X-ray inspection gets the organic vote
23/01/2013
X-ray inspection systems from Ishida Europe are enabling an Austrian processor of organic foods to carry out tighter screening for potential contaminants, in particular natural ones such as gravel.
Bioquelle GmbH makes well-known brands of cereals, mueslis and dried fruit and nut mixes, as well as soya products and nutritional supplements. It also produces own brand products for its retail clients. Despite a very low level of complaints, the company felt that retailer perceptions made X-ray inspection very attractive.
“Consumer safety is paramount,” explains Managing Director Claudia Schrems. “That is why we push it to the limits. And today, X-ray technology has become a mature and affordable option”.
Bioquelle tested three X-ray inspection system manufacturers and the Ishida systems scored best by a clear margin. One particular advantage was their ability to detect small pieces of plastic. User-friendliness, quality of software and compatibility with the rest of the line, as well as service and support during the set-up phase, were also taken into account.
“In every respect, Ishida performed convincingly,” says Schrems, “which made our decision an easy one.”
At the Bioquelle factory in Steyr, one line is dedicated to large production runs of cereals and muesli with fruit, mixtures of up to six components. The products are similar in density and softness and the line handles just a few formats, all between 400 and 500g.
A second line fills reclosable stand-up bags (70g to 1kg) with a great variety of product mixes, including dried fruit, sunflower seeds and soy granules. These tend to vary greatly in water content, posing quite a challenge to X-ray inspection. A third line packs larger sizes (400g to 4kg) of similar products to the second, at a slower rate and with more product changeovers.
The inspection needs of lines 1 and 2 were met with a single Ishida IX-GA-2475 each. For line 3 an Ishida IX-GA-4075 model, with a larger inspection chamber, was installed.
A fourth Ishida X-Ray Inspection System (another IX-GA-4075) is mounted on wheels and can be moved back and forth to serve two lines in conjunction with two different bagmakers.
Both the 2475 and the 4075 will pick up contaminants such as metal, glass, stone and hard rubber as well as many plastics. Their effectiveness is independent of temperature, salt and water content. As well as Ishida's unique image enhancement algorithm (which any operator can set up to achieve even higher sensitivity for known likely contaminants) each system has a masking facility. This enables inspection to concentrate on specific pack areas and ignore others (such as seals or metal ties).
The lines are usually operated in two shifts at speeds of between 35 and 55 packs per minute, and all four X-ray detection systems have been working flawlessly since installation.
Bioquelle GmbH believes that as well as increased food safety, Ishida X-ray technology also delivers a real competitive advantage.
“Of course, we tell our retail partners of our high safety standards, which provide a powerful argument in selling situations,” says Claudia Schrems.