X-RAY INSPECTION SYSTEM

In addition to inspecting for metal contaminants, X-ray systems provide detection of bone, glass, stone and dense plastics within food products, as well as having the ability to detect metal contaminants within foil trays or metallized packaging.

Most raw foods and ingredients originate in a natural environment such as a field, orchard, or farm. As the food is harvested, foreign objects such as stones or glass can be picked up and transported into the processing plant. Additionally, objects found in manufacturing facilities – such as metal and some very hard plastics – can find their way into the processing stream as the result of machinery or process failures. These risks and associated costs have driven more demanding detection policies worldwide. Food processors are integrating X-ray detection as part of an overall food safety program to help ensure that the end product is free from unwanted contaminants before it reaches the consumer.

Food X-ray inspection systems are based on the density of the product and the contaminant. X-rays are simply light waves that we can’t see. X-rays have a very short wavelength, which corresponds to very high energy. As an X-ray penetrates a food product, it loses some of its energy. A dense area, such as a contaminant, will reduce the energy even further. As the X-ray exits the product, it reaches a sensor. The sensor then converts the energy signal into an image of the interior of the food product. Foreign matter appears as a darker shade of grey and helps identify foreign contaminants.