INSPECTION & WEIGHING
Findingperfectyour inspection solution
There are a variety of different production inspection solutions to choose from and each has its own set of pro’s and con’s, depending on the application. Suzanne Callander looks at the options.
W 20
hile production techniques and the equipment used will differ depending on the particular application and
product, one thing that all confectionery applications have in common is a need for protection against physical contaminants. Inspection systems serve to mitigate the risk of potentially harmful contaminants entering the confectionery supply chain and protect a brand’s integrity. However, some inspection systems will suit certain confectionery applications better than others, argued Phil Brown, Sales Director at Fortress Technology Europe. His advice? “Before selecting inspection equipment, it is important to first determine the potential sources of contamination on the particular product line and manufacturing process. Take a step back and look at each processing point, the equipment that’s being used, and every possible contamination scenario.”
Metal remains the most prevalent physical contaminant risk on confectionery production lines. It’s one of the most common materials used in these environments, including mixing bowls, cutters, and in processes like rolling and conching, increasing the risk of flat flakes
Kennedy’s Confection November 2024
Optical sorters are often used to inspect bulk foods and remove foreign material prior to packaging (Image courtesy Key Technology).
and foils contaminating confectionery products. For this reason, most retailers stipulate that metal detection systems are adopted to safeguard consumers and to ensure suppliers are complying with food safety standards (GFSI, BRC, IFS). “When assessing risks, examining all of the processing steps is critical as metal could be introduced in any number of these processes,” continues Phil. “Take the example of sweet multi-
packs. Inspecting at the end of the line, when there are multiple products in the pack, will increase waste considerably. As a result, it is advisable to consider installing metal detectors at specific checkpoints along the manufacturing process. For example, on a vertex machine that’s inspecting raw ingredients, such as sugar, or a pipeline machine that is processing liquid and semi-liquid product like melted chocolate, and then later
KennedysConfection.com
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