Food Metal Detectors Where, How, and Why Do We Need Them?

The food industry is an ever-evolving field. The way food is processed and made now is much different than it was, say, 100 years ago. This is partly due to population growth causing an increased need for mass-produced foods, but it’s also due to improvements in technology. With our ‘new and improved’ packaging machines and ways of mass producing food, there’s less of a focus on quality and more on quantity. This could pose risks to consumers if even one detail of the process was overlooked and some sort of contaminant made its way into the packaging.

Food metal detectors are a great resource for food packaging and processing companies to test for potential contamination. In a typical metal detector application with a wet or conductive product where 2.5-3.5 mm stainless steel can be detected, X-ray food inspection frequently can detect 1.5 mm or less thus improving food safety and brand protection.Even though most food companies take the utmost care in preparing food safely, there is always the possibility of human error. Food metal detectors provide maximum protection against both ferrous and non-ferrous metals and can be installed for every step of the production process. Food metal detectors can test a wide range of foods such as bakery products, meats, dairy, fruits and vegetables, and more.

In addition to testing for metal in foods, food metal detectors can also test the food packaging equipment for any excess metal that may disrupt production schedule or cause a breakdown of machinery. These damages often take time to repair and result in production schedule deficits which lead to profit losses. Keep in mind that maximum protection and detection requires multiple food metal detectors to be placed at several stages of the production process. Even when used for machinery, several detectors have the most efficiency. If you don’t have the resources for that, try to set up the food metal detector at the earliest spot in the production process. If you set it up at the end of the food preparation and packaging process, it won’t be nearly as useful because the batch has already been contaminated.

There are many different kinds of equipment used in the food production and food processing industries. Do your research before using any equipment, as some of it is highly technical, and as always, don’t hesitate to contact a professional if you have questions or concerns.