FOOD producers are being urged to reinforce their inspection protocols following a number of recent high-profile recall cases involving plastic, stones, and other potential contaminants having made their way into packed products.
Ishida is advising manufacturers to integrate advanced X-ray inspection systems into their lines to help prevent brand reputation damage, consumer safety concerns, and financial loss associated with withdrawn stock and interrupted investigation.
The call also follows the firm’s own research, where it surveyed over 200 food manufacturing and packaging professionals about current inspection processes. Less than 10% of respondents said they currently use an X-ray system within their business.
“Foreign body contamination incidents are not rare anomalies, they are rising concerns across the industry,” said Glen Oxborough, business manager, X-ray inspection at Ishida Europe. “Whether the culprit is metal, bone, stone, or plastic, relying on metal detection alone leaves manufacturers exposed. The need for adaptable and advanced inspection systems has never been clearer.”
X-ray inspection systems detect a variety of contaminants and can also offer enhanced traceability and data archiving. Ishida added that the machines offer ‘better and more consistent’ inspection performance across complex applications, including overlapping products and irregular pack formats. These systems can support manufacturers of all sizes by offering solutions that suit their risk level, market demands, and budget.
“Whether it is our entry-level IX-EN X-ray inspection model or our more advanced IX-PD machines for high-risk applications like poultry, Ishida’s systems offer scalable protection across production lines,” Glen added. “When reputational damage and financial fallout from a recall can be devastating, especially for smaller businesses, access to reliable inspection technology is crucial.”
In response to growing demand, Ishida revealed it has bolstered its testing capabilities across the UK and Europe, allowing food manufacturers to compare system performance ‘quickly and efficiently’. This includes having dedicated test facilities at its bases in Birmingham and Prague, where demonstrative packaging lines can be set up and manufacturers can witness the performance of X-ray machines in-person before having the technology installed at their own facility.
Glen stated, “Reactiveness counts. Recalls often trigger the need for fast-paced investment decisions, but equally, proactively upgrading food safety standards within a factory can aid compliance with retailer directives and provide an additional level of assurance against the risk of foreign body contamination. We have infrastructures in place to deliver fast testing and expert advice to help food businesses bounce back from a recall issue and to support forward-thinking manufacturers who want to upgrade their safety protocols.”
