Source Marking Guideline
for Raw Materials
How to identify and barcode raw materials
Release 1.0, Ratified, March 2018

Source Marking Guideline for Raw Materials

Document Summary
Document Item

Current Value

Document Name

Source Marking Guideline for Raw Materials

Document Date

March 2018

Document Version

1.0

Document Issue

GS1 Japan

Document Status

Ratified

Document Description

How to identify and barcode raw materials

Contributors
Name

Organisation

Yasuo Sakai

Ajinomoto Co., Inc.

Tsukasa Koorogi

TO SOLUTIONS CO.,LTD

Takao Kishi

Toyo Suisan Kaisha,Ltd.

Nobuo Ayai

Nagatanien Co.,Ltd.

Tateru Otake

Nihon Shokken Holdings Co.,Ltd.

Shintaro Hayashi

Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd.

Yoshihisa Amiya

YAMASA CORPORATION

Yukinori Okumura

AEON TOPVALU CO., LTD.

Yukihiro Osawa

Ito-Yokado Co., Ltd.

Hiroshi Tanaka

NIPPON ACCESS,INC.

Junji Okutomi

Mitsubishi Shokuhin Co., Ltd.

Hiroki Matsumoto

Japan Food Industry Center

Jun Sakai

Food Marketing Research and Information Center

Teiji Takahashi

AIKA CO.,LTD.

Yorihisa Tamaoki

Azbil Corporation

Takayasu Yagi

OMRON FIELD ENGINEERING Co., Ltd.

Tomoya Oka

Sato Corporation

Toshihiro Oogushi

Finet Inc.

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Source Marking Guideline for Raw Materials

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Disclaimer
GS1®, under its IP Policy, seeks to avoid uncertainty regarding intellectual property
claims by requiring the participants in the Work Group that developed thisGS1 Japan
Source Marking Guideline for Raw Materials to agree to grant to GS1 members a royaltyfree licence or a RAND licence to Necessary Claims, as that term is defined in the GS1 IP
Policy. Furthermore, attention is drawn to the possibility that an implementation of one ormore features of this Specification may be the subject of a patent or other intellectual
property right that does not involve a Necessary Claim. Any such patent or otherintellectual property right is not subject to the licencing obligations of GS1. Moreover, theagreement to grant licences provided under the GS1 IP Policy does not include IP rights
and any claims of third parties who were not participants in the Work Group.
Accordingly, GS1 recommends that any organization developing an implementation
designed to be in conformance with this Specification should determine whether there are
any patents that may encompass a specific implementation that the organisation isdeveloping in compliance with the Specification and whether a licence under a patent orother intellectual property right is needed. Such a determination of a need for licencing
should be made in view of the details of the specific system designed by the organisationin consultation with their own patent counsel.
THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED “AS IS” WITH NO WARRANTIES WHATSOEVER,
INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, NONINFRINGMENT, FITNESS FORPARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR ANY WARRANTY OTHER WISE ARISING OUT OF THISSPECIFICATION. GS1 disclaims all liability for any damages arising from use or misuse ofthis Standard, whether special, indirect, consequential, or compensatory damages, andincluding liability for infringement of any intellectual property rights, relating to use of
information in or reliance upon this document.
GS1 retains the right to make changes to this document at any time, without notice. GS1
makes no warranty for the use of this document and assumes no responsibility for any
errors which may appear in the document, nor does it make a commitment to update theinformation contained herein.
GS1 and the GS1 logo are registered trademarks of GS1 AISBL.

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Source Marking Guideline for Raw Materials

Table of Contents
1

2

About this Document .................................................................................... 6
1.1

Using this Guideline ......................................................................................................... 6

1.2

Background to the development of the Guideline................................................................. 7

1.3

Purposes of the Guideline ............................................................................................... 11

1.4

Advantages of using the Guideline................................................................................... 13

1.5

Scope of the Guideline ................................................................................................... 16

1.6

Raw materials in scope .................................................................................................. 16

Steps to barcode a raw material ................................................................. 17
2.1

Fundamental policies of data items to be barcoded ............................................................ 17

2.2
Importance of compliance with basic Data Attributes: For the wide implementation of standard
barcodes across the industry..................................................................................................... 18
2.3

Data attributes to be barcoded ....................................................................................... 21

2.4

Data carrier for raw materials ......................................................................................... 24

2.5

Steps to identify and barcode raw materials ..................................................................... 26

2.6

3

Points to consider printing quality barcodes ...................................................................... 27
2.6.1

Use of a barcode printer ........................................................................................ 27

2.6.2

Appropriate size of barcode .................................................................................... 27

2.6.3

Resolution of barcode printer ................................................................................. 30

2.6.4

Barcode placement ............................................................................................... 31

Technical information concerning printing and reading barcodes ............... 34
3.1

3.2

3.3

GS1 Application Identifier (AI) ........................................................................................ 34
3.1.1“Predefined length” and “variable-length” AIs ........................................................... 34

3.1.2

Order of AI data elements ...................................................................................... 35

Barcode ....................................................................................................................... 36
3.2.1

Basics to GS1 standard barcodes ............................................................................ 36

3.2.2

Basic structure of GS1 standard barcode.................................................................. 36

3.2.3

Human readable interpretation(HRI) ....................................................................... 39

3.2.4

GS1 QR Code ....................................................................................................... 40

3.2.5

GS1-128 symbol ................................................................................................... 41

Processing of data following barcode reading (Informative) ................................................ 41
3.3.1

From barcode scanning to data transmission ............................................................ 41

3.3.2

Processing of data received from the barcode scanner ............................................... 43

4

Frequently Asked Questions ....................................................................... 44

5

Relevant guidelines .................................................................................... 51

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Source Marking Guideline for Raw Materials

Introduction
For processed food and raw material manufacturers and other businesses that handle
foods, it is becoming increasingly more important in recent years to ensure food safety
and security. One of the ways to do this efficiently is to use barcodes. By using barcodes
to read information swiftly and accurately and make it computer-processable, we may beable to prevent careless mistakes and misunderstandings, which are difficult to eliminate
entirely under manual handling of information.
Consumer products that are traded in supply chain between processed food
manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers, for instance, carry barcodes that encode theGTIN(Global Trade Item Number), an international standard that is widely used forreceiving and shipping operations, merchandise control, and ensuring traceability. Thesestandardized identification codes are also used in electronic data interchange (EDI) andproduct databases.
When it comes to raw materials that are traded between raw material manufacturers andprocessed food manufacturers in the upstream supply chain, in the meantime, barcodes
are rarely used, nor is identification by standardized code.
In this field, volunteers among the members of the Study Group for Information System
in Food, Beverage, and Alcohol Industry along with others developed the guideline on thesystem for tracing back history information on shipping and receiving of raw materials.
While it was a pioneering undertaking, the guideline left a number of items voluntary, andis used only but a very small number of companies. Even among the processed food
manufacturers that do use the guideline, some make their own set of requirements
different from one another. This requires raw material manufacturers to generatebarcodes of different types and formats for different trading partners, even when handlingthe same raw material. This imposes increased workload on raw material manufacturers,
some of whom find it too much to handle. Meanwhile, it is common for processed food
manufacturers to place barcodes on raw materials upon receiving them due to the low
rate of products barcoded at source.
In order to have more raw materials carry barcodes to improve safety and security andensure traceability in an efficient manner, it is essential that the identification scheme andbarcodes to encode the information is established as a standard so that both raw material
and processed food manufacturers can use them seamlessly.
In light of this background, the GS1 Japan has developed a new guideline on how to
identify and barcode the raw material in cooperation with raw material manufacturers,
processed food manufacturers, system vendors, and other experts. It is our hope that
this guideline will encourage the use of barcodes with globally unique identification (i.e.
no overlapping with others) anywhere in the world, helping make supply chains more
efficient and improve food safety and security.

