Fast, efficient inspection of fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are grown in fields, orchards, and on farms. Sometimes rocks, metals and glass particles buried in the dirt are harvested along with the fresh foods themselves and inadvertently enter into the production process. Also, occasionally, pieces of equipment like mesh screens, nuts or bolts fall into the fruit and vegetable piles as they are being sorted, cleaned, and packaged. And if the fruits, like various berries are being added to other products (jams, prepared foods, or bakery goods), there are more areas in the plant where potential contaminants may be introduced.
Most manufacturers of packaged foods involving fruits and/or vegetables use food safety and quality inspection technology, including X-ray inspection, metal detection, and check weighing equipment to help ensure they get their products to market free of physical contaminants. But with different types of packaging for different types of fruits and vegetables, including metallized film, deciding what kind of technology to use and where in the plant it is needed can be a challenge.
Thermo Fisher Scientific is a recognized leader in providing in-line inspection and monitoring solutions to ensure safety, quality and production efficiency by detecting physical contaminants, validating net content, verifying product integrity and analyzing constituents.
Here are some resources to help processors of fruit and vegetable products ensure a quality item for consumption gets into the hands of the consumer.
In the past, there have been reports that fresh strawberries were being tampered with, and needles were found in the products. These metal pieces are challenging to find with conventional inspection practices because of their variable size, thin shape, material composition, numerous possible orientations in a package and their light density. Learn how to overcome this challenge.
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Selectscan technology enables food processors to have an easy way to rapidly identify the single best frequency for an application. It tunes out product effect and adapts results to account for temperature changes and electromagnetic interference.
Metal detection, X-ray inspection, and checkweighing information resources
Product inspection equipment systems can help provide you with the performance and service you need to improve the quality and safety of your products. Visit our Food Weighing & Inspection equipment center to learn about food metal detectors, food x-ray systems, and checkweighing equipment.
A Practical Guide to Metal Detection and X-ray Inspection of Food
X-ray inspection systems and metal detectors can find virtually any foreign object in your packaged food products. To find out how they work, and which one will work best for you, download this eBook.
A Practical Guide to Checkweighers and Checkweighing
Knowing that the weight of a packaged product being shipped out the door matches the weight on the label is part of your food quality process. Read this practical guide about checkweighing.
Why Multiscanning Technology Improves Metal Detection and Food Safety
Food inspection systems with multiscan capability can scan up to five completely adjustable frequencies to find metal types and sizes previously undetectable. Here are the most frequently asked questions about this new technology.
X-ray Inspection System Product Comparison Table
When finding contaminants in your packaged food products is critical to protecting your brand, X-ray systems offer high-tech, cost-effective, easy-to-use solutions. Use this guide to help find a model best suited to your business.
Checkweigher Product Comparison Table
With the right checkweigher customized to your specifications, you can depend on accurate weight control, maximized efficiency, and consistent product throughput. Use this guide to help find a model best suited to your business.
X-ray Inspection of Food Products: The Safety Facts You Need to Know
Food X-ray systems are safe but they do generate ionizing radiation so it is important to understand what levels are considered safe, what regulations might apply, what safety devices are used to meet these regulations and what we do during manufacturing and installation to assure complete safety in all regards.