Food manufacturers must use precise, customized packaging processes to ensure a tight seal around their products and prevent leaks. However, even with the best packaging methods, leaks can still occur, allowing air to penetrate the product, bacteria to enter, and spoilage to begin.
To overcome this limitation, food manufacturers use leak detection systems that allow them to pinpoint leaks in packaging before products make it out of their facilities. Several types of technology can aid the detection process and, together, make up a comprehensive quality assurance system.
Why Food Packaging Leak Detection Matters
Some manufacturers may see food packaging leak detection as an unnecessary use of time and resources. If they use reliable packaging processes, leak detection systems can feel excessive.
However, even the most trustworthy packaging systems do not offer 100% reliability. When products enter the packaging system in the wrong orientation, a calibration issue occurs, or workers load the machine improperly, packaging errors can quickly arise. Without the proper seal around food products, they can be exposed to bacteria and viruses, spoiling during transportation or storage.
Neglecting to notice leaks in packaging due to a system error can force your business to recall entire batches of products, which can become costly. Consumers who ingested your food products that were not packaged correctly can initiate a liability lawsuit against your company. Recalls also negatively impact your brand reputation and waste time and resources.
Ultimately, these issues could even lead to your facility running afoul of government regulations, leading to fines or even shutdowns.
The right food packaging leak detection system can help your business avoid these pitfalls.
Essential Leak Detection Systems for the Food Industry
Food manufacturers use several types of leak detection systems to pinpoint packaging errors and correct them in the assembly line. Below are the main types of technology used in this process.
Vacuum Decay Testing
Vacuum decay testing is a nondestructive method of detecting leaks in flexible, rigid, or nonporous packages. This process involves placing a container in a vacuum chamber and evacuating the chamber to a certain vacuum level. Pressure sensors monitor the vacuum level in the chamber over a set period. If there are leaks in the packaging, the vacuum pressure will rise as air enters the chamber.
The main limitation of this method is that it is not suitable for all package types, including empty bottles and some types of flexible packaging. These systems might also be sensitive to environmental factors, such as temperature changes.
This testing method can take anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes to complete, depending on the item’s size, which increases production time.
Pressure Decay Testing
Pressure decay testing involves pressurizing the packaged product and measuring the decrease in pressure over time. This is a common leak detection method that, like vacuum testing, is non-destructive and works with a range of packaging times.
This method involves attaching the product to a leak tester, pressurizing it with air or gas, and using sensors to monitor any decrease in pressure over a specific period. The sensors will recognize pressure decay outside an acceptable range and alert operators to potential leaks. Then, the system vents the remaining pressure into the air.
A major advantage of pressure decay testing is that it is relatively inexpensive. It can reliably detect small leaks and is adaptable to various testing environments and types of food packaging. However, the test cycle time can be lengthy, and it is not ideal for testing materials with elasticity, such as certain types of flexible plastic.
X-Ray Inspection Systems
X-ray inspection systems can also be a valuable tool for leak detection. This technology sends low-energy rays through the product. The system analyzes how those rays are absorbed into the packaging, identifying leaks and seal defects.
Different materials absorb x-rays at different rates. High-quality x-ray machines for food packaging leak detection include adjustable sensors that allow operators to customize the sensitivity to the type of materials being inspected.
X-ray systems reliably inspect products for a wide range of defects, including contaminants that could cause adverse health effects. These multi-faceted solutions are an integral component of many food manufacturers’ production lines.
Vision Inspection Systems
Finally, vision inspection systems can aid other leak testing equipment. These systems visually inspect products through cameras, sensors, and image processing technology, pinpointing discrepancies between products that may indicate an issue.
A vision inspection system can look for cracks, gaps, or damaged seals in products that may indicate a leak. When the seal strength analysis detects a leak, operators can manually confirm the defect or move it to another type of leak detection system, such as a vacuum decay system.
Vision inspection systems can also identify foreign materials and contaminants in your food products by pinpointing discrepancies in color, orientation, or size. These systems help augment the leak detection capabilities of other testing solutions
Special Considerations for Seafood Packaging
Seafood manufacturers must keep a few key considerations in mind when evaluating food packaging leak detection systems. Not all types of package integrity testing are suitable for these products.
For example, seafood products can vary in color, meaning vision inspection systems may yield false positives. These items are also at risk of contaminants like bones and shells, and manufacturers must use inspection systems that can accurately pinpoint these impurities.
While many food manufacturers use metal detectors to look for metal contaminants in foods, these systems do not always work for seafood products. Fish tend to be high in salt and moisture content, which can disrupt the metal detector.
Generally, seafood manufacturers do well with combination systems that check the product’s weight, detect metal, and inspect for impurities and leaks.
Documentation and Record Keeping for Leak Detection
Implementing a comprehensive inspection process in your food manufacturing business is an important step in staying compliant and producing safe, reliable products. You also need to document these safety measures to prepare for audits and instill trust in consumers.
Train your workers on how to properly document the maintenance and use of inspection machinery like x-ray systems, metal detectors, vision inspection equipment, and vacuum decay systems. Explain the importance of accurately documenting the date, time, and description of all maintenance procedures to prove that your systems continually operate in a reliable condition.
Also, make sure you and your employees thoroughly understand all compliance requirements in your area and industry. Train workers on these requirements and how they can adhere to them with proper inspection protocols.
Best Practices for Implementing Leak Detection Systems
The right food packaging leak detection systems can improve your business’s operations, save you money, and support your compliance. However, you’ll want to be strategic about how you implement new systems.
Take the time to train operators on using any new inspection systems you implement, including how to operate, read, evaluate, and maintain them. Establish protocols that workers can follow to operate these machines on a daily basis.
Also, test your leak detection equipment regularly. The most straightforward way to do so is by putting a product into the system that you know has a small leak and determining whether the system can detect it. If not, you may need to undergo more specialized testing to determine the system’s limitations and the origin of the error.
Building Leak Detection Readiness in Your Manufacturing Business
Are you ready to prioritize leak detection in your business? Follow these steps to ensure the best implementation of these systems:
- Choose the right equipment partners. Many companies sell leak detection equipment, but the right ones offer equipment specifically for your type of industry that can fit seamlessly into your assembly line and provide an excellent return on investment. These manufacturers also offer packaging systems that reliably prevent leaks, such as vertical form, fill, and seal systems.
- Plan your implementation thoroughly before you start setting up the new equipment. Your equipment partner will provide guidance on installing, training workers on, and utilizing your new equipment. Some even offer complimentary training sessions to ensure that your workers know the best methods for using the equipment.
- Conduct ongoing maintenance and testing. Maintain the equipment according to the manufacturer’s instructions and test it regularly to ensure its efficacy. Your business should always be looking for ways to improve its quality assurance process, and one important step is ensuring the reliable performance of existing equipment.
- Create protocols for every scenario. Your business should have the steps in place to respond to recalls and liability issues in the rare cases that they arise. Emergency preparedness is another essential step in being a responsible business.
TDI Packsys: Your Source for Quality Leak Detection Systems
Are you looking for food packaging leak detection systems to incorporate into your production line? TDI Packsys is a leading provider of inspection and packaging automation technology. With our advanced x-ray, metal detection, checkweigher, and visual inspection systems, your business can feel confident in its safety and compliance while enjoying an excellent ROI.
Call us today at 877-834-6750 to discuss more about your inspection and packaging needs.
