Safety Incident: Brittle Plastic Fragment Found Inside Frozen Fish Fillet

In today’s fast-paced food processing environment, the presence of low-density foreign materials—such as hard plastic, glass, or rubber—poses a significant threat to consumer safety, operational continuity, and brand integrity. Even a single undetected contaminant can lead to costly product recalls, regulatory action, and long-term reputational damage.

Recently, a food manufacturer utilizing our dual-energy X-ray inspection system successfully identified and rejected a 2 mm × 3 mm piece of brittle plastic embedded inside a frozen fish fillet. The contaminated product, which had passed through upstream metal detectors, was automatically ejected from the production line prior to final packaging. This incident highlights the necessity of advanced X-ray technology for high-risk and value-added food products.

Relying solely on metal detectors or manual visual inspection presents critical gaps, particularly when:

• Contaminants are non-metallic, such as glass, stone, hard plastic, or calcified bone
• Products have high moisture, salt content, or conductive properties that interfere with metal detection
• The foreign object is embedded within dense or thick product matrices
• Production lines operate at speeds exceeding manual inspection capabilities
• Products are inspected after vacuum packaging or in metallized film, which can blind conventional systems

Without advanced X-ray inspection, these risks remain undetected and unmanaged.

Our industrial X-ray inspection systems are engineered to detect a wide range of physical contaminants, including:

• Non-ferrous and ferrous metals
• Stainless steel fragments (including 300 series)
• Glass shards (clear, colored, or tempered)
• High-density hard plastics (e.g., nylon, PEEK, polycarbonate)
• Calcified bone and bone fragments
• Stones and mineral-based materials
• Rubber and synthetic gasket fragments

These systems are suitable for:

• Frozen meat, poultry, and fish fillets
• Ready-to-eat meals
• Canned vegetables and sauces
• Dried fruits and nuts
• Cheese blocks and processed dairy
• Powdered ingredients and seasonings
• Packaged snacks and confectionery

• ✔ Enhanced sensitivity for low-density contaminants
• ✔ Automatic reject confirmation with statistical reporting
• ✔ Reliable operation in wet, cold, and washdown environments
• ✔ Seamless integration into HACCP and retail code of practice requirements
• ✔ Real-time product quality monitoring (mass estimation, missing component detection)
• ✔ Protects consumer trust and reduces brand liability

Consumers may forgive a product that tastes average, but they rarely forgive one that causes physical harm. In the modern food industry, traceability and preventive controls are no longer optional—they are the foundation of operational excellence.

Implementing an X-ray inspection system is not merely a compliance decision. It is a strategic investment in:

• Brand protection
• Recall cost avoidance
• Retailer confidence
• Consumer safety and loyalty

If your facility processes packaged foods—especially those with dense matrices, high moisture, or complex packaging—an X-ray inspection system should be regarded as a critical control point in your food safety plan.