Protection against foreign bodies: Focus on hygiene and food quality

The requirements for hygiene and product quality in the food industry are very high due to strict international regulations such as HACCP, ISO 22000 and NSF. Food manufacturers are required to use reliable and highly accurate technologies to meet these food standards. At the same time, they need to implement efficient solutions to reduce their costs and secure their margins in the face of rising raw material, energy and labour costs.As a leading global provider of weighing and inspection technologies, Minebea Intec offers customised solutions that are precisely tailored to meet the challenges of food production.

The atmosphere in the conference room is tense. The management team is gathering. The head of the quality control department lays the findings on the table: metal shavings in a batch of food – a recall is unavoidable. A few moments later, the phones in the service department are ringing off the hook. Customers, supermarkets and wholesalers need to be informed. A crisis email is being prepared and the social media team is standing by to provide reassuring but honest explanations. ‘How could something like this happen?’ the sales manager asks quietly, while the operations manager speaks into her mobile phone with a serious expression to coordinate the logistics team. All stock must be checked and the affected goods recalled. At the same time, the production line is shut down. All eyes are on the cleaning and inspection of the machines to ensure that no further particles enter future batches.

This scenario is becoming increasingly common in the food industry worldwide. According to reports by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the EU RAPEX database, foreign bodies in food account for up to 23% of all recalls in industrialised countries, depending on the region. Only microbiological contamination and errors in allergen labelling lead to more frequent recalls. For food producers, a recall means not only high costs but also potential damage to their reputation.

Strict regulations such as HACCP, ISO 22000 and NSF are therefore crucial to minimising such risks. They set clear standards to prevent contamination along the entire production chain. This not only ensures product quality, but also significantly reduces the risk of a recall. Weighing and inspection technologies from Minebea Intec help to ensure compliance with these regulations by detecting potential risks such as foreign bodies in food at an early stage.

Food control through HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points)

The HACCP system, which is used in the food industry worldwide, is a preventive management system for ensuring food safety. It requires producers to identify and assess potential hazards (biological, chemical, physical) throughout the entire food production process. Based on this analysis, critical control points (CCPs) must be defined at which risks are eliminated or minimised by preventive measures. HACCP is considered a mandatory requirement for food production in the European Union and in many other countries worldwide.

Minebea Intec technologies, such as the Mitus® metal detector, are ideally suited for monitoring and controlling such critical points. ‘Our Mitus® metal detector with integrated MiWave technology offers an effective solution for foreign body detection,’ says Linus Dellweg, Global Product Manager at Minebea Intec. ‘With its high sensitivity, the Mitus® metal detector can detect even the smallest metal particles, even with larger product effects and thus makes a decisive contribution to ensuring that food products meet the highest safety and quality standards.’ The result: maximum product safety at maximum output.

In addition to metal contaminant detection, Minebea Intec offers solutions with its X-ray inspection systems that detect not only metallic foreign bodies but also glass, stones, some plastics and bones. Systems like the Dymond series go far beyond mere food inspection for foreign bodies: they check the integrity of packaging, control fill levels and detect product damage. With these comprehensive functions, X-ray inspection systems such as Dymond make a significant contribution to compliance with international hygiene standards and to product safety.

Food standard ISO 22000

The international standard ISO 22000 defines uniform requirements worldwide for management systems for food safety. It covers all stages of food production and aims to ensure consistent food safety, from production to delivery. In essence, ISO 22000 combines the requirements of HACCP with a general management system, similar to ISO 9001, and places a strong emphasis on traceability and the training of personnel in food safety.

The precise and reliable weighing and inspection systems of Minebea Intec help food producers to meet the requirements of ISO 22000. These include dynamic checkweighers, which monitor product weight in real time during the production process. They ensure that products have the correct weight and immediately detect deviations. Scales also promote traceability by collecting important data such as weight, time stamp and batch information that can be used for documentation and analysis. In the event of quality issues, the data collected enables quick identification and traceability of affected Products.

