By Mike Pipe, Head of Global Sales and Product Management, Mettler-Toledo Safeline X-ray
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If x-ray inspection comes across as complicated, you’ll be pleased to know that it isn’t – and it doesn’t need to be!   Hopefully after reading this back-to-basics article you’ll understand the fundamentals of this technology. The most important thing to know is that x-ray inspection is crucial in food safety because it helps verify that your meat products are safe without interrupting production. And, let’s face it, what more does a meat manufacturer or brand owner want?
What is X-ray Inspection in Meat Manufacturing?
X-ray inspection technology identifies unwanted physical contaminants in all types of food products including meat. We are all used to x-rays in a hospital, taking a picture of what’s inside your body, well in meat manufacturing it is just the same. X-ray inspection makes sure your unpackaged and packaged meat products do not contain any unwanted contaminants.
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Why Should Meat Manufacturers Install an X-ray System?
X-ray inspection systems are essential for finding and removing harmful physical contaminants from meat products, like metal, glass, stones, bones and plastics. Retailers require these safety checks to protect their reputation and keep customers safe. Complying with government and industry food safety standards by integrating x-ray inspection technologies into meat production lines helps manufacturers avoid expensive recalls, fines and damage to their brand. Investing in x-ray technology also improves product quality, builds customer trust and gives manufacturers a competitive edge.
How Does X-ray Work?
By passing meat products through an x-ray system, a generator creates an x-ray beam that goes through the product before hitting a detector. This creates an x-ray image of what’s inside the product. Think about when you see an x-ray of your body at the hospital – it’s the same principle.
The x-ray image shows if there are any physical contaminants inside the meat product, and sends a signal to a reject device, removing the meat or pack from production. This process helps to make sure only uncontaminated and safe products leave the production facility.
What Types of Physical Contaminants Can be Detected by an X-ray?
X-ray systems can find many types of physical contaminants in meat. A simple way to understand it is: if the contaminant can sink in water, the x-ray can detect it. For example, x-rays can spot tiny metal fragments from broken machinery, shards of glass from the filling process, or bones in processed meat. These systems help to make sure that harmful items are caught and removed, keeping food safe for consumers.
Can X-ray Do More Than Detect Physical Contaminants?
The answer is yes. Â X-ray systems can do more than just detect and reject physical contaminants. They can also check the integrity of the complete pack. These checks include:
- Mass Measurement: Checking that each product has the correct weight. For example, it can check that each compartment in a ready meal tray contains the right amount of product.
- Component Count: Verifies that the correct number of items are in the package. For instance, it can confirm that a pack of six sausages has all the sausages.
- Product Trapped in Seal: Checks the integrity of seals to make sure there is no meat product trapped inside. This is crucial for products like packs of sliced meats such as ham and salami as product within a seal can compromise the freshness.
- Completeness Checks: Â X-ray systems can count products and components within a product. For example, the correct number of pork pies in a box.
These integrity checks help make sure that products meet quality standards and customer expectations, enhancing overall product reliability and consumer trust.
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What Type of Food Products Can X-ray Systems Inspect?
X-ray machines can inspect both unpackaged and packaged meat products. For unpackaged products, they can handle raw meat on a belt such as burgers or bulk items like meat cuts, pumped liquids and slurried products like meat pastes and sausage meat or pumped meats to turn them into formed products such as chicken bites. This allows for the removal of contaminants before the packaging stage, and before further value is added later in production.
X-ray systems can also inspect all types of packaged products. This includes cartons, plastic trays, pouches, metal cans, and glass jars. Â X-ray solutions can inspect unpackaged and packaged meat products either chilled, frozen, dried or cured, detecting contaminants as well as performing quality checks.
Where Should an X-ray System be Installed?
Meat manufacturers need to perform a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) analysis. This process identifies the Critical Control Points (CCPs) where contamination could occur, and this is where an x-ray system should be installed.
An x-ray system can be installed at the start of the production line to inspect incoming raw materials. The benefit of this is that it detects contaminants early, preventing them from entering the production line, reducing waste and costs.
It can also be used in-line during the production process. The benefit here is that it means physical contaminants are detected and removed immediately, maintaining the integrity of the production line and preventing damage to machinery further downstream.
X-ray systems are also used at the end of the production line. The benefit of this is that it acts as a final quality control check before the complete pack leaves the facility, meaning that only safe and contaminant-free meat products reach consumers, in the best possible quality.
Why is X-ray Inspection Important?
X-ray inspection acts like a shield, detecting contaminated products before they leave the factory. This protects consumers from harmful physical contaminants. Without x-ray inspection, dangerous items could slip through unnoticed, risking people’s health and causing problems for brands.
It helps to prevent costly recalls and all associated costs by catching bad products before they enter the marketplace. Installing x-ray inspection solutions helps companies to comply with food safety rules set by the industry, government, and retailers, avoiding financial penalties for breaching these regulations. Retailers often require rigorous safety checks to protect their reputation and offer customer safety, making compliance with these standards essential for suppliers.
Investing in x-ray technology enhances product quality, builds customer trust and gives manufacturers a competitive edge in the market.
How can an X-ray system uphold high hygiene requirements?
The smart industrial design of today’s x-ray systems accommodates regular rigorous cleaning and maintenance routines whilst minimising downtime. For example, a front-opening hygienic design of an x-ray inspection system makes it easy for operators to perform regular maintenance. Conveyor belts can be removed swiftly and without tools by easily releasing the tension with the handle situated on the infeed roller. Most x-ray systems are either IP65 or IP69 rated offering different levels of waterproofing.
Key Takeaway
X-ray inspection is crucial for meat manufacturers as it can help avoid costly recalls and protect brand reputation by facilitating the utmost in food safety. With food safety compliance and regulations being critical for manufacturers, x-ray technology keeps their meat products safe, boosts productivity and helps to keep brands competitive.
For more information: www.mt.com/xray-inspection-pr
