ISO 22005 Maturity · Standard for Food Traceability
Your traceability chain measured batch by batch, and the action plan to make it reliable.
10 themes, a 5-level scale. And the action that moves each level to the next.
The framework’s 10 themes, already written from L1 to L5. One company, one business unit, or 300 at once.
ISO 22005 Maturity · Standard for Food Traceability
10 themes, 5-level scale.
Nordhavn Industries
53 / 100
They measure their maturity with Datamensio
An example
This could be your situation.
Take one company as an example: three sites, three spreadsheets, no shared answer.
Nobody can consolidate.
Nordhavn Industries, 2,400 people in Hamburg, Lyon and Porto. A client asks where the group stands. Each site answers in its own spreadsheet, with its own scales.
Three weeks, a single base.
One ISO 22005:2007 assessment launched across all three sites at once, from the managers’ interview notes. The framework was already written, its 10 themes and levels L1 to L5 too.
Two costs avoided before being committed.
A score of 53 out of 100, with the gap concentrated on three themes. The AI companion spotted that two actions duplicated those of another audit. The committee report took one sentence to request.
What it saved them
- 3sites measured on the same base, instead of three questionnaires to reconcile
- 2duplicate actions caught before the spend
- 1committee report, with no manual rework
These figures are an example. They could be yours.
The standard imposes processes. Datamensio says where you stand.
01
The framework is already written
Themes, questions and levels L1 to L5, all written. You do not start from an empty spreadsheet.
02
The score lands the same day
Online, by self-assessment link or in interview. Theme by theme, comparable over time.
03
The gap becomes a costed plan
Every step up carries its action. The AI prioritises on expected effect, not on the order of the standard.
04
Progress can be demonstrated
Campaign after campaign, against your target and against your own past. That is what your board asks for.
The maturity scale
One level, the next, and the action that links the two.
This mechanism, a level, a level above, and the action that connects the two, is what turns an observation into a trajectory.
Can the lineage between incoming raw material batches and outgoing finished product batches be reconstructed?
- N1
No records link incoming batches to outgoing batches. Only supplier invoices and customer delivery notes exist.
- N2
Production records mention the materials used, but reconstruction requires manual work and batch blending is not tracked.
- N3
Every production order records the incoming batches consumed and the outgoing batches produced. Lineage can be reconstructed across all lines, including in cases of blending.
- N4
Lineage is extracted from the system without re-keying, incoming and outgoing quantities are reconciled, and material balance discrepancies are analysed.
- N5
Planned tests measure reconstitution time and the quantity reconciliation rate. Results are tracked as indicators and trigger system review.
Action to move from L2 to L3
Add a mandatory record of consumed and produced batches to the production file, including for blending and rework, and check it is completed at the end of every shift during the production review.
« With Datamensio, we meet our objectives far more efficiently. The ERDF inspection services and our supervising ministry particularly appreciated an approach that gives them reliable data. »
Director, CCI 94CCI Île-de-France
« We believe this is the most suitable solution to scale our transformation project and measure impact according to our needs. »
Maja SucekChief Operating Officer, Interreg Danube
Rarely on its own
Frameworks combine. Put several together to cover your business, or have the AI write yours.
Take your first measurementon ISO 22005.
What this framework covers
ISO 22005:2007 specifies the basic principles and requirements for the design and implementation of a food and feed traceability system. It requires defining the system’s objectives, its upstream and downstream scope, the traceability units used, the information to be collected at each stage, responsibilities and associated documentation. It also requires the system to be verified through testing, and reviewed. It applies to any operator in the chain, alone or as part of a food safety management system.
In practice, traceability is hard to manage because it cuts across every department. The questions that arise are concrete ones. Is the definition of a batch the same at goods-in, in production and at dispatch, or does its meaning shift at each stage? What happens when batches are blended or reworked, can the lineage still be reconstructed? How long does it take to trace back from a finished batch number to all its raw materials and direct customers, and has that duration been measured recently?
