48
MAR 2017
FOOD FOCUSTHAILAND
STAND OUT
TECHNOLOGY
The concept of foreign body detention has been taken from
the power absorption of X-ray that works by comparing the density
differencesofaproductandadulteratedsubstance.Thehighdensity
adulteratedsubstancewill beeasilydetected.While, the lowdensity
one is difficult to detect likewise. Generally, food and beverage
have low density level (ApproximateSG = 1). Therefore, theX-ray
inspection system can work well with the adulterated substance,
whoseSG ismoderatelymore than 1.
As mentioned earlier, product density is known to have direct
impact on the efficiency of foreign body detection. Major limitation
of X-ray has found in the high density packaging, including metal
tins, glassware packaging, inwhich having a high risk of finding bit
of broken glass inside the product. This has been considered as a
challenge for X-ray inspection system in detecting the product in a
glass bottle.
Currently,high-technologyX-raydevice
1
isdesignedespecially for
detecting theglassbottles.Nomatter it is juicebottle, saucebottleor
other kinds of glassware packaging, whilemetal lids have not been
considered as the obstacle in detecting an adulterate substance in
glassware packages.
Withmeticulous craftsmanship, delicate design and concern on
practicality of a system, the high-technology X-ray device
1
today
is available in a truly completed system. No matter it is paralleled
infeedandoutfeedconveyor, theproductswill beeasilydelivered to
the assembly lines, get in and get out from the X-ray devices with
theproperprotectionsystem thatprevents thebottles from fallingout
evenwhen theproducts areonahigh speed screening system that
canhandle1,200bottles/minute (dependingon thebottle size). The
product rejection systemwill be also kept in the separate assembly
line to prevent any damages that cause from possible accidents as
once theywere kept in the screeningbins.
Moreover, high technology X-ray device has come up with the
full HD touch-screen for system controlling and datamanagement.
The checking results can be showed either in real time or 100%
completely recorded. While, datamanagement has been improved
andmadeeasier bya software
2
that hasbeenapplied to collect and
manage information and statistics, whose records are necessary
and tobe kept safely, so that the retrieval canbedone in timelyand
systematicmanners.
Additional Information
1
X-ray Inspection systemX3750 fromMettler-Toledo
2
SoftwareDataManagement ProdX fromMettler-Toledo
X-RayTechnology
forForeignBodyDeteCtion
in
GlassBottles
Currently, production standards of food and beverage
have been continuously developed and improved. New
standards have come to Thailand, such as BRC, IFS,
SQFandFSSC22000and the like.Thesenewstandards
have in turn resulted in the upgrade of product qualities
and ensure the competitiveness with producers in other
countries.
“Foreignbodydetection” is the key topic that hasgot strict concern
inanyproductionstandards.Now,manyequipmentsanddeviceshave
been inplace for foreignbodydetection, includingDe-stoner,Colorsorter,
Magnetic trapaswellasmetaldetectorandX-ray inspectionsystem, the
mostcommondetectingsystems in foodandbeverage industries.Each
individual system has been selected and used differently according to
the production process or the product type. For example, Color sorter
will be installed and run during the production process. However, it
is unable to screen out the adulterated substances that have similar
color as theproduct.While,metal detector canbe installedbothduring
and at the end of productionprocess or simply after packaging, but its
inability to detect metal or semi-metal package is considered as the
major limitation, aluminum foil, for example.
In a meantime, producer can install many kinds of foreign body
detectiondevices in theproduction process. However, it is undeniable
that the foreignbodydetectionafterpackaging is thefinal importantstep
toensureproductqualitybeforedelivering toconsumers. Inmanycases,
therefore, foreignbodydetectionhascome inasa last stepof any food
andbeverageproductionsas it can fulfill the limitationofmetal detector
indetectingproduct withaluminum foil packaging,metal tinsandeven
detecting other adulterated substances than the metal, detecting the
tiny pieceof glass inglass container, for example.