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1

About this Document

1.1

Using this Guideline

This document recommends that raw materials, primarily those traded between a raw
material manufacturer and a processed food manufacturer, carry barcodes that have a
globally unique identifier GTIN 1, date information, and batch/lot number encoded in them,so that businesses may take advantage of them. It also discusses advantages of using
AIDC technology and provides explanations on specific information required whenbarcoding items and using them.
This Guideline is roughly divided into the following parts. While it is recommended thatyou read it through, you may also turn to an individual chapter relevant to the uses orinformation you require.

Chapter 1: About this Guideline

This chapter outlines basic information such as why the Guideline was developed,
advantages of using the Guideline, and types of raw materials covered by it. This chapter
should be the first stop for anyone who intends to identify raw materials covered in thisGuideline on a batch/lot basis and encode the information in a barcode, who is to use
such barcodes, or who is to provide technical support to use the barcodes.

Chapter 2: Steps to barcode a raw material

This chapter describes how to allocate data items that to identify a raw material and to be
encoded in a barcode, such as GTIN and batch/lot number. It also discusses the types ofbarcodes that may be used, and points of note when barcoding a product. This isintended for those who actually barcode their products, or those who request forbarcodes to be placed on raw materials.

Chapter 3: Technical information concerning implementing and reading
barcodesThis chapter provides in-depth descriptions of the AI (application identifier) 2 and technicalinformation relevant to generating and reading a GS1 standard barcode. If you are withthe systems department of a raw material or processed food manufacturer, or a systemvendor, and wish to obtain technical requirements, please refer to this chapter.

Chapter 4: FAQs

Frequently asked questions and answers to them are provided.

Chapter 5: Reference

1

GTIN stands for Global Trade Item Number, which was developed by GS1 to allow for unique identification(without overlapping with any other) of a raw material (product) anywhere in the world.
2
Application Identifiers, or AIs, are defined by GS1, and each is a two, three, or four digit numeric code thatdefines the meaning and format of data elements encoded in a barcode, such as the number of digits andtypes of characters that may be used.

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1.2

Background to the development of the Guideline

1) Environment surrounding food industry

Environment surrounding food industry
Heightenedinterest of
consumers infood safety andsecurity

Accelerated
spread ofinformation

Globalizationof foodbusinesses

Responses to changing environment
Enhancingsystem forfood safety
management

Ensuring
traceability

Needs forhandling
internationa
l tradesFor the efficient and secure operation while staying global
Use of barcodes: Frommanual- to
automated/system-based
management

Use of GS1
standards(1)Heightened interest of consumers in food safety and security
Consumers are highly interested in food safety and security. In recent years, forinstance, incidents such as falsified labeling of origins of rice, inaccurate descriptions ofmenus, deliberate tempering, and illegal selling of waste became huge social issues.
According to a survey conducted by the Cabinet Office in 2014 that asked what
consumer affairs they were interested in, the most common answer chosen by the
respondents (81.7%) was “Food safety, such as food poisoning and additive problems,”
followed by “False labeling and other fictitious information on products/services provided
by businesses” (66.8%) (Cabinet Office (2014) Public Opinion Survey on the Promotionof Consumer Policy).
(2)Accelerated spread of information
Advancements in information technology helped a widespread use of the Internet,
where information instantly spreads all over the world through social media such as
Instagram, Facebook, Line, and Twitter. This has made it significantly easier for
consumers to send out or receive information, which in turn resulted in an instantspread of information about a company or a product, whether it is good or bad. In otherwords, the opinions/voices that consumers send out now have far greater an influence

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than ever before.
(3)Globalization of food businesses
According to the Statistics of Imported Food in Japan FY2016, imports of food to Japanare growing larger.

Source: Department of Food and Safety, Pharmaceutical and Food Safety Bureau (2015)
Statistics of Imported Food in Japan FY2016.
http://www.mhlw.go.jp/file/06-Seisakujouhou-11130500-Shokuhinanzenbu/1219.pdf(Reference: 2019-01-25)
Exports of food (including agricultural and fishery products,” meanwhile, have also been
growing larger, with three consecutive year-on-year increases from 2013, reachingapproximately 750 billion yen in 2015. The national government has also announced its
policy to aim for 1 trillion yen by 2020. These trends suggest that globalization of
manufacture and distribution of food, including raw materials, is expected to continue.

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Changes in exports of agricultural and fishery products/foods over time

(In hundred
million yen)

10,000Aiming to achieve export goal “1 trillion yen in 2020”
ahead of schedule
Agricultural

Forestry+21.8%(yearon-year)

Fishery

Achieveinterim goalof 700 billion
one yearahead ofschedule!

Interim goal
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 20152016

1trillionyen

Aiming toachievegoal
ahead ofschedule

2020

Source: Export Promotion Division, Food Industry Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries (2016) Export Performance in Agricultural, Forestry, and Fishery
Products/Foods
http://www.maff.go.jp/j/press/shokusan/kaigai/160202.html (Reference: 2016-07-23)

2) Responses to changing environment

In order to keep up with the environment that surrounds the food industry describedabove, raw material and processed food manufacturers are facing increasing needs toattend to the following matters.
(1)Enhancing system for food safety management
If company's product ever becomes a cause of a serious incident/accident that creates ahealth hazard to consumers, its impact on the company, including lost customer trustand difficulties of continuing the business, is incalculable. Businesses are urged to buildand enhance their systems to ensure food safety in every setting and manage productinformation in an appropriate manner.
(2)Ensuring traceability
In the event of an issue stemming from a raw material, it is necessary to identify where
the raw material comes from, which products it has been used in, and where suchproducts have gone. For this purpose, traceability on a batch/lot basis is now more
important than ever as it allows for tracing back and forward.
“Traceability” is the “capability to trace movements of food products”
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products, in the case of an accident or violation of law that has health consequences,such as food poisoning, it enables them to investigate where the food products inquestion have gone (i.e. tracing forward) and where they came from (i.e. tracing back).
Traceability comes in handy in the event of a trouble
We'll collect the productof batch/lot number XX
Can you checkwhat’s causing
the problem?

Batch/Lot numberXX, got it.

Yes, we will.

Tracing
forward

Tracingback

Source: Consumer Policy Division, Food Safety and Consumer Affairs Bureau, Ministry ofAgriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (2015) FY2013 Food traceability promotion commission
project: Food traceability; Practical Manual - General
http://www.maff.go.jp/j/syouan/seisaku/trace/pdf/souron.pdf (Reference: 2016-07-23)
For details about traceability and specific practices, please refer to the following
guideline:
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Food traceability: Practical Manual
http://www.maff.go.jp/j/syouan/seisaku/trace/index.html#1
Revision Committee on the Handbook for Introduction of Food Traceability Systems“Handbook for Introduction of Food Traceability Systems (Guidelines for Food
Traceability)
http://www.maff.go.jp/j/syouan/seisaku/trace/pdf/tebiki_rev.pdf(3) Needs for handling international trades
Imports and exports of foods, including raw materials, are expected to continue
increasing. It is therefore necessary for raw material and processed food manufacturers
to take international trades into consideration when planning information exchangesystem.

