Closing the gaps in food inspection: smarter solutions for foreign body detection

Credit: Ishida

Incidents of foreign body contamination are increasingly raising alarms across the food industry and recent high-profile recalls involving major supermarkets and global brands have brought quality control and food safety issues into the spotlight.

Whether it is stones found in chocolate products or plastic fragments in fruit and nut bars, the limitations of common inspection methods, such as metal detection, are now in question. These examples illustrate a growing trend that requires discussion of inspection protocols across the industry.

The severity of these incidents means the industry must move to a proactive and robust approach to foreign body detection. No matter the contaminant, solely depending on metal detection leaves manufacturers vulnerable and open to potentially catastrophic situations.

X-ray: why manufacturers should make the move

Rather than just looking for metal, X-ray inspection systems offer an important layer of protection that goes much further, recognising bone, rubber, glass and high-density plastics that are impossible to detect with metal detection alone. This is especially critical for producers handling loose bulk items such as nuts and pulses, unpackaged food like chicken breast, or irregular and overlapping pack formats common in confectionery and frozen food.

X-ray inspection systems are also smarter. By passing an X-ray beam through the product and generating a greyscale image, they can detect inclusions that differ in density from the surrounding material. They also identify voids, such as missing fillings in croissants or underfilled compartments in ready meals, making them valuable not only for contamination detection but for ensuring product consistency and quality.

Emerging technologies: meeting complex demands

As inspection requirements become more varied and production speeds increase, advanced technologies are stepping up. Ishida’s IX-PD-Poultry system, for example, combines photon counting dual energy (PD) technology with patented genetic algorithm (GA) imaging analysis. This enables reliable detection of wishbones, rib bones, fan bones and even small foreign bodies like steel wires in poultry products.

Modern X-ray systems are also highly adaptable – capable of being trained to inspect specific products within a portfolio, offering consistent performance across challenging applications. Enhanced traceability and data archiving capabilities further support compliance with food safety regulations, helping manufacturers achieve better outcomes with less manual intervention.

Importantly, X-ray inspection systems are not one-size-fits-all. There is a wide variety in the marketplace, with different functions to suit varying requirements, so manufacturers can choose solutions tailored to their risk profile, production needs and budget. This scalability makes advanced inspection accessible to businesses of all sizes.

No pot left unturned: X-ray inspection with Kri Kri Greek Yoghurt

A compelling example of X-ray technology in action is Kri Kri, one of Greece’s leading yoghurt producers. With a portfolio of around 140 products, Kri Kri needed a solution capable of inspecting entire cases of filled yoghurt pots. Dimitris Barboutis, Kri Kri’s Technical Manager, chose the Ishida IX-GA-65100, designed for large-format inspection and powered by GA technology.

By analysing image data across multiple inspections, the system achieves high accuracy and can be trained to focus solely on the yoghurt contents, ignoring external packaging. This precision ensures product integrity and supports Kri Kri’s commitment to quality.

Infrastructure matters: supporting smarter adoption

Despite the clear benefits, adoption of X-ray inspection remains limited – particularly among smaller producers. Barriers include perceived costs, lack of awareness and the absence of regulatory mandates. And our research confirms this: in a survey of over 200 food manufacturing professionals, fewer than 10 percent reported using X-ray systems.

To address this, Ishida has expanded testing infrastructure across the UK and Europe. Facilities in Birmingham and Prague offer live demonstrations, allowing manufacturers to evaluate system performance before committing. This hands-on approach ensures solutions are tailored to specific operational needs.

Looking ahead: from reactive to proactive compliance

While recalls often prompt urgent investment, proactive upgrades to inspection systems can help manufacturers stay ahead of retailer requirements and regulatory changes. For emerging brands, the stakes are particularly high, given that a single recall can cause lasting reputational and financial damage.

The path forwards is clear: food safety must evolve from a reactive necessity to a proactive strategy. Investing in advanced inspection technologies not only mitigates risk but also positions manufacturers for long-term success. It also means fostering a culture of continuous improvement, where inspection is seen not as a regulatory hurdle but as a strategic advantage. For manufacturers of all sizes, the message is clear: the cost of inaction is too high and the tools to mitigate risks are already within reach.  In today’s landscape, inspection is no longer just a compliance measure, it is a competitive advantage.

For more information about Ishida’s X-ray inspection solutions, visit our website.