A recent development in x-ray detection for packaging leaves no place for contaminants to hide, whether in glass, metal & even stone or bone, according to its manufacturer. Smiths Detection says that it has developed the patented Eagle Quadview system particularly for processors reliant on glass packaging, after complaints from the industry about inspecting more concealed areas like the crown of a jar. X-rays have been used by the industry for many years as a means to discover possible contaminants in their products. Standard x-ray products currently only scan a product from a single angle, which can cause some problems for food packaging, the manufacturer claims. However, Quadview is designed to scan packaging or a vessel from 4 different x-ray beams to ensure that all areas of a package are properly scanned. A Smiths Detection spokesperson told FoodProductionDaily.com that this feature was particularly important to products like glass jars, where finding 100 per cent of contaminants could prove "tricky" for standard X-ray products. "Almost all glass jars have a raised crown at the bottom of the jar creating a 'hiding place' for contaminants," they said. "Because most products in glass jars - like baby food - are liquid or slurry mixes it is easy for a dense contaminant to slide to the bottom of the jar and hide behind the crown."
