Considering X-Ray Inspection? Keep These Five Things In Mind

By Melissa Lind, contributing writer

As new food-safety standards continue to march forward, updating foreign-body detection systems to exceed compliance standards is a must. Here are five key issues that can help determine if making the leap to X-Ray inspection is the right move for your company.

Will It Fulfill Your Company’s Unique Needs?
Any new system should be evaluated based on the needs of your facility. A new X-Ray system must be able to detect the types and sizes of foreign bodies your facility has deemed to be most likely to contaminate products. The system must also fit within your food-processing or packaging line at the best physical detection point you have identified. Today’s X-Ray systems are quite flexible and robust, but specifics may differ between manufacturers.

Is It Easy To Operate?
X-Ray inspection equipment should user-friendly. Fortunately, many systems are available with touch-screen operations that make the units easy to use with minimal training required. X-Ray inspection systems can be used across multiple lines with a variety of potential contaminants and at high speeds. However, again, specifics vary by model and manufacturer.

Is It Easily Installed, Calibrated, And Maintained?
Installation and calibration should be easy to accomplish and maintenance should not require highly-technical processes. Many systems are now built in a modular fashion so any necessary repairs can be quickly completed by swapping out a faulty section with a new one, minimizing down-time, and the requirement for technical personnel.

Does It Offer Secure Recordkeeping?
Most systems are software driven and your company’s IT department should be confident in the security of the unit. Bugs, crashes, and other programming issues should be easy to solve. In addition, the system should be able to integrate with your company’s management systems to ultimately minimize, or, in some cases, eliminate manual data conversion.

Is It Cost Effective?
New X-Ray inspection equipment is a considerable capital expenditure, but the costs of not having an up-to-date system need to be considered. Aside from the regulatory concerns, the cost of even a single contamination event may bring dire consequences, including line stoppages, lost products, recall costs, the loss of consumer trust, and, in a worst-case scenario, complete loss of business. In most cases, the total cost of new product inspection equipment easily wins out against the total cost of potential losses.

X-Ray detection is a flexible and robust ways to ensure that your company’s food products are free of nearly all foreign-body contaminants — most metals, high-density plastics, glass, bone, and stones. X-Ray technology also provides additional benefits, such as checking for missing components, improper fills, and inadequate seals. While it may not be a fit for all food-producing facilities, X-Ray technology may be able to provide some with the means to boost efficiency, reduce costs, and, ultimately, keep consumers safe.