what is lot number

A lot number is a unique identifier assigned to a particular quantity or lot of material from a single manufacturer. It is a sequence of numbers and/or letters assigned to a product by the manufacturer to identify a specific batch of products that were all manufactured under the same conditions. Lot numbers can typically be found on the outside of packaging. The lot number enables tracing of the constituent parts or ingredients as well as labor and equipment records involved in the manufacturing of a product. This enables manufacturers and other entities to perform quality control checks, calculate expiration dates, and issue corrections or recall information to subsets of their production output. It also gives consumers an identifier that they can use in contacting the manufacturer and researching the production of goods received. Lot numbers are used to track items throughout the manufacturing process and help ensure that faulty items, expired food and beverage, and outdated goods are not sold. Lot numbers are often referred to by different names, including batch number, code number, or lot code.