5 replies to this topic

[Risti]

Hi all,

 

What are your ways of detecting non-dense plastic contaminants during manufacturing?

[Tony-C]

Hi Risti,

 

    to the forums.

 

I would say visual inspection.

 

Prevention is usually a better method than detection so identifying and eliminating sources. Also if it is a problem then having plastic that is an alternative colour to the product helps for example red meat for further processing delivered in blue bags.

 

Kind regards,

 

Tony

[Risti]

Ok. thanks for the reply. :) So we do have our raw meat coming in in blue bags. But those bags end up in the processed product. If it is spotted, great. But a whole batch goes on hold, so that is a huge waste to resources. 

 

We have given sufficient training to the operators cutting the bags open. But this issue still occurs. Are they other ways to reduce/eliminate this issue?

[Scampi]

Do the bags HAVE to require cutting.....can your supplier simply not put product in bag and FOLD OVER the bag so that the raw ingredients are protected and your employees do not need a knife thereby reducing the likelihood of bits of bag ending up in your batch? Alternatively an inspection of each bag that is emptied when it's emptied for integrity and a piece can be found PRIOR to batching

[mgourley]

Sounds like a training issue to me. "Don't use a dull blade to hack at an ingredient bag". 

Open the ingredient bag in an area that is not directly in a processing area, requiring a visual inspection prior to incorporation?

 

Seems like some fairly simple process controls could solve this problem.

 

Marshall

[Ryan M.]

Do the bags HAVE to require cutting.....can your supplier simply not put product in bag and FOLD OVER the bag so that the raw ingredients are protected and your employees do not need a knife thereby reducing the likelihood of bits of bag ending up in your batch? Alternatively an inspection of each bag that is emptied when it's emptied for integrity and a piece can be found PRIOR to batching

 

Would recommend finding a way the supplier can either fold over the bag, or tie it off where it doesn't have to be cut.  Even if they use a zip tie, you can just cut the zip tie and not the bag.

 

In my previous company we used a lot of ingredients that were bagged.  We had our suppliers tie off the bags in a way where we didn't have to do any cutting.  We were in your shoes...bag parts ending up in the product batches.  It was high dollar product so it didn't take long for the management to change this after a few batches had to be discarded.