challenge of ensuring accurate data for mixed lots of fish.
“SIMBA tracks lots by the container, including any mixed or commingled lots. What this means is full backward and forward traceability for all products, and cost savings in the case of recall, an important feature for shellfish processors,” the press release said.
Further, SIMBA's advanced logistics feature tracks each carton or pallet onto a specific truck, whereupon a manifest and bill of lading is produced automatically. Dynamic says this feature not only saves time in the shipping process, but eliminates disputes with the customer regarding what was shipped.
