The More The Merrier:

A Multi-Hurdle Approach to Detection

Prevention of foreign object contamination is a growing priority for food processors. Many processors are looking for new and innovative solutions to help automate detection and increase the likelihood of finding foreign materials. One reason for this trend is that materials like plastics and rubber are showing up with greater frequency, and these materials are often missed by metal detectors and x-rays.

Multi-hurdle approaches (which are used in many other environments) are becoming a more common approach to foreign materials detection in processing plants. Multi-hurdle approaches may start with suppliers and with changes to processes to prevent foreign materials from entering your product stream. And within the plant, combining existing technologies like x-ray and metal detections with new technologies like vision systems can create better inspection outcomes.

In this webinar, we’ll begin by looking at what a multi-hurdle approach can look like in different environments. We’ll also consider some best practices in implementing this practice.

We’ll finish up the webinar by looking at an emerging set of technologies for automated inspection: vision systems. We’ll share how these systems work and look at the benefits and draw-backs of different types of vision systems.

At the end of the webinar, we’ll give some suggestions on how to evaluate the effectiveness of any new inspection system you’re considering, no matter what technology it might use.

If you’re facing increasing challenges with foreign materials contamination, or considering a vision system for your plant, this session is one you don’t want to miss.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this webinar, participants should be able to:

Understand how a multi-hurdle approach can be applied to foreign materials inspection
Share best practices for implementing a multi-hurdle approach
Explain the different types of vision systems, their benefits and draw-backs
Know what to consider when choosing a vision system

Who Should Attend:

Food Safety & Quality Assurance Leaders or Managers
Plant Operations Leaders or Managers
Innovation Leaders or Managers

SPEAKERS

Jeremiah Johnson
Corporate Manager, Regulatory Compliance, Food Safety & Sanitation
Hormel Foods

Jeremiah Johnson is the Corporate Manager of Regulatory Compliance, Food Safety and Sanitation at Hormel Foods, where he is responsible for implementing and training food safety and regulatory expectations in both USDA and FDA regulated facilities. He is also a Preventive Control lead instructor for both human and animal food. Jeremiah has worked at Hormel for 16 years and previous roles have included management of QA departments at a dry sausage production facility in Iowa and a pork slaughter and further processing facility in California. He has a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Iowa State University.

Olga Pawluczyk
Co-Founder & CEO
P&P Optica (PPO)

Olga Pawluczyk is the co-founder and CEO of P&P Optica (PPO), based in Waterloo, Ontario. Pawluczyk is an expert in medical imaging, with a technical background in systems engineering and deep knowledge of the science of spectroscopy. Under the leadership of Pawluczyk and her co-founder, her father Romek Pawluczyk, PPO launched in 2004 as a research company focused on developing spectrometers. The company evolved over the past eight years to build solutions for the food processing industry. Pawluczyk is driven by the opportunity to combine emerging technologies to significantly improve the nutritional quality, safety, and sustainability of our food.

Maria Fontanazza
Editor-in-Chief
Food Safety Tech

Maria has more than a decade of experience in journalism, marketing, and communications within the publishing, conferences and medical device industry. She has authored more than 250 articles that have appeared in domestic and international industry publications and has moderated educational sessions and panel discussions at industry events. Maria joins Innovative Publishing from Secant Medical, Inc., where she was the Marketing Communications Manager and Market Research Manager. Maria has a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications with a concentration in New Media and Visual Design, and a Minor in Fine Arts, from St. Michael’s College in Colchester, VT.

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