TRACEABILITY IN THE MILLING AND BAKERY INDUSTRY

In Romania agriculture is an economical branch of first importance, with tradition that constitutes the basic occupation for a large part of the population: approximately 27.2% in the year 2002. Moreover, 47% of the active population of the country lives in rural space. The agricultural potential of Romania is represented by the 14.8 millions ha, from which 8.7 millions ha (62%) are arable land. The agricultural production, unlike the industrial one presents a major uncertainty factor, being depended on the climate conditions (1). The products made in the milling and bakery industry are assortments for the large consume that through the content of nutritive substances (proteins, carbohydrates, fibbers, vitamins, mineral salts) and price occupies an important spot in the human alimentation. At the same time the sub-products resulted from the technological process of cereal processing constitutes the main source of fodder in the zoo-technical department. The monitoring and control of risks on the wheat – flour – bread branch is therefore difficult to realize because the branch itself doesn’t have continuity and is tributary to the commercial relations between processors and supplier of material. The traceability of the agro-alimentary material developed as a concept in the quality system. Although it is a previous notion that appeared before the ‘90s, the importance given to traceability grew considerably especially in the alimentary domain in the last decade. The fragmentation of agricultural production determined at the same time the fragmentation of the used technologies, and this is the reason why it is almost impossible the secure the traceability flux from the wheat producer to the final consumer.