Lot Number

A lot number identifies products made with the same materials, on the same production line, during the same time period. It enables recalls to target specific lots rather than entire product lines.

Traditional barcodes had limited capacity for lot data. QR codes consolidate lot number, manufacturing date, production line, inspection results, and ingredient origins into a single code.

In the food industry, QR codes with lot numbers enable consumer-facing traceability - scanning meat packaging reveals the farm, processing date, and logistics route. During recalls, consumers who scanned affected lot numbers could theoretically receive direct notifications.

GS1 QR codes encode lot numbers (AI 10) and expiration dates (AI 17) alongside GTINs in standardized format. The 2027 GS1 QR code transition will unify checkout identification and lot-level traceability in a single code.