Ishida Europe is launching a revolutionary new leak detector to help food manufacturers minimise spoilage in pre-packed retail products. Designed for use with a wide variety of foods including fresh, cooked and cured meat, poultry, seafood, fruit, salads, vegetables, cheese and ready meals, the Ishida AirScan uses advanced laser technology to identify leaks of CO2 from holes as small as 0.5mm in sealed modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) packs at speeds of up to 180 packs per minute. It has been designed to be easily integrated into existing production lines. “With retailers and suppliers under pressure to minimise food waste, packaging leaks have been associated with almost 500,000 tonnes of food wasted in production each year ,” explains Alan Mutch, Ishida Europe’s Quality Control Manager. “Compromised packaging can lead to bacterial spoilage, reduced shelf-life and a damaging rise in complaints and returns. This can result in increased cost of production, loss of brand image and reputation, and the heightened risk of retailer fines.” The new Ishida AirScan offers fast, 100% reliable and completely non-destructive identification of leaks of C02 and has been designed to be highly effective in fast moving production environments so that maximum quality can be achieved without compromising on high throughput speeds and minimum packing time. By maintaining the optimum gas fill for each pack, the leak detector provides consistent product quality, and allows production problems to be identified and rectified quickly. It also reduces the amount of packaging that has to be scrapped, while the non-destructive testing process ensures that product can be re-packed. The Ishida AirScan is part of Ishida Europe’s quality control range, which also includes X-ray inspection systems, checkweighers, weigh-price-labellers, seal testers and vision systems. “Initiatives such as the Courtauld Commitment, aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the grocery sector, along with high profile food recalls, mean that suppliers and retailers are giving increasing priority to driving out waste, reducing risk and optimising performance,” points out Alan Mutch. “Investment in quality control equipment delivers quick commercial returns, not only by ensuring a high quality product leaves the factory gate, but also in providing retailers with the added reassurance that they are sourcing from responsible suppliers that can deliver high levels of customer satisfaction.” For more information watch the Ishida AirScan video: http://www.ishidaeurope.com/AirScan/

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