Electricity + Control October 2018

ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTATION

Sensor solutions in food safety

Brandon Topham, RET Automation Controls

Product recall is costly not only in terms of lost revenue, wasted materials, and production time but also in terms of brand reputation and brand loyalty. The sooner food safety issues can be addressed and mitigated, the lower the risk of a large- scale recall.

Take Note!

1. A label verification tech- nology is critical to ensur- ing that the proper labels are affixed to the right products. 2. Monitoring and docu- menting temperatures throughout the food chain is imperative. 3. Another way to protect against the growth of path- ogens during food produc- tion is to select sensors with hygienic designs. 1 2 3

T his article outlines three of the most com- mon food hazards that can result in recall and describes several sensor technologies that can help ensure food safety in each scenario. Common food safety hazards Three hazards to food safety include undisclosed allergens, pathogens and physical hazards. Choos- ing the right sensor technology for your application can go a long way towards reducing your risk in each of these areas, saving you time and money in the long term. Undisclosed allergens One significant food safety hazard is undisclosed allergens. Food allergies are potentially lethal to the consumer, so it is essential that food packag- ing accurately discloses the allergens present in the food item. By law, eight major foods must be disclosed on packaging: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soy. However, one error that can occur during the processing of packaged foods is when a product is placed in the incorrect packaging, resulting in in- accurate labelling of food contents. For example, if a cheese-stuffed hot dog is accidentally packaged in a regular hot dog packaging, the package would not include the required milk allergen warning. Solution: vision sensor for label verification A label verification technology is critical to ensur- ing that the proper labels are affixed to the right products. One very effective technology is a vision sensor, which can be used to verify the presence of the correct label on the packaged food item.

For example, bottle filling lines run many dif- ferent types of products and require frequent changeovers. To prevent mislabelled bottles and ensure quality and food safety, a vision sensor can determine whether a label pattern matches a reference pattern taught to the device. Automat- ing label inspections with a reliable vision solution improves quality control by reducing the risk of er- ror common to manual inspections, which in turn helps reduce the incidence of product recall due to undisclosed allergens.

Pathogens (biological hazards) Pathogens are another significant food safety concern. Also referred to as biological hazards, pathogens are any type of bacteria, virus, or para- site (such as listeria or salmonella) that can cause illness to humans if consumed. Pathogens can be

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OCTOBER 2018