Following a number of recent high-profile food recall cases involving plastic, stones and other potential contaminants having made their way into packed products, manufacturers and producers across the industry are being advised to reinforce their inspection protocols.
The recommendation comes from Ishida, the designer, manufacturer and installer of end-to-end weighing, packing and safety solutions for the food industry, and is in response to a series of major recalls involving global brands and supermarkets. These include cases of fruit and nut bars potentially containing pieces of plastic, and chocolate bars that may contain small stones making their way onto retailers’ shelves.
To prevent brand reputation damage, consumer safety concerns and significant financial loss associated with withdrawn stock and interrupted investigation, Ishida is advising food manufacturers to integrate advanced X-ray inspection systems into their lines, which offer a critical layer of protection and peace of mind above and beyond metal detection alone.
The call also follows Ishida’s own research, where it surveyed over 200 food manufacturing and packaging professionals about their current inspection processes. Of those it asked, less than 10% 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 wide variety of contaminants – not just metal – making them vital for brands committed to product safety and quality. They can also offer enhanced traceability and data archiving, which are crucial for compliance with food safety standards and regulations. Beyond this, X-ray machines offer better and more consistent inspection performance across complex applications, including overlapping products and irregular pack formats.
Importantly, these systems can support manufacturers of all sizes, from multinationals to emerging producers, 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 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, UK and Prague, Czech Republic, 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 concludes: “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.”
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Joseph Clarke
Editor, International Bakery
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