Quality Assurance is Paramount
Paramount 21, a South-Devon family owned frozen food manufacturer, has installed an end of line Loma IQ3 Metal Detector to reliably inspect a challenging new seafood product.
The end of line Loma IQ3 Metal Detector checking 10kg boxes of seafood.
Inspection of the new product, large 10kg boxes of frozen seafood, needed to meet all food safety standards, HACCP requirements and Paramount’s high quality expectations. A renowned name in the seafood market and respected brand in the foodservice and retail industries, quality is closely monitored at every stage ofParamount’s production process from raw materials through to dispatch. Paramount Production Engineer, Gary Dark explains: “A new Paramount customer required the highest specification from our metal detector ensuring identification of very small contaminants from a large box of seafood.”
Reliably inspecting a large box for foreign contaminants in a harsh environment where products are frozen to temperatures as low as -20°C was challenging. Frozen products are well known to cause reading abnormalities on any metal detector and have been traditionally difficult to inspect due to h igh product effect.
Frozen products such as seafood have been traditionally difficult to inspect.
In response to the challenges, Loma Systems specified an IQ3 end of line metal detector system with a 450x450mm aperture tunnel to easily handle large boxes. Manufactured to IP69K, built in robust stainless steel the system ensures long, reliable performance and exceeds any harsh environment cleaning specification with enhanced protection for high or low temperature washdown.
Most importantly, the IQ3 offers leading sensitivities so that product integrity is not compromised. Its Automatic Variable Frequency feature enables operators to identify the point at which product effect is minimal but contaminant detection is at its strongest.
Gary Dark comments: “I installed the machine myself with no problems and it was quickly up and running.” The system has a frequency operation range from 40-900kHz and has the ability to select the ‘correct’ operating frequency in seconds, eliminating past restrictions caused by single frequency and ‘limited frequency’ detectors; a key benefit for manufacturers with challenging applications such as Paramount’s.
Gary Dark continues: “It is important to us that we minimise the risk of any possible contaminants getting into our products. However, with our quality inspection equipment we can have complete peace of mind that our food is safe.”
At the Devon site,Paramount uses a Loma 6000 Combination Checkweigher and Metal Detector system, which was purchased nearly seven years ago. The reliability of the equipment and Loma’s dependable maintenance service meant thatParamounthad no concerns choosing another machine from Loma. “I was impressed with Loma Systems – the IQ3 system was custom-built, and delivered before time and on budget,” concludes Gary Dark.
With its extensive portfolio of complementary weighing and inspection technologies, and its strong focus on the needs of the Food Industry, Loma is uniquely resourced to provide systems that not only meet the specific quality assurance needs of its customers today, but offer realistic potential for expansion or enhancement to meet the changing needs of tomorrow. For further information visit www.loma.com.