3) For the efficient and secure operation while staying global

Identifying raw materials on a batch/lot basis by using standardized codes and encoding
the information in barcodes to be used in receiving and shipping of items and inventory
control may help improve the accuracy, efficiency, and searchability of records. This is oneof the most effective ways of helping secure safety management systems and ensure
traceability.

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Source Marking Guideline for Raw Materials(1) Use of barcodes: From human- to machine/system-based management
Barcode is a tool to enable quick and accurate data capture, which can then beprocessed quick and accurate machine reading of information which can then beprocessed by computer. When a raw material carries a barcode, one can check theinformation quickly and import it into their system.
(2)Use of GS1 standards

Given that barcodes are used for transactions between multiple raw material andprocessed food manufacturers, and that such transactions may potentially become
international, we have chosen the global GS1 standard, as the barcode system toencode the codes and information to identify raw materials.

1.3

Purposes of the Guideline

As discussed in 1.2 above, raw material and processed food manufacturers are being
required to enhance the system for food safety management and ensure traceability toallow for swift response to an accident, even if it is remotely likely to happen.
With the demand for fine-tuned management of raw materials now higher than ever, inorder to ensure highly precise raw material management and efficient communication of
information between businesses, it is desirable to establish a system in which raw
materials, just as processed food (i.e. final products) do, carry barcodes that can be usedby both raw material and processed food manufacturers. In doing so, we should takeinternational trades into consideration to keep up with the growing exports and imports.
In light of this, this Guideline aims to ensure that the following three are carried out
thereby creating environment where both raw material and processed food manufacturers
can practice accurate and efficient management of raw materials as well as traceability:

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Source Marking Guideline for Raw Materials

1) Raw material manufacturers and processed food manufacturers identify raw materials
by the GTIN as a global standard in their transactions.
2) Raw material manufacturer encodes GTIN, date information, and batch/lot number
into a barcode for its raw material (Source marking by raw material manufacturer)3) Computer systemization of work / record keeping that has traditionally been done byhumans, by making use of barcodes placed by raw material manufacturer

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1.4

Advantages of using the Guideline

The following benefits may be expected when a raw material manufacturer use barcodesthat are compatible to an international standard and both raw material and processedfood manufacturers make use of the barcodes:
1) Efficiently ensuring highly precise receiving/shipping operation2) Quick and accurate recording and archiving of receiving/shipping data
3) Prompt handling of inquiries about receiving/shipping records
4) Improved business credibility

1) Efficiently ensuring highly precise receiving/shipping operation
Standardizing information to be encoded in barcodes for raw materials can increase thepercentage of items marked at the source by the raw material manufacturers. With theuse of barcodes, visual inspection of items that has been carried out manually by humaninspectors can now be automated.
A barcode enables information to be scanned quickly and accurately by a machine andprocessed by a computer, and it may help:▶ Prevent mistakes from occurring in receiving and shipping due to errors or confusion inhuman visual inspection▶ Eliminate inconsistencies among individual workers in operation time and precision▶ Make traded item check simpler and reduce workers' burden▶ Save time and labor cost through systemization

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Source Marking Guideline for Raw Materials2) Quick and accurate recording and archiving of receiving/shipping data

As a precaution to any trouble to a traded item, it is necessary to keep and archive therecord of information about raw materials on a batch/lot basis as to when (dateshipped/received), where from (origin of shipment), and how many (quantities) in orderto ensure traceability. While the record keeping/archiving work can be done manually, useof barcodes makes it faster to keep and archive records.

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Source Marking Guideline for Raw Materials

3) Prompt handling of inquiries about receiving/shipping records

When responding to an inquiry from a consumer or trading partner, or in the case of anissue with a traded item, a raw material manufacturer needs to refer to thereceiving/shipping records for their products. Such records might be archived as hard
copy, but archiving and managing them on an electronic system would make it possible tosignificantly shorten data referencing time, and to respond to inquiries promptly.

4) Improved business credibility

A number of businesses attach weight to efforts involved in ensuring food safety andsecurity. Many of them share with the world such efforts of theirs on their websites andother public relations channels. Using this Guideline to improve raw material management
and ensure traceability will help your efforts for food safety and security, which in turn
may lead to improved business credibility with consumers and trading partners.

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1.5

Scope of the Guideline

The aim of this Guideline is to make business-to-business supply chains (external supply
chains) between raw material manufacturers and processed food manufacturers more
efficient. It does not focus on the efficiency of manufacturing/process within a company(internal supply chains).

Different processed food manufacturers have different sets of manufacturing, processing,and other processes as well as systems to support them, and information required foreach of these individual systems varies from one manufacturer to another. If individual
processed food manufacturers request raw material manufacturers for information thatvaries among different businesses, it amounts to the former requesting for labelling fortheir exclusive use. This requires that the latter handle different requests individually,
which is inefficient. As a solution, processed food manufacturers, if they are to barcode
information required for a certain process on their own, may preferably use the barcode
for their raw materials by reading the original barcode, supplementing it with any further
information required for the internal process management, then applying it to theirprocessed product.

1.6

Raw materials in scope

Raw materials in scope of this Guideline are cereals, legumes, eggs, edible fats and oils,
condiments, spices, additives, and associated materials (such as packaging materials,
cardboard, plastic wraps, and containers). Fresh foods such as meat, fresh produce(vegetables and fruits), and fisheries productsand hygiene products) are out of the scopeof this Guideline and refer to the other guidelines (Japanese only) 3.
3

http://www.ofsi.or.jp/

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2

Steps to barcode a raw material

This chapter describes data items to be encoded into a barcode for the purpose ofidentifying raw materials on a batch/lot basis, and types of barcodes that are used.

2.1

Fundamental policies of data items to be barcoded

Data items to be barcoded for raw materials have been determined according to the basic
principles below.

1) Minimum data items required to identify raw materials on a batch/lot
basis

The basic data items to be barcoded are a minimum of items that are required forreceiving/shipping management of raw materials and ensuring traceability. Informationthat is accessible in the product specifications or product information database (such as
the name of raw material, product specification number, and the name of the
manufacturing facilities) is not to be encoded in the barcode.

2) Data items required for business-to-business transactions

This Guideline narrows down a list of data items for batch/lot-basis raw material
identification to those required for transactions between businesses. If processed food
manufacturers request for information necessary for their own internal process
management, it means a bar raised higher for raw material manufacturers in handling
http://www.maff.go.jp/index.html

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such requests, which this Guideline does not recommend. When a business receiving raw
materials requires any information necessary for their internal process management, thebusiness should generate a new label that incorporates such information into it, and apply
it to the raw materials upon receiving them.

3) GS1 standards compliant

This document has employed the GS1 standards taking into account global and diverse
procurement and supply networks. Information for raw material identification has been
decided referring to guidelines for foodservices or food traceability in Europe and North
America. Efforts have also been made to ensure consistency with international standards
wherever possible with respect to the types of barcodes that encode information in them.

