Food Product Inspection: What To Ask When Considering Metal Detection

By Todd Grube, Inspection Systems Manager, Heat and Control, Inc.

Protecting your customers and brand is one of the most-important functions a food manufacturer performs. To do so requires selecting the right inspection equipment and maintaining an effective, verifiable inspection program.

Metal detection is an efficient and relatively-inexpensive method of protecting your customers and brands. While price, delivery, and other commercial considerations are important, understanding the following points will enable you to choose the best metal detector for your needs.

What’s The Primary Detection Function?
Metal detection sensitivity needs can vary according to the application. If your metal detector will be protecting a key piece of equipment, the goal would be to eliminate metal that is large enough to damage that equipment. At another part of the line, a different level of sensitivity would be required to inspect bulk flow of product. Final package inspection requires the highest sensitivity to protect your product before it reaches the marketplace.

What Are The Characteristics Of The Inspected Product?
Your products’ characteristics will define the level detection technology needed. Does the product contain salt, moisture, or iron that may trigger false rejects? Are there variations in its temperature? How many different products do you inspect? Testing products on a detector before you buy will help you choose the most-efficient model and identify potential operating problems.

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