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Metal detection for meat, seafood and poultry applications

In food processing applications, the presence of metal fragments is a critical risk, arising from machinery wear, broken blades, or other equipment components.

Detecting these contaminants in meat, seafood and poultry applications is no small feat given the complexity of their product characteristics — which vary widely in consistency, density and moisture.

To address these challenges, advanced metal detection systems are essential. Built to adapt to the diverse characteristics of meat, seafood, and poultry products, these high-performance systems enhance detection accuracy and sensitivity, ensuring consistent safety standards. This gives processors the reliability needed to protect both their products and consumers, while also reducing costly false detections.

Challenge 1: Compensating for High Moisture with Advanced Signal Processing

High moisture content in meat can mimic the conductive properties of metal, creating ‘false positives’ or masking actual metal fragments. To address this, the best available metal detection systems utilise advanced signal processing that adjusts for moisture content, filtering out interference and focusing on real metal contaminants. This enables accurate detection in products like freshly ground meat, seafood, raw chicken and whole cuts, where high moisture and product characteristics could otherwise compromise inspection reliability.

Challenge 2: Sensitivity to Small Metal Fragments in Dense Meat Products

Meat products have dense and varied textures, which complicate inspection. Advanced metal detectors are highly sensitive to different metal types (ferrous, non-ferrous, and stainless steel) which allows them to capture even the smallest fragments.

With sophisticated calibration, these systems distinguish between dense areas in meat and actual metal particles, improving the accuracy of contaminant identification, even in tightly packed products like sausages and meatballs, press formed hamburgers and fish patties.

Challenge 3: Multi-Frequency or Multi-Spectrum Technology?

Some metal detection systems operate using ‘multi-frequency’ technology — meaning they can switch between multiple available frequencies but only activate one at a time. This setup allows processors to adjust detection sensitivity based on specific product characteristics, like moisture content and density. For example, lower frequencies are effective for high-moisture or dense items, such as fresh poultry or marinated cuts, while higher frequencies are ideal for leaner or frozen meats.

However, using only one frequency at a time means processors often must reduce sensitivity to avoid false rejections caused by the high variance of product effect; signals generated by moisture or salt content that mimic metal contaminant signals. Even advanced systems that can select from several operating frequencies cannot automatically switch between two frequencies while operating. They are limited by single-frequency activation per preset, which can lead to missed contaminants or increased false positives.

Multi-Spectrum Technology by CEIA

CEIA has pioneered a multi-spectrum approach that analyses an entire spectrum of frequencies simultaneously. Instead of activating one frequency at a time, their multi-spectrum system creates a comprehensive electromagnetic field that adapts to each product’s unique characteristics.

This approach virtually eliminates product effect interference because the system ‘learns’ the product being scanned, distinguishing between genuine metal contaminants and the natural properties of the product.

For meat processors handling a variety of products — from fresh to frozen meats — CEIA’s multi-spectrum technology is an ideal solution, with several key advantages:

Higher sensitivity without sacrificing accuracy: The multi-spectrum technology filters out product effect noise, enabling consistently higher sensitivity without the risk of false rejects, ensuring even the smallest metal fragments are identified.

Automated product learning: Equipped with advanced algorithms, CEIA metal detectors can ‘learn’ each product, automatically tailoring its detection settings to reduce setup time and eliminate manual adjustments when switching between products.

Maximum performance in high-moisture environments: High-moisture content and dense meat products typically interfere with traditional metal detectors. However, a metal detection system from CEIA is specifically designed to handle these challenges, making it highly suited to meat, seafood and poultry processors needing precise, reliable detection across a range of products.

CEIA THS/MS21: The World’s Only Multi-Spectrum Metal Detector

As the world’s leading manufacturer of metal detectors, CEIA is also the only provider of patented multi-spectrum technology. The THS/MS21 system delivers exceptional sensitivity to both magnetic and non-magnetic metals, including 316 stainless steel. Ideal for the complexities of meat, seafood, and poultry inspections, CEIA systems are available in in-line, pumped, and free-falling configurations, ensuring reliable detection across diverse processing environments.

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