Metal detection upgrade enhances HACCP program

Detection system delivers contaminant prevention for a variety of products and flexible packages with high confidence and consistency.

VARIETY PACKS. George J. Howe Company distributes its candy, coffee, and nut products in a range of packaging structures and sizes.
VARIETY PACKS. George J. Howe Company distributes its candy, coffee, and nut products in a range of packaging structures and sizes.

The George J. Howe Company, located in Grove City, PA, packages and distributes a wide variety of quality candies, freshly roasted coffee, and many nut products. The business operates company-owned routes and also engages independent operators to distribute these products to markets ranging from the Ohio Valley to the New Jersey shore. Customers include mass merchandisers, grocery chains, and independent stores. The products also are available on-line (www.georgehowe.com).

In order to meet and exceed HACCP (Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points) safety and quality specifications for its retail and wholesale customers, GJH decided to expand and upgrade its metal detection operations. Within the past two years, the company has purchased four new metal detector/conveyor systems from Lock, a part of the Loma Systems group, to adhere to strict food safety and hygiene standards.

Lock Insight C5 Waferthin, Insight HD, and Insight VF metal detection systems all are equipped with OPTIX DDS software. These compact, high-efficiency systems feature user-friendly operation and auto-learn mechanisms. Metal detection and signal processing take place in the Integrated Digital Search Heads. Sophisticated OPTIX detector management software uses Lock’s unique DDS (Direct Digital Signal) vector diagram to generate detailed product profiles needed for optimum product setups and detection of both magnetic and non-magnetic particle contaminants.

Dan Phillips, GJH President and COO, notes, “Our packaging web widths currently run from 9.5 inches up to 16.5 inches. This gives us a broad enough range in bag sizes to accommodate all of our current candy, coffee, and nut line needs. We mainly use three different kinds of film for our candy products—a 48-gauge PET/ADH/150g clear LLDPE, a 160-gauge clear OPP film, and a 380-gauge AB/adhesive/100g cast PP. For our coffees and nuts, we use LQ/I/48-gauge MPET/ADH/PE preformed metallized pouches. The Insight VF is used for the detection of metal contaminants during the handling of free-falling materials before they are deposited into the preformed metallized pouches.”

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