With the introduction of the new Blue HMI for checkweighers, Minebea Intec is setting a new standard in user-friendliness and efficiency. This advanced user interface offers numerous smart features to optimise production processes. Whether you need to teach in a new product, adjust line parameters or define a batch protocol, The new Blue HMI user interface makes working with checkweighers easier and more efficient. ‘The design concept of Blue HMI is based on what we are familiar with from our daily use of high-tech devices. The user-friendly menu navigation and new workflows make it much easier to use and reduce the training period,’ says Lars-Henrik Bierwirth, Global Product Manager at Minebea Intec. Since checkweighers are often located at the end of a production line – which is also a critical control point – the integrated overall equipment effectiveness provides a clear overview of the efficiency of the production line as a whole. There are also special combination checkweighers that integrate a metal detector into the smallest of spaces and additionally check Products for possible contamination. The new Blue HMI offers Minebea Intec customers even more potential for automation and process optimisation through a variety of interfaces, including traceability.

Software solutions for traceability and recipe management

In addition to high-quality hardware products, Minebea Intec also offers high-quality software solutions. This includes the software SPC@Enterprise, which supports traceability by collecting and centrally storing quality and production data from dynamic and static scales, metal detectors and X-ray inspection systems. This data can be retrieved in the event of quality problems and enables the affected Products to be identified quickly. The system detects deviations at an early stage, minimising the risk of recalls and increasing product quality. Thanks to seamless integration into ERP and quality systems, SPC@Enterprise optimises access to traceability data along the entire production chain.

The software ProRecipe XT® is available especially for manual and semi-automated recipe processes. ProRecipe XT® ensures precise dosing and monitors all steps – from small batches to complex multi-component recipes. The software is particularly useful in regulated industries where the highest levels of accuracy and traceability are required. A typical application example from the food industry is the production of baked goods, where numerous ingredients have to be processed in different quantities. ProRecipe XT® ensures that each ingredient is batched precisely and that weighing errors are avoided. Thanks to seamless integration into existing ERP systems, all data is recorded and monitored in real time, which not only saves time but also ensures compliance with strict quality standards. ‘Our recipe software ProRecipe XT® supports traceability in production by precisely recording and storing all recipe and production data,’ says Lars-Henrik Bierwirth. ’The system documents the ingredients, batches and process parameters used, thus enabling seamless traceability of every batch produced.’

NSF certification: The highest hygiene standards with the MiNexx 3000® weighing platform

The NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) certification is an internationally recognised seal that ensures that production systems, such as weighing and inspection technologies, meet the highest hygiene and safety standards. This certification plays a particularly crucial role in the food industry, where strict regulations apply to avoid contamination and ensure compliance with hygiene requirements. NSF certification confirms that production facilities are suitable for sensitive environments and for direct contact with food.

The Weighing Platform MiNexx 3000® of Minebea Intec is NSF certified, which makes it particularly ideal for the food industry. Thanks to its hygienic design, it is easy to clean and thus minimises the risk of cross-contamination. These properties are essential in food production, where contamination from inadequately cleaned equipment can lead to significant problems such as production downtime or even product recalls. ‘Another advantage of the Weighing Platform MiNexx 3000® is its precision,’ says Nils Hubrich, Product Manager at Minebea Intec. ‘It enables highly accurate weight determination, which is crucial to ensure that products meet the prescribed filling quantities and thus no deviations or quality defects arise.’ Its robust construction and corrosion-resistant materials also make it ideal for use in demanding production environments where regular and thorough cleaning is essential.

All-round service: Minebea Intec is a strong partner from consultancy assistance to commissioning and beyond

Not only does Minebea Intec offer a comprehensive product portfolio of weighing and inspection technologies, it also sees itself as a trustworthy partner to its customers. From the initial consultancy and product selection to design-in, installation and commissioning, the company supports its customers through every phase of the project. Even after implementation, the experts at Minebea Intec are on hand to provide comprehensive service and support to ensure smooth and efficient production. This holistic approach not only optimises long-term production processes, but also ensures compliance with international food standards, so that food producers can focus on increasing sales – rather than crisis management.

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