Detection of foreign body contaminants is clearly the first task of an X-ray system, but it can also offer much more besides. Mike Pipe, Head of Global Sales of Mettler-Toledo Safeline X-ray outlines some of the many reasons to invest in X-ray inspection.
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X-ray inspection has been proven to effectively detect a wide range of physical contaminants in food manufacturing and packaging, but this technologys capabilities stretch way beyond just the product inspection field.
Many food manufacturers are already benefiting from deploying X-ray inspection systems to carry out a wide range of quality control and compliance duties and these additional capabilities also should be factored into the equation when considering the cost of an X-ray inspection system. In fact, the cost savings that X-ray inspection can deliver are significant, offering major benefits to manufacturers and brands.
Here are five key areas where X-ray inspection can make an important contribution:
Detect contaminants and uphold food safety
Foreign body detection is a critical aspect of any food manufacturers product inspection operation. While there are alternative technologies for contaminant detection most notably metal detection X-ray inspection systems are the most suitable choice for many food products. It works by measuring differences in absorption between low and high-density matter. X-ray can provide exceptional detection of contaminants such as metal, glass, calcified bone, mineral stone, and certain plastics and rubbers, regardless of the contaminants shape, size, or location within the product. However, it does have its limitations for product inspection. For example, contaminants of lower density, such as insects, wood, and polyethylene film are not detectable.
Avoid product recalls
For food manufacturers, product recalls represent a twin-headed peril: the costs of wasted products and production time on the one hand; the damage to its good name on the other. While the costs of the former are often quickly absorbed, the negative effects on brand reputation can be much more long-term.
The effective detection and removal of foreign body contaminants therefore falls squarely in the category of good business, as well as good customer care.
Implementing a well-designed X-ray inspection program can cut the risks and the costs involved in product recalls, with real-time data collection potentially helping to isolate smaller contaminated batches that need to be recalled, instead of an entire production run.
Protect brands
The absence of good product inspection can endanger consumer health and safety, and such incidents can lead to major legal action being taken. If a consumer has choked on a bone that was not detected in a food product, and a HACCP or HARPC audit shows that this risk of contamination should have been identified and mitigated against with X-ray inspection, then there will be very serious questions to answer. The relationship between manufacturer and retailer will also be put under severe strain.
X-ray inspection also provides the production documentation needed to prove that operating standards were maintained, which might prove critical in legal proceedings.
Increasingly, food manufacturers are highlighting their use of X-ray systems as a means of maintaining high quality, so that both customers and consumers can have greater confidence in products from that manufacturer. In some cases, this might even be starting to factor in the decisions that retailers and supermarkets make on the products they stock.
Comply with regulations and retailer specifications
A number of standards and codes of practice that have emerged from regulatory bodies such as the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), requiring food manufacturers to make their processes as safe and transparent as possible, and advocating inspection of all food and related products by X-ray inspection an acknowledgment perhaps that X-ray is capable of providing the highest levels of product inspection available.
These standards are being embraced by retailers and in some instances are beginning to be used as a basis for supplier selection by these retailers. In addition, retailers and brand custodians are developing their own codes of practice for suppliers, while more and more supermarkets are insisting that suppliers implement a formal X-ray inspection program throughout their supply chain.
X-ray inspection systems assist with record keeping, providing an audit trail of activity that allows for disputes and queries to be quickly and transparently dealt with, and documentation easily produced for audit purposes.
Ensure product and packaging integrity
X-ray inspection is capable of a wide range of additional quality control tasks which it carries out simultaneously to detecting foreign body contaminants, amongst these tasks are:
As we have seen, while X-ray inspection starts with food safety, it is also capable of adding much more, bringing value and transparency to the food supply chain. Planned and managed properly, X-ray inspection will quickly show itself to be invaluable, way beyond its core functionality.
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X-ray inspection has been proven to effectively detect a wide range of physical contaminants in food manufacturing and packaging. That is its primary purpose in these settings, but it would be wrong to think that this is the only dimension to x-ray technologys capabilities within the product inspection field. It can do much more.
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Many food manufacturers are already benefiting from deploying x-ray inspection systems to carry out a wide range of quality control and compliance duties that go way beyond contamination detection. These additional capabilities should be factored into the equation when considering the cost of an x-ray inspection system, which is often considered to be an expensive investment. As will be seen through the information outlined in this article, the cost savings that x-ray inspection can deliver are significant, offering major benefits for manufacturer or brands success.
What are the reasons to invest in x-ray inspection? Here are five key areas where the technology can make an important contribution:
Given the importance attached to food safety, and the scrutiny this area is subjected to, foreign body detection is a critical aspect of any food manufacturers product inspection operation. While there are alternative technologies for contaminant detection most notably metal detection x-ray inspection systems are the most suitable choice for many food products. They can provide exceptional detection of contaminants such as metal, glass, calcified bone, mineral stone and certain plastics and rubbers, regardless of the contaminants shape, size or location within the product.
X-ray inspection is based on the absorption of energy by products passing through an x-ray beam, which provides a specific signal to a detector. Food and pharmaceutical products are relatively lower density while foreign bodies being detected are generally higher in density, and therefore absorb more energy.
As part of the set-up process, the x-ray system will build a template based on the signal given by good products (i.e. those with no contaminants) being passed through. If a product comes through in production which is outside of the good product threshold, this indicates the presence of a possible contaminant within the product, and the product will be rejected. However, this method of measuring differences in absorption between low and high-density matter does have its limitations for product inspection. For example, contaminants of lower density, such as insects, wood and polyethylene film are not detectable.
