X-ray Inspection Of Food Products: The Safety Facts You Need To Know

By Bob Ries, Lead Product Manager, Metal Detection and X-ray Inspection, Thermo Fisher Scientific

Over the past couple of decades, food processors increasingly have come to rely on X-ray inspection equipment to detect physical contaminants during production. This is not surprising because X-ray inspection equipment has become more sensitive, more affordable and more reliable. X-ray systems can also be very intuitive and easy to use.

Still, some food manufacturers have lingering worries about the safety of X-ray technology – both for those operating the equipment and the food products the machines inspect.

The bottom line: X-ray inspection of packaged and bulk food product is proven to be extremely safe.

There is no documented evidence of adverse health effects of X-rays on equipment operators, the food products that travel through the equipment and ultimately the consumer of those products.

To understand why this is true, let’s take a close look at how today’s X-ray inspection equipment works and correct any misconceptions associated with this commonly used technology.