Plan Automation Technology Blog

Debunking 3 X-Ray Inspection Technology Myths

Posted by PLAN Automation Blog on Thu, Jul 23, 2015 @ 10:07 AM

Don't be confused about x-ray inspectionAs a technology for ensuring top-class quality control, x-ray product inspection has become increasingly popular in the last few years. Over time, the technology has been refined and improved constantly, creating new types of x-ray machines that can detect many different contaminants.

However, while x-ray inspection technology is gaining acceptance as an industry standard for detecting contaminants within the packaged food industry, there are still a number of myths surrounding the use of x-ray product inspection.

Today, we’ll take a look at some of these myths and debunk them so that you can sort out fact from fiction when it comes to x-ray technology.

Myth #1: X-Ray Machines Will Irradiate My Food

X-ray inspection at work for your product's safetyLet’s start with one of the most common misconceptions out there. Many people assume that x-ray machines will irradiate their food products, potentially affecting the nutritional value of the food.

While x-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation, x-ray inspection systems should not be lumped into the same category as radioactive materials such as uranium. Why?

Radioactive materials such as uranium are physical sources of radiation that constantly emit radiation in the form of alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays. These materials cannot shut off their radiation emissions, which is what makes the dangerous.

The x-rays used in food inspection are very different. The x-ray machine can turn its x-ray emissions on and off like the light from a lightbulb. If the flow of electricity to the x-ray machine is cut off, then the x-ray emissions will stop immediately.

Food passing through an x-ray inspection system spends less than one second in the x-ray beam. In that time, it only absorbs about 1 to 1.5 uGy (0.0000015 Gy) of radiation. To put this in context, a World Health Organization study found that food radiation doses of up to 10,000 Gy don’t affect food safety or nutritional value.

In short, a sample of food could be passed through an x-ray inspection machine more than a million times without the food’s safety being compromised. The radiation levels produced by x-ray inspection are so low that organic food can be put through the process without diminishing its “organic” status.

Myth #2: X-Ray Machines Will Irradiate My Workers

Employee safety at any food manufacturing plant is always a top concern. So, it’s only natural to wonder about how the introduction of an x-ray machine into the workplace will affect employee health.

The short answer is: it won’t.

Radiation doses in humans are typically measured in Sieverts (Sv), with millisieverts (mSv = one-thousandth of a Sievert) and microsieverts (µSv = one-millionth of a Sievert) being used for occupational exposure since the doses are so limited. The average person absorbs roughly 2,400 µSv of radiation each year just from natural sources.

Modern x-ray inspection machines use a number of safety features to prevent stray x-rays from leaking out of the machine during operation. A human worker standing right next to an active x-ray inspection device would absorb less than 1 µSv of radiation per hour. At that rate, the worker would have to stand on top of the machine for roughly 2,400 hours straight to absorb more than the normal dose of radiation he or she would get naturally in a single year.

Myth #3: X-Ray Machines Can’t Detect Glass

X-ray inspection can even detect glass!This myth is understandable. For a long time, x-ray technology was limited in the kinds of materials that it could detect, with small, low-density objects such as glass shards being nearly invisible to x-ray machines.

However, this has since changed. The introduction of MDX technology has made x-ray inspection machines more versatile than before, allowing machines equipped with an MDX scanner to detect even very low-density objects in products with ease.

So, while this particular myth was once based on fact, it is no longer true.

As product inspection technology continues to improve, we may see even more uses and increased detection fidelity from these remarkable quality control devices.

Learn more about how x-ray product inspection works by checking out the free guide at the link below:

How Safe is X Ray Inspection of Food - Plan Automation

Topics: X-Ray Inspection, X Ray Inspection Technology