Guides
Plain-English answers to the paperwork questions we hear most.
- FSMA 204 lot codes: does FDA require them on labels or barcodes?FDA does not require the traceability lot code on your label or in a barcode. See what it does require, the ways to pass a lot code to a buyer, and when a label helps.
- FSMA 204 for fresh herbs and leafy greens: which ones are exempt?Parsley, cilantro and basil are covered by FSMA 204, but dill and collards are not. See how FDA treats herbs and leafy greens and what a grower or packer keeps.
- What to do when a supplier does not send a traceability lot codeFSMA 204 says a receiver must record the lot code, and a shipper must send it. Learn what the rule says, when you assign a code, and how to ask suppliers.
- FSMA 204 for deli salads: are ready-to-eat salads covered?Egg, potato, pasta and seafood salads are on the FDA Food Traceability List. See what is covered, what is not, and the lot records a deli salad maker keeps.
- FSMA 204 records kept by a co-packer, 3PL or vendor: who is on the hook?The FDA Food Traceability Rule lets another company keep your records, but you stay responsible. See what that means for co-packers, 3PLs and software, and what to agree.
- Traceability lot code source: what it is and what to put in the recordThe FSMA 204 rule asks for the lot code source or a source reference on receiving and shipping records. Learn the difference and which one fits your business.
- FSMA 204 lot-level tracking: the ideas FDA is weighing after Nov 6FDA held a second public meeting on November 6, 2026 about easing lot-level tracking. See the ideas on the table, what is not final, and how to comment.
- FSMA 204 for fresh-cut produce processors: what to record and whenFresh-cut fruits and vegetables are on the FDA Food Traceability List. See which fresh-cut foods are listed, what a cutting line must record, and which products are left out.
- FSMA 204 for nut butter makers: what is covered and what to recordNut butters are on the FDA Food Traceability List, but raw and roasted nuts are not. See what is covered, when a lot is made, and which records a nut butter maker keeps.
- FSMA 204 for importers: what you keep when your supplier is overseasImporting foods on the FDA Food Traceability List? See when the rule applies to importers, how it differs from FSVP, and which records to keep and ask suppliers for.
- FSMA 204 for cheese makers: which cheeses are covered and what to recordMost cheeses are on the FDA Food Traceability List, but hard cheeses are not. See which cheeses are covered and what cheesemakers and sellers must keep.
- FSMA 204 for shell eggs: who is covered and what egg packers must keepShell eggs are on the FDA Food Traceability List. See who is exempt, which egg products are covered, and what egg packers and handlers keep to trace a lot.
- FSMA 204 for seafood: what a first land-based receiver must recordIf you take seafood off a fishing vessel, FDA's traceability rule gives you a special record and a lot code to assign. Here is what to write down and what is exempt.
- FSMA 204 transformation records: what counts and what to keepRepacking, relabeling, commingling and processing can all be transformation under the FDA traceability rule. See what counts, what does not, and the records to keep.
- FSMA 204 for distributors and warehouses: shipping and receiving recordsDistributors and warehouses that hold Food Traceability List foods must keep receiving and shipping records. See the eight data points for each and why carriers differ.
- FSMA 204 for produce farms: harvest, cooling and packing recordsA produce farm on the Food Traceability List must keep harvest, cooling and initial packing records. See what to write down, what to send the packer, and who is exempt.
- FSMA 204 for restaurants and retailers: what they keep and ask suppliers forRestaurants and stores have lighter FSMA 204 duties than suppliers, and some are exempt. See what they must record on receiving and what that means for you as a supplier.
- FSMA 204 record retention: how long to keep traceability records and whereThe Food Traceability Rule says to keep records for 2 years and hand them to FDA within 24 hours. See what counts as a valid record, where you can store it and what to watch.
- FSMA 204 traceability plan: what it must say and a template to copyA traceability plan is a short written document with five required parts. See what 21 CFR 1.1315 requires, FDA’s example, and a fill-in template for small food companies.
- Mock recall: how to run a traceability drillHow to run a mock recall in an afternoon: pick a lot, trace one up and one down, time it, log the gaps and fix them. Includes a drill record to copy.
- FSMA 204 compliance checklist, step by stepAn FSMA 204 compliance checklist for small food businesses: coverage, events, data, lot codes, plan and 24-hour records, each step tied to its rule section.
- FSMA 204 compliance date: where does it stand?The original FSMA 204 compliance date was January 20, 2026. See what FDA proposed, what Congress directed, what is unchanged, and what to do now.
- FSMA 204 exemptions: what small food businesses can and cannot skipThe real exemptions and partial exemptions in the FDA Food Traceability Rule, from small farms and shops to kill steps, and the spreadsheet carve-out for small firms.
- Traceability lot codes: who assigns them, when, and how to keep them cleanWhat the FDA Food Traceability Rule says about assigning a traceability lot code, example code formats and label ideas, and what to do when a supplier sends none.
- FSMA 204 key data elements: what to record at each critical tracking eventA plain list of the key data elements the FDA Food Traceability Rule requires for harvesting, cooling, packing, receiving, shipping and transformation.
- Is your food on the FSMA Food Traceability List? A category-by-category checkThe FDA Food Traceability List decides whether FSMA 204 applies to a product. Here is each category, how to check a product, and how the ingredient rule works.
- FSMA 204 in plain English for small food companiesWhat the FDA Food Traceability Rule actually asks of growers, packers, manufacturers and distributors, who is covered, and what to do before enforcement starts in July 2028.
- The FDA 24-hour sortable spreadsheet: how to be ready before anyone asksWhat the FSMA 204 electronic sortable spreadsheet contains, why it is hard to produce from paper records, and how to run a mock trace that proves you can.
- Why retailers want your traceability data before the 2028 deadlineFDA enforcement of FSMA 204 is not expected before July 2028, but retailer supplier programs did not wait. What buyers are asking for and how small suppliers can keep up.