2.2

Importance of compliance with basic Data Attributes: For thewide implementation of standard barcodes across the industry

This document has established the “basic data items,” as presented earlier in Section 3.1,
as a set of information to be encoded in barcodes and exchanged between businesses forthe purpose of raw material identification. Lack of standardization of data items encodedin barcodes for raw materials causes both raw material and processed food manufacturers
issues (disadvantages) such as follows:<Raw material manufacturers>

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

Required to apply different barcodes (items) to the same raw material for eachtrading partners individually(processed food manufacturers). Such individual
handlings cause raw material manufacturers a lot of trouble, making their inventory
management cumbersome. This, as a result, makes it hard for raw material
manufacturers to implement barcodes.

<Processed food manufacturers>

Unless it becomes common for raw materials to be barcoded by their manufacturers(i.e. source marking), processed food manufacturers need to manually check theinformation such as the product name, date information, batch/lot number, etc. thatis provided as human readable text and manually input the data into the system.
This not only makes the work cumbersome but is prone to typing errors or data mixups, which is both inefficient and costly.

Instead, with a set of basic data items established for the information to be labelled on
raw materials and both raw material and processed food manufacturers complying tothem, the following advantages are expected:

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Source Marking Guideline for Raw Materials<Raw material manufacturers>

Not required to use different barcodes (items) for different trading partners(processed food manufacturers), but able to ship raw materials with a standard
format barcode to different trading partners<Processed food manufacturer> Increases of the percentage of barcoded raw materials at source (source marking
rates) is expected. With the increases of barcoded raw materials, use of thesebarcodes enables accurate and efficient receiving/shipping management and record
keeping, which should help establish traceability.


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2.3

Data attributes to be barcoded

Data attributes to be barcoded for the identification of raw materials are as follows:

For fixed-measure trade item

Fixed-measure trade items are those whose weight or size is predetermined.
Item

AI

Descriptions

FormatGlobal Trade Item
Number01

GTIN: GS1
product
identifier

2-digit (AI) +14-digit (Global Trade Item Number)

Production Date

11

Production dateof raw material

2-digit (AI) +6-digit (Production Date in YYMMDD
format)Best-Before Date
OR
Expiration Date

15
or
17

Best-Before
Date5
OR
Expiration
Date6 of raw
material

2-digit (AI) +6-digit (Best-Before Date or Expiration
Date in YYMMDD format)

Batch/Lot number

10

Identifier tospecify
production
lot/batch2-digit (AI) +up to 20 alphanumeric characters(Batch/Lot number)* YY to represent the last two digits of the year in the Gregorian calendar, according to
the ISO format.

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Source Marking Guideline for Raw Materials

For variable-measure trade items of varying weights or sizes among
different batches/lots
Variable-measure trade items are those whose weight, volume, or length (any unit ofmeasure) varies per package/unit of trade.
Item
Global Trade Item
NumberAI
01

Descriptions
GTIN: GS1
product
identifier

Format2-digit (AI) +14-digit (Global Trade Item Number)

Weight/size

Unit ofmeasure,followed by theweight, etc.

4-digit (AI) +6-digit (Weight/size)

Production Date

3nnn
(Note:
See Step
11 under3.4.1 forAIs)
11

Best-Before Date
OR
Expiration Date

15
or
17

Batch/Lot number

10

Production Date 2-digit (AI) +of raw material 6-digit (Production Date in YYMMDD 4
format)Best-Before
2-digit (AI) +Date 56-digit (Best-Before Date or Expiration
OR
Date in YYMMDD format)
Expiration
Date 6 of raw
material
Identifier to
2-digit (AI) +specify
up to 20 alphanumeric characters
production(Batch/Lot number)lot/batch

Note: Date information
As a rule, encode the following two AIs for a raw material into its barcode: Production Date AI (11) Best-Before Date AI (15) OR Expiration Date AI (17)Which of the two (Best-Before Date or Expiration Date) should be used, or whether or not
such a date should be used, is determined according to the type of raw materials. The
followings are typical examples.

4

YY to represent the last two digits of the year, according to the ISO format.
Date until which a foodstuff should retain all elements of its expected quality when it has been stored as
specified.
6
Date up until which a food should be free of safety concerns due to spoilage, deterioration, or other quality
losses when it has been stored as specified.
5

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Examples of codes
Example 1) Raw material with a Best-Before Date specified
Global Trade Item Number:
04912345678911
Production Date:
May 10, 2016
Best-Before Date:
March 5, 2017
Batch/Lot Number:
HHI1026(01)04912345678911 (11)160510 (15)170305 (10)HHI1026
Example 2) Raw material with an Expiration Date
Global Trade Item Number:
04912345678911
Production Date:
November 30, 2016
Expiration Date:
December 5, 2016
Batch/Lot Number:
HHI1026(01)04912345678911 (11)161130 (17)161205 (10)HHI1026
Example 3) Raw material which does not have or require a Best-Before Date or Expiration
Date
Label a raw material which does not have or require a Best-Before Date or Expiration
Date with a Production Date only.
Global Trade Item Number:
04912345678911
Production Date:
May 10, 2016
Barch/Lot Number:
HHI1026(01)04912345678911 (11)160510 (10)HHI1026
Reference) Raw material for which a Best-Before Date is shown in a year-month format(Note)
It is recommended that a Best-Before Date be specified in year, month, and date for a
raw material. If it is to appear in year-month format, the portion of an AI assigned for thedate should appear “00.”Global Trade Item Number:
04912345678911
Production Date:
May 10, 2016
Best-Before Date:
March 2017
Barch/Lot Number:
HHI1026(01)04912345678911 (11)160510 (15)170300 (10)HHI1026* In year-month format, the date is understood as the last day of the month. In theexample above, therefore, Best-Before Date is March 31, 2017.

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2.4

Data carrier for raw materials

The guideline recommends GS1-128 symbol and GS1 QR code for raw materials.

Note: Select the type of barcode
As of 2018, GS1 standard 2D barcodes (GS1 QR Code and GS1 DataMatrix) are only available
for use in limited application areas. GS1 QR Code is not yet a standardized barcode that canbe used between raw material and processed food manufacturers.
GS1 2D barcodes are becoming available for use in increasingly various fields, however, and it
is highly likely that the GS1 2D barcodes use will be endorsed also in this area as the wider
deployment of image-based scanners. In Japan, meanwhile, QR Code is already used widely,and given its many advantages such as its ability to encode much information while taking upvery little space and error correction capability, this Guideline recognizes it as a recommended
symbol along with GS1-128 symbols.
When using GS1 QR Code outside of Japan, however, note the following: Raw material manufacturers:(1) GS1 QR Code is as a rule intended for raw materials which are to be delivered to a
Japanese company.
(2) Make sure in advance that the receiving company can use GS1 QR Code.
(3) For raw materials exported to a foreign country, linear barcodes such as GS1-128 or GS1
DataBar Expanded / Expanded Stacked barcodes may be required. (For details about thesesymbols, see FAQs in Chapter 4.)
 Processed food manufacturers:

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Make sure you can accept GS1 DataMatrix and GS1 DataBar Expanded / Expanded Stacked
barcodes, in addition to GS1 QR Code or GS1-128 symbols. Avoid building a system on theassumption that you will only be receiving raw materials that carry one or two specificbarcodes. Select a reader that is capable of reading all of these four types of barcodes and be
ready to read any of them. Data are encoded using the same method for all of the four.
See FAQs in Chapter 4.for details about GS1 DataMatrix and GS1 DataBar Expanded /Expanded Stacked barcodes.