The deployment of x-ray inspection, and indeed any product inspection equipment, should follow a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) audit (or indeed the more recently introduced Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls (HARPC) audit), which identifies the contamination risks involved with production and how they can be mitigated. From a product inspection perspective, this process should pinpoint the locations in a production or packaging line where there is the biggest risk of contamination being introduced, and therefore where product inspection equipment would best be deployed.
Food manufacturers have an obligation to their customers, such as retailers and supermarkets, and to the public in general to minimise the risk that foreign bodies in food products might reach consumers. Failure to do so, and failure to show that the necessary steps are in place to safeguard against this, can have serious consequences for manufacturers.
For food manufacturers, product recalls represent a twin-headed peril: the costs of wasted products and production time on the one hand; the damage to its good name on the other. The experiences of many brands over the years have shown that while the former costs are often quickly absorbed, the negative effects on brand reputation can be much more long term.
The effective detection and removal of foreign body contaminants therefore falls squarely in the category of good business, as well as good customer care. Product inspection technology such as an x-ray system, with implementation properly planned and executed, is a vital tool that can save food manufacturers far more money than the lifetime costs of the technology itself. Put another way, saving money by not implementing x-ray inspection is not only careless of food and consumer safety, but also fundamentally imperils the health of the brand itself.
Implementing a well-designed x-ray inspection programme can cut the risks and the costs involved in product recalls, with real-time data collection potentially helping to isolate smaller contaminated batches that need to be recalled, instead of an entire production run.
This follows on closely from product recalls, which is a costly and time-consuming step for any manufacturer to have to take, potentially causing profound damage to a brand. However, having to face the embarrassment of recalling several thousand products fades into comparative insignificance if the manufacturers lack of product inspection efficacy results in a serious incident that endangers a persons health or life.
It is natural to assume that such incidents would lead to major legal action being taken against all those found to have been culpable. If a consumer has choked on a bone that was not detected in a food product, and a HACCP or HARPC audit shows that this risk of contamination should have been identified and mitigated against with x-ray inspection, then there will be very serious questions for the manufacturer and any relevant suppliers to answer. The relationship between manufacturer and retailer will also be put under severe strain.
Not only can an x-ray inspection machine contribute to ensuring this situation never arises by detecting foreign bodies before anything leaves the factory, but it will also provide the production documentation needed to prove a manufacturer or retailer is maintaining the operating standards required to protect itself, its customers, and its consumers. This might prove critical in legal proceedings that result from a foreign body being discovered in a food product.
Nor does x-ray inspection necessarily have to be used purely as a defensive measure. Increasingly, food manufacturers are highlighting their use of x-ray systems as a means of creating an image of higher quality around their products that both customers and consumers can have greater confidence in products from that manufacturer because x-ray technology is upholding standards. In some cases, this might even be starting to factor in the decisions that retailers and supermarkets make on the products they stock.
There is currently no definitive legislation that requires food manufacturers to implement x-ray inspection, or indeed any other product inspection capability, but there are a number of standards and codes of practice that have emerged from regulatory bodies such as the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). These require that food manufacturers make their processes as safe and transparent as possible, and advocate inspection of all food and related products by x-ray inspection an acknowledgment perhaps that x-ray is capable of providing the highest levels of product inspection available.
Guidance released by the BRCGS in specified the scenarios in which manufacturers should choose either x-ray or metal detection, or both. X-ray is recommended when non-metallic contaminants such as glass, mineral stone, calcified bone or high-density rubber or plastics have been identified as risks. Plus, as well as when a product is in metal packaging, or when additional checks such as mass measurement, fill level, product in seal inspection, or missing or broken products are required. The two technologies are recommended in tandem where different foreign body risks have been identified, where retailer contracts require both, and where a manufacturer wants peace of mind that all precautionary steps have been taken to minimise the risk of foreign body contamination.
These standards do not exist in isolation: they are being embraced by retailers and in some instances are beginning to be used as a basis for supplier selection by these retailers. In addition, the retailers themselves, as well as brand custodians, are developing their own codes of practice that their suppliers must adhere to. More and more supermarkets are insisting that suppliers implement a formal x-ray inspection programme throughout their supply chain.
Compliance with these various standards and codes of practice is therefore becoming increasingly important for food manufacturers, and they often must ensure that their good practice covers differing geographical and customer guidelines. X-ray inspection systems also assist with record keeping, providing an audit trail of activity that allows for disputes and queries to be quickly and transparently dealt with, and documentation easily produced for audit purposes, enabling manufacturers to prove that their x-ray inspection is being maintained to the highest standards.
Almost all of what has been discussed in this article has centred around x-ray inspections ability to detect contaminants and ensure that these are removed from the supply chain before products reach the hands of consumers. However, since x-ray inspection creates a greyscale image of each product that passes through, it is capable of more than just contamination detection. There is a wide range of additional quality control checks that the technology can also fulfil, and these could realise both cost and efficiency benefits for those that utilise x-ray systems in these ways, possibly removing the need for additional machines or staff on the production line.
Amongst these tasks are:
As we have seen, while x-ray inspection systems excel in detecting high-density contaminants in food products, they are also capable of adding much more to a manufacturer operation. They help to safeguard the businesss reputation, reduce costs and ensure the business stays within the stipulations of regulations and codes of practice set out by standards bodies, governments and major customers.
In this way, an x-ray inspection system quickly proves its worth, adding both value and transparency to the food supply chain. Of course, it all starts with food safety but, planned and managed properly, a comprehensive x-ray inspection programme will quickly show itself to be invaluable, way beyond this core functionality.
Mike Pipe is head of global sales of Mettler-Toledo Safeline X-ray
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