The present disclosure includes a method and system for applying markings on a food product in such a manner to form a permanent marking thereon. The markings may include text, graphics, images, other types of indicia, and any combination thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the markings include freshness information, traceability data, historical processing information, other types of relevant source information, or any combination thereof. The markings are applied by any suitable marking device known in the art, such as laser-based or ink-based technologies. The source information is stored in memory, such as cloud-based memory, for later use, such as production planning, product recalls, other commercial and regulatory purposes, and the like.