Bulk Food X-ray Inspection Systems

Inline X-ray Inspection Solutions to enhance the Safety of Bulk Food Products

Bulk Food Applications

Safeline’s bulk food x-ray inspection systems operate in industries such as meat, fish & seafood, fruits & vegetables, snacks, confectionery and pet food etc. Working in a wide variety of bulk-flow (loose) food products to improve quality control before they are packaged, (or added as ingredients to finished products) typical applications include nuts, grains and pulses, extruded snacks, dried fruits, cereals, vegetables, frozen seafood, minced meat and sweets.

Improved Sensitivity

X-ray inspection systems for bulk use are specifically designed for detecting unwanted contaminants like glass, metal, mineral stone, high density plastic and calcified bone – regardless of their shape, size or location within the product. Contaminants are easier to detect in bulk-flow food than in final packaged products as they are typically inspected through a homogenous layer of product, hence the depth of the inspected product is much smaller than a final closed-pack.

High Throughput Capabilities

A homogenous layer of product is achieved due to the combination of a troughed belt and an adjustable levelling plate, maintaining a consistent depth of product, which is optimum when inspecting bulk products, providing customers with outstanding sensitivity. High throughput capabilities mean Safeline X-ray inspection systems can run at the customers’ existing line speeds, maintaining high production levels.

Minimum Product Waste

Consideration should be given to the location of the bulk x-ray equipment on the production line. When placed early in the process, x-ray can inspect incoming goods or raw materials which enable contaminants to be removed at source and quickly traced back to the supplier. It also means that contaminants are removed before further value is added to the product; saving costs.

Safeline Bulk Food X-ray Inspection Equipment

Safeline’s bulk food x-ray equipment is specifically designed to detect foreign body contaminants in bulk-flow (loose) food products before they are packaged or added as ingredients to a finished product.

Food Safety Inspection
By safely removing the contaminated portion from the production line, food manufacturers minimise the risk of costly product recalls whilst protecting consumers from potential harm. Manufacturers can be assured that the bulk-flow x-ray solution will safeguard brand reputation and facilitate compliance with national and international food safety regulations plus retailers’ code of practice requirements. Bulk food x-ray systems inspect a 100% of the production line at high line speeds and reliably remove products contaminated with foreign bodies such as glass, metal, calcified bone, mineral stone and high-dense plastics and rubbers.

Where is the best location for a bulk x-ray inspection system?
Depending upon the nature of the loose flow product and how it is manufactured bulk x-ray machines can be installed at various production stages – the beginning of the production line, where the raw materials arrive, at an intermediate stage or at the end of the line before products are shipped out. Product safety and quality control are enhanced by installing bulk-flow x-ray systems at more than one Critical Control Point (CCP).

Raw ingredients come with a high risk of contamination and manufacturers are therefore reliant on the quality control standards of their suppliers. Some manufacturers will insist that their suppliers have x-ray inspection equipment installed before the goods are dispatched to reduce the risk of contaminated products entering their production facility.

Eliminating the risk of contaminants as early as possible in the production process will minimise product waste and overall production costs. Further value added to the product through processing and packaging is avoided and processing equipment is protected from possible expensive damage caused by an undetected stone or a piece of metal.

High Hygiene Standards
The design of Safeline’s bulk x-ray systems follows quality standards and guidelines from the highest hygiene principles worldwide, including the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) and the European Hygienic Engineering and Design Group (EHEDG) principles. The product inspection machines feature Ingress Protection (IP) 69 rated stainless steel cabinets, making them capable of withstanding harsh wash-down regimes. Sloped surfaces and curved edges minimise bacteria traps and allow water to run off, enabling quick and effective cleaning with minimal downtime, further enhancing line productivity.

Connectivity
Connectivity options enable the system to be remotely controlled by designated personnel for quick-and-easy diagnostics. All product inspection activity is monitored and recorded in real-time and system information is easily retrieved to demonstrate due diligence.

Optimum Inspection
Highly sensitive detector technology ensures that the Safeline bulk x-ray system’s inspection accuracy is not affected by changes in product temperature or moisture thereby minimising false rejects. The equipment can also operate at very low power levels without losing any of its outstanding detection capabilities.

Bulk Reject Systems
The detector technology is complemented by rejecting options such as multi-lane scoop devices, allowing only a small portion of the product to be removed from production, thus reducing product waste and protecting bottom-line profits.

Why is Regulatory Compliance Important?
Regulatory compliance is necessary for manufacturers and retailers to export their products into different markets throughout the globe. Installing an x-ray system for the bulk inspection helps food manufacturers comply with the following Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) based Global Food Safety Initiative(GFSI) recognised standards:

International Featured Standard (IFS)
The British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) Global Standard for Food Safety
Safe Quality Food (SQF) 2000 Code
Food Safety System Certification (FSSC) 22000
US Food Safety Modernisation Act (FSMA)

Mettler Toledo – Al Thika Packaging LLC

Al Thika Packaging is the exclusive distributor of Mettler Toledo company in the Middle East. Since 1994 Al Thika Packaging has been supplying a wide range of machinery including Garvens dynamic Checkweighing systems, Safeline X-ray inspection, Safeline integrated metal detection systems and CI-Vision inspection systems for food & non-food industries in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Al Ain – UAE, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman and the many other Gulf countries.

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