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2.5

Steps to identify and barcode raw materials

Here is a flow chart to print the barcode to raw materials.

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2.6

Points to consider printing quality barcodes

It is important that a barcode on a raw material is of quality that ensure it is readable not
only by its manufacturer but by its relevant trading partners as well. This section sets out
what raw material manufacturer should know when barcoding their products for
identification.

2.6.1 Use of a barcode printerIn order to create quality barcodes for raw material identification, it is recommended thatcompanies use industrial barcode printers.
1) Advantages of industrial barcode printers
A dedicated barcode printer has advantages that are not found with printers for home oroffice use, such as follows: Functions with a focus on the quality of barcodes, such as one to adjust bar widths
 Relative ease of creating layouts when a barcode is to be printed alongside otherinformation
 Compatibility with international standard barcodes 7
What You Need to Consider :If you intend on developing a barcode printing system in-house, make sure you use
commercially available barcode generation software that has gained support fromindustry users. Such software programs dedicated for printing barcodes is capable ofadjusting bar widths according to the resolution of a printer, among other functions. on
the other hand, with barcode generation software programs offered online for free ofcharge, printing quality is not guaranteed nor is user support available; it is therefore notrecommended to use such programs.
2) Printing methods
Different barcode printers employ different printing methods, such as thermal, inkjet, andlaser. Select a printer based on considerations of the raw materials' product size, mode ofpackaging, packaging materials, size of barcode, and other conditions. For details, consult
printer manufacturers.

2.6.2 Appropriate size of barcode
It is important that you generate a barcode of an appropriate size so that it is readilyscanned by standard barcode scanning devices. A barcode that is too small may posesuch issues as that it is difficult to find, or it cannot be scanned fast, or not at all. Too
7

Both of the types of barcodes recommended in this Guideline, namely GS1 QR Code and GS1-128 symbols, areinternational standards and most of barcode printers are capable of printing them. Check with your printersuppliers when choosing printers.

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large, it may also be difficult to scan in some environments.
1) Size of the smallest element (module) that forms a barcode
The size of a barcode is based on the width of its smallest element (bars and spaces witha GS1-128 symbol; one black or light square with a GS1 QR Code). This smallest unit iscalled a “module.” The width of this module is the first thing to determine when printing
barcodes on a barcode printer. The ultimate size of a GS1 QR Code or GS1-128 symbol
varies depending on the length and contents of data encoded in the barcode.

2) Size of GS1 QR CodeIn transactions of raw materials in Japan, barcodes are usually scanned using mobile
terminals rather than on the automated distribution line. Given such an environment, thesize of a GS1 QR Code used for raw material identification should meet the following
requirements:
 X-dimension: 0.75 mm or greater is recommended, for the ease of scanning andlocation check
However, X-dimension of greater than 0.38 mm or greater is acceptable where theprintable area is limited
 Height: Determined automatically based on the volume of data.
Example:Where the X-dimension is 0.75 mm, a GS1 QR Code that encodes the data provided
below in it measures approximately 23 x 23 mm (including a margin of 4x modules

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around the symbol)
Data: (01)04912345678911 (11)160510 (15)170305 (10)160305

Note: As of 2018, GS1 QR Code and other 2D barcodes are not allowed for use in the
supply chains for raw materials of food products under GS1 standards. There is therefore
no standard size specified.
Given the growing use of QR codes in Japan, however, this Guideline recognizes the useof GS1 QR Code for the purpose of raw material identification so long as the receiving
trading partner is a Japanese company and able to accept 2D barcodes.
3) Size of GS1-128 symbol
Considering that GS1-128 symbols can be scanned in a regular distribution environment(i.e. on the assumption that they are read with a fixed scanner as products are moved on
the conveyor line), the size of a GS1-128 symbol should be as follows: X-dimension: 0.495 - 1.016 mm
 Height: 31.75 mm (excluding human readable interpretation)
Example: A GS1-128 symbol with a X-dimension of 0.49 mm that encodes the data
provided below(01)04912345678911 (11)160510 (15)170305 (10)160305
The overall width of the symbol is approximately 140 mm (including margin on either
end).

The area inside dotted line represents margin required to the right and left of the barcode.
With a GS1-128 symbol, a margin of 10x modules is required on both sides.
In most transactions of raw materials in Japan, barcodes placed on products are scanned
using mobile terminals upon receiving them. Same goes with GS1-128 symbols whichhave already been introduced such as standard distribution barcodes for meat for humanconsumption. Given such an environment, the GS1-128 symbol may have the following
measurements:

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X-dimension: 0.25 - 0.495 mm or greater
Height: 12.7 mm or greater (excluding human readable interpretation)

Example: A GS1-128 symbol with a X-dimension of 0.34 mm that encodes the data
provided below(01)04912345678911 (11)160510 (15)170305 (10)160305
The overall width of the symbol is approximately 100 mm (including margin on eitherend).

2.6.3 Resolution of barcode printerCheck the resolution when choosing a printer to print barcodes. The printer resolution
determines the width of a module of a barcode that may be printed on the printer.
1) What is printer resolution?
As a measure of resolution, “dpi” is used. It stands for “dots per inch,” and represents thenumber of dots (ink dots) placed in 1 inch (approx. 25.4 mm).
If a barcode printer has a resolution of 300 dpi, it means 300 dots in an inch. With a
300-dpi printer, the size of these dots is 25.4 mm divided by 300, i.e. approximately
0.085 mm. The larger the number of dpi, the smaller the diameter of these individual
dots, resulting in clearer and more detailed output.
2) Relationship between printer resolution and barcode X-dimension
The resolution of the printer you use determines the width of the modules that can be
printed, as the X-dimension is defined as a group of dots.
600 dpi
300 dpi
200 dpi
150 dpi

1 dot
0.042 mm0.085 mm0.127 mm0.17 mm

3 dots―0.254 mm0.381 mm0.508 mm

4 dots
―0.339 mm0.508 mm0.677 mm

5 dots
―0.423 mm0.635 mm
0.847 mm

6 dots0.254 mm0.508 mm0.762 mm1.016 mmWidths of a module that can be printed on a printer with a resolution of 300 dpi is
calculated as approx. 0.085 mm for every dot multiplied by an integer. As the table aboveshows, X-dimension that can be printed on a 300-dpi printer include 0.254 mm, 0.339
mm, 0.423 mm, and so on. It cannot make a width such as 0.38 mm. To ensure thequality of barcodes, a module should have a width of at least 3 dots, but preferably 4 ormore dots.

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Source Marking Guideline for Raw Materials3) “Verification” of the “quality” of a barcode
It is not sufficient for a manufacturer to merely place any barcode on their products. It is
important that the barcode is of good quality so that it is always readable by their trading
partners. In order to objectively evaluate the quality of a barcode, procedures called“barcode verification” are used, for which there are international standards for evaluation
scales and procedures. These verification procedures are performed using a dedicatedbarcode verification device called a barcode verifier.
As a result of barcode verification, the quality of barcode is graded on an A-F scale, with“A” being the highest. On this scale, barcodes of grade C or higher is regarded as having
passed the verification, recognized as barcodes that are readable with regular scanners.
It is necessary for products to carry barcodes of grade C or higher.
A raw material manufacturer does not necessarily need to purchase a barcode verifier.
However, one should always perform barcode verification to check the quality whenstarting new printing. Consult printer manufacturers for details.

