March 2021

30 n FOOD AND BEVERAGE March 2021 www.drivesncontrols.com Food safety: adapting to a smarter era I n a document published last year, called NewEra of Smarter Food Safety , the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) outlines its response to changes happening in the food industry, such as the emergence of new and reformulated foods, the arrival of novel methods of food production and delivery, and the increasing use of digitalisation. According to the FDA, the coming ten years could see more changes in the food industry than have happened in decades. To keep pace with this change, it is adopting a new approach to food safety, using technology and other tools to create a safer and more digital, traceable food system. Smarter food safety is about more than just technology, says the FDA. It's also about simpler, more effective, and modern approaches and processes. Building on the framework of the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), other countries, including the UK, are expected to move towards this blueprint – in particular, using technology-enabled traceability to track contaminated food to its source. The FDA’s blueprint outlines the need for smarter approaches to prevent and respond to food safety outbreaks, and to new business models and the way that retailing is changing. Traceability is, and will continue to be, a key priority. The speed at which a food company can pinpoint the source of a contaminant is vital to minimising the damage caused by recalls. While inspection systems such as metal detectors and x-ray machines are a first step in quality control, proper management with regular testing is key to optimising protection. Digital testing In its blueprint, the FDA discusses the feasibility of remote, virtual, and/or component inspections. These principles can also be applied to the testing of metal detectors and x- ray machinery. Digital testing software, for example, is starting to gain acceptance and allows tests and records to be activated automatically – even remotely, if required. Adopting digital concepts for this critical step in food safety compliance provides manufacturers with a true measure of how inspection machines are performing, not only removing the risk of human error, but also cutting labour costs and safety hazards. To achieve such prevention-based frameworks, considerationmust be given to making processes more effective and efficient. Although it is important for foodmanufacturers to adopt more sensitive inspection equipment, it is equally important to eliminate false rejects. Identifying metal items in conductive products can involve changing the operating frequency. However, this can affect the accuracy of a detector, because the sensitivity could be reduced to the point where contaminants pass through. To overcome this issue, some food firms are turning to advanced systems that offer multi- orientation, multi-scan detection. Compared to traditional single- or dual-frequency metal detectors, this new approach uses multiple sets of coils to drive the electromagnetic fields in different directions. Instead of missing a metal contaminant because it hasn’t aligned with a specific field, it looks for signals over a broad spectrum, from various angles. As well as eliminating the risk of false rejects and ensuring high sensitivity, automated product tracking and data capture software can increase transparency and traceability further. Room for both Metal detection and x-ray technologies are not rivals. Depending on the application, both have a place on production lines. Metal detectors can identify low-density metals, while x-ray inspection machines can reveal contamination by other foreign materials. Another important factor to consider is the layout of factories and the placement of inspection machines. When used together, an x-ray system is ideal for in-line inspections, while metal detectors are better located towards the end of the processing lines. While an x-ray machine can detect things a metal detector can’t, and vice versa, ultimately they are complementary technologies. Smart technologies must be implemented alongside modern preventative measures and safety strategies. As supply chains become increasingly complex, it essential to keep pace with an ever-changing industry. n The US FDA has issued a document outlining its approach to a new era of smarter food safety. Jodie Curry, commercial manager at the metal detection specialist Fortress Technology, examines the factors that are driving the need for smarter systems, and how intelligent inspection equipment is helping to usher in this new era. Digital testing technologies can show food manufacturers how their inspection machines are performing, as well as removing the risk of human error, and cutting labour costs and safety hazards