Detecting Contamination with an Industrial X-Ray Machine
A few of those reading this article will, at some time, have discovered a foreign body in a processed food product. It might have been relatively innocuous, such as a tiny piece of shell in a jar of peanut butter. However, it could also have been a potentially dangerous item such as a sliver of glass or a plastic fragment. Today, such contamination tends to be rare. One can attribute this rarity partly to greater vigilance but mainly to the food industry’s increased use of an industrial x-ray machine. Given that tablets and liquid medicines are taken orally, pharmaceutical companies also adopt this technology.
Common Contaminants
Products of these industries are exposed to four types of hazards. They may contain biological, chemical, or physical contaminants or allergens. Routine quality control procedures include batch testing to eliminate bacteria and harmful chemicals, and the confirmed presence of allergens merely requires including an appropriate warning on the product label. However, detecting physical contaminants can be considerably more challenging, mainly because they are often relatively small and unevenly distributed. Fortunately, this poses no challenge for an industrial x-ray machine.
Alternative Inspection Technology
A metal detector should suffice where magnetic or non-magnetic metals are the only hazard. However, it will be of no use for inspecting products wrapped in aluminium foil. By contrast, x-rays have no such limitations and will detect non-metallic materials such as glass, stone, plastic and bone with equal efficiency through any form of packaging. The manufacturers of cereals, confectionary, sausages and processed meats, bakeries, canneries, dairies and baby food producers can ensure their customers’ safety and good standing by installing an industrial x-ray machine as part of their quality control regimen.
Is It Safe to X-Ray Food With an Industrial X-Ray Machine?
Anyone visiting a hospital radiography department will soon be aware of the lead shielding and aprons necessary to protect the radiographers from the potentially dangerous effects of exposure to ionising radiation. It is, therefore, reasonable to question the wisdom of exposing food and medicines to x-rays. To allay such fears, the European Union has issued a directive designed to guarantee the safety of products inspected in this manner. The EU directive defines the maximum dose an industrial x-ray machine can generate to ensure inspected foodstuffs are safe. However, reputable manufacturers produce machines that operate effectively but generate radiation levels well below the permitted maximum. In turn, efficient shielding and fail-safe measures ensure operator safety.
Anritsu is a well-known and respected name in this field and the brand chosen by Teraoka to complement our world-class retail and industrial weighing and dimensioning products. Call or email us to learn more about industrial x-ray machines and how they could improve the safety of your products.