2.6.4 Barcode placement
You need to consider the following to ensure that a barcode placed on a product isreadable. As a rule, the entire barcode should be located on a flat surface as much as
possible, and its entirety should be visible without any part of it being covered. Find thebest location by taking into account the shape of the product.

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Note: Combination with EAN-13/U.P.C-A or ITF symbol
If a raw material already carries a barcode such as an EAN-13/UPC-A or ITF symbol on its
packaging and you are to place a GS1-128 symbol or GS1 QR Code recommended in thisGuideline in addition to such other barcode, make sure the original barcode and the new
one do not overlap.
Make sure that your new barcode with additional information will not interfere with
EAN/UPC or ITF as your trading partners may be scanning them today.

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3

Technical information concerning printing and reading
barcodesThis chapter provides further technical information to supplement that of the generation
and reading of barcodes used for the identification of raw materials as discussed in
Chapters 2. Information provided in this chapter should serve as a reference for those
who are involved in system design at a raw material manufacturer that implementbarcodes according to this Guideline or at a processed food manufacturer that scan thesebarcodes and use the information encoded in them, or solutions or system vendors thatserve to support these manufacturers.

3.1

GS1 Application Identifier (AI)When raw materials are to be identified on a batch/lot basis and barcoded with additional
information such as Best-Before Date encoded, the data format should follow the
Application Identifier (AI) standards. In addition to the information on the AI provided in
GS1 General Specifications, the following should also be taken into consideration in thesystem designing.

3.1.1“Predefined length” and “variable-length” AIs

The AI defines the data format of a barcode. In defining the length of the data,“Predefined length” and “variable-length” data are handled separately.
Predefined length AIs are “AIs that are defined as being Predefined length uponestablishment of the AI rules,” and they are limited to those that include the first twodigits of AI (shown in yellow columns) of the table below. When designing an AI-based
system, make sure you check the meaning of AIs with Predefined length data and their
number of digits to extract data. All AIs other than those specified, even if theyessentially have Predefined length data, are handled as being “variable-length.”

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Element strings with predefined length using GS1 Application IdentifiersFirst two digits of the GS1
Application Identifier

Number of characters(GS1 Application Identifier and data field)

00

20

01

16

02

16

(03)

16

(04)

18

11

8

12

8

13

8

(14)

8

15

8

16

8

17

8

(18)

8

(19)

8

20

4

31

10

32

10

33

10

34

10

35

10

36

10

41

16

* Figures shown in brackets () are AIs that are yet to be numbered
For instance, AI (7003) represents the “expiration year, month, day, hour, and minutes” in
10 digits. Here the data are encoded in 6 digits for “year, month, and day” plus 4 digits
for “hour and minutes,” making it essentially a 10-digit fixed length AI. The first 2 digitsof the AI, namely “70,” is not listed in the table above, however, and it is thus handled asa “variable-length AI” where the system is concerned. If AI (7003) is to be followed byother data elements, it should be delimited with a separator character, or it may result ina reading error on the scanner side.

3.1.2 Order of AI data elements
The order of different AI data elements that appear in a barcode should follow generalrules.
For the purpose of this Guideline, “batch/lot number” is the only variable-length data
among the basic information items for the raw material identification, as described in 3.3.
In other systems, however, two or more variable-length data elements may appear; ifsuch is the case, place the FNC1 character at the end of the first variable-length data

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elements as a separator character. See 3.2.2 for details about how the FNC1 works as aseparator character.

3.2

Barcode3.2.1 Basics to GS1 standard barcodes
Of the GS1-defined standard barcodes, those that encode Application Identifier data are
all parts (subsets) of the entirety of barcodes defined under the ISO/IEC standards (seefigure below). They use the FNC1 (Function 1 Symbol Character; A symbology character
used in some GS1 data carriers for specific purposes.) 8, and represent information thatcan be represented using AIs.

3.2.2 Basic structure of GS1 standard barcode
As explained in 4.2.1 above, standard barcodes containing data defined by GS1 AIs all
use the FNC1, a control character that indicates that the data are encoded according to
the GS1 AI rules. With a GS1-128 symbol, for instance, Function 1 Symbol Character, or
FNC1 9, is inserted to a position that follows the start character 10. This declares that thedata elements that follow are in accordance with the AI rules, allowing GS1 and non-GS1
Each symbol has different settings for FNC1 character and mode, which are specified
following individual specifications.
9
Represents a data character, using a combination of bars and spaces
10
Represents the start of a barcode, using a combination of bars and spaces
8

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barcodes to be distinguished from one another and the data be interpreted according to
the rules. The FNC1 does not appear in human readable interpretation and is not usually
recognized by users, but it serves an integral role to ensure that a GS1 standard symbol
is encoded correctly and accurate data are scanned into the system.
The FNC1 serves two roles, and works differently depending on the position it is used in:(1) At the start of a symbol: Indicates that the data represented by the symbol are GS1standard data; used with data in a unique format or to distinguish the data from otherstandard data.
(2) Between symbols: Indicates the end of the variable-length data elements directly
preceding the FNC1 (separation); used to separate variable-length data items where avariable-length data element is followed by another data element.
The following is practical discussions about how to encode data generated using thisGuideline in a GS1-128 symbol and GS1 QR Code, from a technical point of view.
Data items and contents used as examples are as follows:
Data item
Global Trade Item Number (GTIN)
Production Date
Best-Before Date
Batch/Lot Number
Serial Number

AI
01
11
15
10
21

Data example
04912345678911
160510170305
HHI1026
173421

Data structure of GS1-128 symbol

Note: Descriptions of the FNC1 vary among different types of barcodes. GS1-128 symbols
have the bar patterns for the FNC1 specified; please note that simply adding a string ofcharacters “FNC1” to a barcode does not make it a GS1 standard barcode.

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Data structure of GS1 QR CodeNote: Descriptions of the FNC1 vary among different types of barcodes. With GS1 QR
Code, a “mode indicator” that indicates it follows the GS1 standards (i.e. it is an FNC1mode) is added at the start of the data string encoded in a barcode. As with GS1-128
symbols, adding a string of characters “FNC1” to a barcode does not make it a GS1
standard barcode. The FNC1 that indicates the end of a variable-length data element is“%” in the alphanumeric mode, and “IS3 (1dhex)” in the 8-bit byte mode.
In practice, a user does not need to pay attention to the above when generating a GS1128 symbol or GS1 QR Code using a barcode printer or barcode generation software.
Specifying the generation of a GS1 standard barcode on a barcode generation software
program should automatically add to the appropriate position the FNC1 that indicates it is
GS1 standard data; the rest is a simple matter of entering a data string of “01049…….”With the FNC1 that indicates the end of a variable-length data element, however, thebarcode generation software is not able to determine if the data element has ended,
which necessitates the insertion of the FNC1 using the method specified for the software.
The FNC1 that indicates it is GS1 standard data have varying settings for characters andmodes. For reference, examples of data structures for a GS1-128 symbol and a GS1 QR
Code are shown below.

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3.2.3 Human readable interpretation(HRI)
Human readable interpretation are characters to represent the letters and numbers
contained in the data encoded in the barcode, placed below, to the left or right of, orabove the barcode in case the barcode itself cannot be scanned due to damage or otherreasons.

