X-ray inspection is a non-destructive foreign-body detection method that uses low-dose X-rays to identify dense contaminants such as glass, stone, metal and bone in packaged or loose food products, including materials that metal detectors cannot reliably find.
In trade practice
In fruit and vegetable processing, x-ray inspection is typically installed as a final control point on the packing line, after IQF freezing or drying and before carton sealing. The system is calibrated against reference test pieces of known size and density at the start of each shift, with records kept for audit purposes. Buyers’ foreign-body policies and retailer codes of practice commonly require x-ray inspection for stone fruit, dried fruit and products processed in regions where field stones are a known risk. Failures at incoming inspection that reveal foreign bodies not caught at source are a leading cause of supplier delistings.
In a specification
A product specification or supplier quality manual states that x-ray inspection is mandatory at the packing stage, defines the minimum detectable contaminant size by material type, and requires shift calibration records to be available on request.