Barcodes labels have proven to be one of the most effective tools for enhancing the efficiency of food processing and packaging. Whether it’s airline meal trays, jars of tomato sauce, or frozen meat products, barcode labeling is an essential industry ingredient.
Food safety is a mission-critical task for food suppliers, the ability to trace goods from point of origin to the end consumer is one of the most important benefits of barcode labeling. Barcodes help get perishable goods moved quickly through the supply chain and assist in keeping non-perishables stocked and tracked more efficiently. Barcode labels also improve logistical, warehousing and inventory control processes, creating greater efficiencies and tighter quality control.
There are two general types of food barcode labels: preprinted labels or print-on-demand labels. Preprinted bar code labels are mass produced either with the barcode as a component of a container label, such as label that is applied to a can or jar, or they are incorporated into the preprinted package itself such as a milk carton of cereal box. Print-on-demand food barcode labels are printed one at a time, whether for a unique individual item or for identifying a shipping container of food products.
Print-on-demand food labels may be direct thermal labels for products that have short self-lives, such as deli, bakery, fish or meat department items. Or, they may be thermal transfer labels for products that are non-perishable or perishable products that are stored in extreme environments such as cold storage or frozen foods.