1) Where to place the HRI（human readable interpretation）

As a rule, the human readable interpretation should be grouped together and placed
below the barcode. In case where the human readable interpretation must be printed
above, to the left, or to the right of the symbol due to packaging or space constraints, it
should always be placed adjacent to (obviously associated with) the barcode while
protecting Quiet Zones.
If GTIN, Date Information, and batch/lot number are split due to space constraints, theGTIN should be placed below the barcode.

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Source Marking Guideline for Raw Materials(Example of human readable interpretation text)(1) To the left/right of the barcode(2) Information split between above and below the barcode2) Other HRI related rulesThe order in which the human readable interpretation appears should follow theencoding sequencing of the barcode.
Parentheses should surround the AIs for the ease of distinguishing information items
by humans. These parentheses are not encoded in the barcode, however.
A single AI data element should be shown in a single line. For instance, GTIN data
would always appear on one line of the human readable interpretation.
Even if printing space constraint does not allow all the codes encoded in a barcode toappear, GTIN should always appear.

3) Font for printing the human readable interpretation

Use a clearly legible font (such as OCR-B as defined in ISO 1073-2). It does notnecessarily have to be OCR-B provided the interpretation is clearly legible.

3.2.4 GS1 QR Code
GS1 QR code is a Subset of the QR Code defined in ISO/IEC 18004, designed so that GS1
Application Identifiers may be used.

1) Barcode features

GS1 QR Code is a type of 2D matrix barcode. It represents information not only in thewidth direction but also in the height direction, and able to encode more information in asmaller area compared to linear barcodes. It has an error correction feature which helps
the original data be read correctly even with small damage or losses.
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has limited character sets available for use, in accordance with the GS1 specifications.

2) GS1 QR Code size characteristics

GS1 QR Code has a total of 40 sizes across its square formats, with the smallest being 21
x 21 modules and the largest 177 x 177 modules, plus 4-module Quiet Zones thatsurround the square. While a GS1 QR Code is capable of encoding up to 7,087 numericcharacters or 4,295 alphanumeric characters by specification, the actual length of data isdetermined by the application that is used.
For details of the specifications of GS1 QR Code, please see ISO/IEC 18004.

3.2.5 GS1-128 symbol
GS1-128 symbol is a subset of the Code 128 symbol defined in ISO/IEC 15417 anddesigned use GS1 Application Identifier (AI).. A FNC1 in the first position following thestart character of a Code-128 symbol indicates that it is a GS1-128 barcode that
represents GS1 standard data.

1) Barcode features

GS1-128 symbol has limited character sets available for use, in accordance with the GS1
General Specifications.
GS1-128 symbol has six elements per symbol character comprising three bars (darkelements) and three spaces (light elements), each of which varies from one to four
modules in width.. The stop character is made up of seven elements comprising four bars
(dark bars) and three spaces (light bars).

2) GS1-128 symbol size characteristics

The maximum physical length is 165.10 mm (6.500 inch) including Quiet Zones. The
maximum number of data characters in a single symbol is 48.
For details of the specifications of GS1-128 symbol, please see ISO/IEC 15417.

3.3

Processing of data following barcode reading (Informative)

3.3.1 From barcode scanning to data transmission
The followings are an overview of data processing once a barcode scanner has scanned abarcode. While the main target audience of this information is system vendors, it may
serve as a reference when selecting a barcode scanner or designing a system for theparty that receives scanned data.
Same data are encoded into both of the GS1-128 symbol and the GS1 QR Code below.

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Figures shown in the parentheses () are the human readable interpretation and notencoded in the barcodes. The data strings that are transmitted by the barcode scanner
once it has scanned each of the barcodes above are as shown below (see “Supplements”
about symbology identifier s). Since the data element that follows this symbology
identifier is the same with both the GS1-128 symbol and the GS1QR Code, they can behandled in the same manner on the receiving system.

Note:
GS1 standard barcodes allow for the use of symbology identifiers. While not encoded in abarcode, a symbology identifier is generated within the barcode scanner once the barcode
has been read, and added to the data message at the beginning before being transmitted.
With GS1 QR Code, “] Q3”, and GS1-128 symbol “]C1” are used as an symbology
identifier to indicate that it is a GS1 standard symbol.

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3.3.2

Processing of data received from the barcode scanner

The receiving system extracts data items from the data strings sent from the barcode
scanner, using the AI and according to the GS1 standards.

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4Frequently Asked Questions

GS1 standards

Q-1.
We are currently using EAN-13/U.P.C.. Do we have to file a new application or registrationin order to use GTINs?
A-1.
No. As EAN-13 is same as GTIN-13 and U.P.C same as GTIN-12, no new application isrequired.
Q-2.
Our raw materials currently carry ITF symbols on their outer packaging. Is it unnecessary
to place the ITF symbols if we use the barcode recommended in this Guideline (GS1-128
symbol or GS1 QR Code)?
A-2.
No, please place both the ITF symbol and the barcode for raw material identification. We
assume that the ITF symbols that are currently in place are already being used by yourtrading partners. ITF symbols are necessary because not all trading partners develop asystem for scanning GS1-128 symbols or GS1 QR Codes.

Barcodes and data items encodedQ-3.
We are a processed food manufacturer. We are currently asking our raw material
suppliers to ship products that carry barcodes encoding our internal raw material item
codes. Are we going to need to use GTINs?
A-3.
We recommend you use GTINs allocated by raw material manufacturers for their products
as codes to identify raw materials.
If raw material codes specified by processed food manufacturers are to be used, rawmaterial manufacturers are required to use different codes for different trading partners
even for the same product, which makes it necessary for the raw material manufacturers
to use different barcodes. Such handlings cause a lot of trouble and may create a risk ofshipping items with the wrong code. For raw material manufacturers, the more trading
partners they do business with, the more trouble and cost it takes them to handle thecases, as a result of which they may find themselves unable to keep up with the demand
for the use of barcodes.
If, on the other hand, they can ship the same products using the same GTIN to ALL
trading partners, it may lead to increase of source marking of raw materials.. We
recommend that you accept GTINs used by raw materials and convert it into your internal
codes where necessary.

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Q-4.
We are a raw material manufacturer. We are currently shipping our products to our
trading partners using our own internal codes. Do we need to change to GTINs?
A-4.
We recommend you to allocate your company GTINs and start using them.
If processed food manufacturers are to accept raw material manufacturers' internal codes,
it means that they need to accept a large number of product identification codes ofvarying number of digits and formats, which makes code management, conversions, andlinkage with internal system difficult. In some cases, the product identification codes thathave been independently allocated up by a large number of raw material manufacturers
may overlap on the side of a processed food manufacturer that receive them.
With GTIN, the format of codes that indicate “Product X by Company A,” for instance, isstandardized according to digit (i.e. “14 digits or shorter, numeric characters only”) andthey will not overlap with some other product codes from another company, saving
processed food manufacturers a lot of trouble in managing them.
Please note that you need to be allocated GS1 Company Prefix to generate a GTIN.