One confusion comes up often: ISO 22005 does not replace the legal traceability obligation under Article 18 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, applicable since 1 January 2005. The regulation requires knowing the direct supplier and the direct customer, without imposing internal traceability. ISO 22005 is the methodological framework that goes further, linking inputs to outputs, which is what most private schemes and customer specifications expect. The two subjects overlap without being the same thing.
A compliance audit concludes with a gap or no gap: the system exists, the records are present or they are not. The maturity assessment answers a different question. What level of control does each link in the chain sit at, which practices are formalised, applied, measured, reviewed, and what precise action moves it up to the next level. This is what makes it possible to compare several sites against each other and to track progress over time.
Within Datamensio, the framework is ready to use and stays editable. The AI adjusts the themes, questions and levels to your sector, meat, fresh produce, ingredients, animal feed, or builds a variant from your procedures and customer specifications. The gaps identified feed a prioritised roadmap that can be consolidated across all your sites.
Reference standard: ISO 22005:2007
The themes assessed
System objectives and scope
Formalised traceability objectives, upstream and downstream scope, stages covered, alignment with legal requirements and customer specifications.
Defining traceability units
Rules for constituting batches, batch size, unique identifiers, consistency of the definition between goods-in, production and dispatch.
Upstream traceability and suppliers
Identification of direct suppliers, data required at delivery, incoming inspection, traceability of raw materials, additives, processing aids and food contact packaging.
Internal traceability and batch lineage
Recording input/output correspondences, managing blending, rework and bulk batches, traceability of outsourced stages.
Downstream traceability and dispatch
Identification of direct customers, recording quantities and dates, marking and readability of identifiers, traceability of returns and unsold stock.
Data, records and information systems
Nature of information collected, paper and computerised media, interfaces between systems, retention period, integrity and accessibility of records.
Roles, responsibilities and competence
Designation of system owners, training of operators in batch identification, work instructions, management of temporary staff and night shift teams.
Traceability tests and verification
Frequency and scenarios of upstream and downstream tests, measurement of reconstitution time, quantity reconciliation rate, handling of anomalies identified.
Withdrawal, recall and crisis communication
Withdrawal and recall procedure, extraction of affected batches, informing customers and authorities, simulation exercises and lessons learned.
System review and improvement
Periodic review of the system, accounting for changes in range and process, indicators tracked, corrective actions and comparison over time.
A short version of the framework is available for the online self-assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Can ISO 22005 be certified?
The standard can be certified by an accredited body, and it is also used as a design framework without any certification process. Datamensio measures the maturity of your system and prepares you for the audit, it does not issue any certificate.
What is the difference between this assessment and a traceability audit?
An audit checks whether requirements are present and concludes with a gap or a compliance finding. The assessment places each link on a maturity scale and identifies the action that moves it up a level. The assessment prepares for the audit, the audit validates it.
How does ISO 22005 differ from the traceability obligation under Regulation 178/2002?
The regulation requires knowing the direct supplier and the direct customer, without requiring internal traceability. ISO 22005 provides the method for designing a complete system, linking inputs to outputs and verified through testing. Both frameworks are available in the catalogue and can be combined in a single roadmap.
How long does the assessment take?
The short version takes 20 to 30 minutes to complete per site. The full version, run collaboratively with quality, production and supply chain, typically takes one to two weeks, with most of the time spent gathering records.
Can the framework be adapted to our sector?
Yes. The themes, questions and levels can be edited, and the AI produces a version tailored to your process based on your procedures and your customers’ specifications. You remain the owner of the resulting framework.
How can multiple sites be compared?
The same framework is rolled out across all business units, making scores comparable by theme. Benchmarking also covers your own past results, and a consolidated roadmap groups together actions common to several sites.
Does the assessment cover withdrawal and recall tests?
Yes. One theme covers the withdrawal procedure, extraction of affected batches, informing customers and authorities, and simulation exercises. Reconstitution time and quantity reconciliation are assessed as observable practices.
Where is the data hosted?
In France, with OVH, backed up with Scaleway. No transfers outside the European Union. The AI models used can be selected, including from European providers.