To address the food safety needs of processors and manufacturers to meet the growing demand for bulk packaged food purchases by institutional and commercial entities along with club and family packs for consumers, Eagle Product Inspection (Eagle) launched the Eagle Pack 550 PRO and newly enhanced Eagle Pack 430 PRO at PROCESS EXPO 2013, in Chicago, Illinois, (November 3-6, 2013) on Stand 4526. Both systems enable accurate identification and removal of foreign bodies in large packaged food, caused by small glass shards, stones, rubber, plastics or metal parts that might contaminate the food during the production process. In addition Eagle Pack 430 PRO and Pack 550 PRO users enjoy additional quality measurements including mass, missing item, fill level and premium detection to further maximize their return on investment.  

The newly introduced Eagle Pack 550 PRO x-ray inspection system meets product inspection needs of food processors and manufacturers with mid to large-sized bulk packaged food items such as cereals, rice, flour, sugar, potatoes, fruit and vegetables. The system is well positioned between the Eagle Pack 430 PRO and the Eagle Pack 720 PRO x-ray machines, offering numerous inspection and operational benefits such as an enhanced graphical interface, high speed imaging, increased contaminant detection for difficult product applications, on-screen self-diagnostics, full multi-lane and multi-view capabilities and dynamic belt adjustments. Like the other systems in the Eagle’s product range, the technology also has the ability to count components, check seal integrity, measure mass and assess fill levels. While maintaining its core values, the Eagle Pack 550 PRO also enables bulk packaged food processors to accurately document production in order to improve operational processes and efficiency, ultimately avoiding product recalls and also demonstrating due diligence in the case of unexpected food safety issues. This not only reinforces consumer and brand safety but it also improves brand reputation and consumer preference.

In addition, the Eagle Pack 550 PRO provides food processors and manufacturers with the option to integrateMaterial Discrimination X-ray (MDX) technology into their x-ray system if desired. MDX enables customers to detect and remove historically undetectable inorganic contaminants such as glass shards, rocks, rubber, and plastics in applications where high levels of product density make x-ray images very busy and difficult to accurately interpret. With enhanced Eagle SimulTask image processing software and dual energy technology, the Pack 550 PRO with MDX clearly identifies unwanted foreign bodies within the packaged product removing any contaminated food items from the processing line.

Furthermore, Eagle showcased the improved Eagle Pack 430 PRO that is now capable of inspecting a wider variety of larger packages, while retaining the same machine footprint. Food processors will now be able to scan products with 177mm (7”) height and 257mm (10.1”) width, as opposed to the previous beam geometry which only allowed packages with 152mm to be inspected. With a belt width of 430mm, the Eagle™ Pack 430 PRO is ideal for short, flat packages as well as multi-compartment trays, bulk packaged goods, cups used in thermoform, fill-seal applications, such as ready meals, packaged meats and other packaged food products. Users of the system benefit from high speed imaging for up to 120 meters per minute and 12 percent more inspection abilities in order to accommodate larger package sizes.

Kyle Thomas, Strategic Business Unit Manager, Eagle Product Inspection said, “Companies operating in the food processing and manufacturing industries require and value multi-functional product inspection systems to meet the demanding requirements of their customers. The technologies also need to compliment day-to-day operations and enhance efficiency at accessible costs. At Eagle, we facilitate these demands through consistently innovating systems to deliver high quality results, ultimately improving brand value and reputation for the processor or manufacturer.”

The Eagle FA720 Bulk, new advanced fat analysis software tools and the Eagle Pack 400 HC were also showcased at PROCESS EXPO 2013. The Eagle FA720 Bulk utilizes Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) technology to measure the amount of x-rays that are absorbed by the fat content and lean meat respectively through the use of two specific x-ray energies, accurately calculating the CL value for meat products within +/- 1CL.  The product inspection pioneer also revealed an enhanced graphical interface and improved contaminant detection for its line of fat analysis systems, such as the Eagle VALIDATE software and the Remote Touchscreen Console (RTC).

Packaged meat and dairy manufacturers also learned about the benefits of utilizing the Eagle Pack 400 HC. This energy efficient, hygienic x-ray system is designed for easy and efficient cleaning in harsh wash down environments. With food safety and hygiene at the forefront of the manufacturing industry, this system is fully fit to address sanitation requirements to a high standard.

Eagle Product Inspection is a pioneer in advanced x-ray inspection and fat analysis systems, delivering robust, market-leading technology and expertise to food and beverage processors and manufacturers around the world. The Eagle Product Inspection line of x-ray inspection systems evaluates in process and finished products for contaminants such as metal, glass, stone and bone while also having the ability to analyze the fat content of meat, count components, check seal integrity as well as measure mass and assess fill levels.

With its headquarters in Tampa, Florida, and local offices across the globe, Eagle Product Inspection machines meet today’s Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) certification requirements. Eagle and its partners work in close collaboration to ensure that food and beverage manufacturers and their customers in turn can rest assured that the quality of every product is upheld.

Visit www.eaglepi.com for more information.