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Q-5.
We are a raw material manufacturer. Can we barcode a product using information otherthan that represented in the basic items under this Guideline?
A-5.
Yes, information other than that represented in the basic items (3.3 Data items to be
encoded in barcodes) may be encoded in a barcode using GS1 Application Identifiers(AIs).
For instance, if you wish to manage raw materials by individual instance rather than abatch/lot, you can allocate Serial (unique) Number and label with AI (21). A Serial(unique) Number is used to individually identify each of the items of the same type of raw
material. For information such as specific data formats for individual information items,
please refer to the latest version of GS1 General Specifications on the GS1website.
https://www.gs1.org/barcodes-epcrfid-id-keys/gs1-general-specifications<Example>
Adding AI (21) Serial Number
Global Trade Item Number:
04912345678911
Production Date:
May 10, 2016
Best Before Date:
March 5, 2017
Batch/Lot Number:
HHI1026
Serial (unique) Number:
YHT1976(01)04912345678911 (11)160510 (15)170305 (10)HHI1026 (21)YHT1976
When encoding additional information in a barcode, take the following into consideration:(1) Make sure the basic attributes always appear; do not omit them
Encoding additional information SHALL NOT result in an omission of batch/lot number or
Global Trade Item Number.
(2) More information to encode means larger barcode size
With a large amount of additional information to be encoded, a larger area is required toplace a barcode. With GS1-128 symbol, in particular, a single barcode can represent a
maximum of 48 data characters, and anything above it needs to be shown in two
barcodes.
Q-6.
We are a processed food manufacturer. Can we barcode a product using information otherthan that represented in the basic items under this Guideline?
A-6.
You are advised not to request a raw material manufacturer barcode their products withadditional information.
If a raw material manufacturer is required to label their products with additional
information, they will have to use different barcodes for different processed food
manufacturers even with the same raw material, which means the raw material

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manufacturer cannot barcode raw materials until it has been determined that where they
are shipped to. If they are to barcode raw materials only after their recipient has been
decided, time constraints and complicated work may pose a large burden on them, which
may slow down the process of barcoding raw materials.
The basic items specified in this Guideline are a minimum of items required to manage
raw materials on a batch/lot basis. They are narrowed down to such items that allow raw
material manufacturers to “ship the same raw material to any processed food
manufacturer.”
For any additional information that may be required by an individual processed food
manufacturer for their “internal process”, it is advised that they create a barcode bysupplementing with any such additional information by themselves
Q-7.
I understand that GS1 QR Code is not recognized in GS1 standards for the use in general
distribution between raw material and processed food manufacturers; which barcode
should we use when exporting products?
A-7.
At present we recommend you use GS1-128 symbol which is used globally. Please refer to3.4.4 for details.
Q-8.
Is it necessary for a processed food manufacture to be able to accept other barcodes than
GS1 QR Code and GS1-128 symbol?
A-8.
When procuring raw materials from overseas sources, it is recommended that processedfood manufacturers prepare to read GS1 DataBar Expanded and GS1 DataMatrix, in
addition to the two mentioned above.
While many of overseas companies use GS1-128 symbol recommended in this Guideline,
the GS1 standards also allow GS1 DataBar Expanded to be used for the labeling ofgeneral distribution units, and overseas manufacturers may use it.
In addition, this Guideline has GS1 QR Code as a recommended symbol among 2D
barcodes, given the increases in use of QR codes in Japan. In GS1 standards, either GS1
DataMatrix or GS1 QR Code may be used in the fields where 2D barcodes are used.
Considering the widespread use of GS1 Data Matrix as a 2D barcode in Europe and North
America, some raw material manufacturers may be ready to use GS1 DataMatrix. Thesefour types of barcodes are all GS1 standards and use a common method of encoding data
in barcodes. For this reason, if a scanner is capable of reading 2D barcodes such as GS1
QR Code, it can read all four of these barcodes.

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Q-9.
Are laser scanners and image scanners intended to handle different types of barcodes?
A-9.
Yes, they handle different types of barcodes.
A laser scanner is capable of reading linear barcodes such as GS1-128 symbols and GS1
DataBar Expanded, but not GS1 QR Code or GS1 DataMatrix, which are both 2D barcodes.
An image scanner, meanwhile, is capable of handling both linear and 2D barcodes. In
other words, an image scanner can handle both of the barcodes recommended in thisGuideline, namely GS1-128 symbol and GS1 QR Code.
Q-10.
I understand that a single GS1-128 symbol can represent up to 48 data characters. We
have fairly long batch/lot numbers and the data exceeds 48 in total. What should we keep
in mind when encoding them?
A-10.
As discussed in Chapter 3, a single GS1-128 barcode may represent a maximum of 48
data characters.
For instance, if the following raw material data is to be encoded in GS1-128 symbol, thenumber of the data characters is 52 in total, which should be shown in two GS1-128
symbols.
Global Trade Item Number (GTIN): 04912345678911
Production Date:
May 10, 2016
Best-Before Date:
March 5, 2017
Batch or Lot Number:
A123456789C012345
In such a case, separate the two symbols into AI data groups.
For instance, the first symbol should encode the data for Global Trade Item Number,
Production Date, and Best-Before Date. and the second, batch/lot number (note that an
AI data string cannot be separated in the middle). It is preferable that two symbols be
printed as close to one another as possible.
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Q-11.
What kind of barcode is GS1 DataBar Expanded?
A-11.
GS1 DataBar Expanded is a family of linear symbol used within the GS1 system. It canrepresent up to 74 numeric characters or 41 alphanumeric characters.
GS1 DataBar Expanded has another subset that can be shown in multi-row format (up to
11 lows) called GS1 DataBar Expanded Stacked.
Examples of barcodes that encode the same data are shown below.
<Data to be encoded>
Global Trade Item Number:
04912345678911
Production Date:
May 10 2016
Best Before Date:
March 5 2017
Batch or Lot Number:
HHI1026<GS1 DataBar Expanded>

Sample symbol is not shown in real size
<GS1 DataBar Expanded Stacked>

Sample symbol is not shown in real size
For details of the barcode specifications, please refer to ISO/IEC 24724.

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Q-12.
Are there other 2D barcodes than GS1 QR Code?
A-12.
The GS1 standards have GS1 DataMatrix.
<Example of GS1 DataMatrix that encode the following data>
Global Trade Item Number:
04912345678911
Production Date:
May 10 2016
Best Before Date:
March 5 2017
Batch or Lot Number:
HHI1026

Sample symbol is not shown in real size
For details of the barcode specifications, please refer to ISO/IEC 16022 .

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5

Relevant guidelines

1) Food Traceability “Practical Manual” (Japanese only)This manual illustrates how to address the food traceability issues in a clear, user-friendly
manner. It is available to view on the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
website (www.maff.go.jp/). Its target audience includes those who at small- and mediumsized businesses responsible for the development and management of traceability-related
work procedures and record-keeping forms.

2) Handbook for Introduction of Food Traceability Systems

Intended for those with organizations and associations that plan to introduce traceability
systems, this handbook provides basics and shows how to introduce them. It is available
to view on the Food Marketing Research and Information Center website(www.fmric.or.jp/).

3) North American Industry Guidance for Standard Case Code Labeling

Developed jointly by GS1 US and GS1 Canada, this guideline is intended for the printingof barcodes on trade items by the case (e.g. cardboard case), by encoding trade item
information AI (01), date information AI (11), AI (15), batch or lot number AI (10), etc.

4) European Industry Guidance for Standard Case Code Labeling including
Extended Product Attributes
This guideline was developed by GS1 Member Organizations in European countries andrelevant parties. Similar to the North American guideline listed above, it is intended forthe printing of barcodes on trade items by the case (e.g. cardboard case), by encoding
trade item information AI (01), date information AI (11), AI (15), batch or lot number AI(10), etc.

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