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In today’s fast-moving global food supply chain, ensuring freshness is more essential than ever. As a proud sponsor of the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) Shelf Life Working Group and an active member of its steering committee, DeltaTrak is helping lead the charge for freshness management.

By leveraging respiration curves developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) alongside industry-standard GS1 2D barcodes, DeltaTrak has developed a dynamic Freshness Index. This index goes beyond static expiration dates, predicting the true remaining shelf life of perishable products based on real-world conditions—specifically temperature and time in transit.

The result is a simple yet powerful tool for customers: Event driven Remaining Shelf-Life (RSL) calculation using standard GS1 2D barcode scan, or arrival at DC or Store geofence, to calculate shelf-life history at every step of your supply chain. The solution also provides a complete history of remaining shelf life at each step of the supply chain, delivering unprecedented visibility and control.

Collaboration is key to maximizing impact. By working with business partners and integrating standards such as GS1’s EPCIS traceability frameworks and the Food Safety Modernization Act Section 204 (FSMA 204), DeltaTrak enables end-to-end traceability. This ensures not only compliance but also confidence in the integrity of the supply chain.

Ultimately, businesses will be able to make smarter operational decisions. Products can be re-routed, prioritized, and managed using First Expired, First Out (FEFO) strategies with far greater accuracy. Whether it’s delivery, merchandising, or inventory rotation, every decision is backed by real-time data.

The impact is clear: improved sell-through rates, reduced markdowns, and a meaningful reduction in food waste.

The video below illustrates the how the UBQ Network’s Maritime Tracking works.

To learn more, contact the UBQ Network powered by DeltaTrak and see if we can help.