QUALITY CONTROL
giveaway. This challenge is exacerbated by lightweight, irregular or mixed confectionery products, where weight variation can occur naturally during handling and packaging. “Modern dynamic checkweighing
technology allows manufacturers to monitor every individual pack in motion, helping to reduce waste while ensuring compliance with weight regulations,” said Sion. Packaging integrity and label verification
are also becoming an increasingly important inspection priority. “Confectionery products are especially sensitive to moisture, oxygen and temperature changes, meaning damaged seals or compromised packaging can quickly affect shelf life and product quality,” continued Sion. “Vision inspection systems are now being used to verify seal integrity, confirm label placement and readability, inspect barcodes and identify packaging defects in real time. Automated optical inspection provides far greater consistency than manual checks and allows manufacturers to maintain quality standards even on very fast production lines.” Another challenge facing confectionery
producers is the growing complexity of product portfolios. Seasonal promotions, mixed assortments and frequent packaging changes can increase the risk of incorrect products being packed or labelled. Intelligent inspection technologies, integrated with production line
42 • KENNEDY’S CONFECTION • MAY 2026
MODERN FACTORIES ARE INCREASINGLY RELIANT ON ‘BI-DIRECTIONAL’
COMMUNICATION, WHERE END-OF-LINE DATA INFORMS UPSTREAM PROCESSES AND SUPPORTS COMPLETE TRACEABILITY
that invest in advanced inspection solutions are not only reducing recall risks but also improving productivity, minimising waste and strengthening consumer confidence in
their
brands. “Ultimately, inspection
technology should support both safety and operational efficiency. By implementing integrated inspection solutions, confectionery manufacturers can protect their brand reputation while consistently delivering safe, high-quality products to consumers.”
software, is helping improve traceability and reduce human error by automatically adapting inspection parameters to each product recipe or packaging format. Sion
believes that, as confectionery
production continues to evolve, inspection technology is becoming less about simply identifying defects and more about delivering complete process transparency. Manufacturers
X-ray inspection In the confectionery industry, the margin for error is slim – a single foreign body incident or cosmetic defect can damage a brands reputation. Glen Oxborough, Business Manager – X-ray at Ishida Europe, worryingly highlighted that foreign body incidents are not rare anomalies, yet fewer than 10% of surveyed food manufacturing and packaging professionals currently use X-ray systems. “Metal detection remains valuable, but it
has limitations when products are wrapped in metallised films, arranged in overlapping formats, or are at risk from non-metallic hazards such as glass, stone, dense plastics or rubber,” said Glen. “Modern X-ray inspection addresses this challenge head on, identifying a wide range of contaminants while simultaneously supporting quality checks such
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