Detection of foreign bodies in food products : Preventing metallic foreign bodies: using magnets

Preventing metallic foreign bodies: using magnets
Detection of foreign bodies in food products

Author : François ZUBER

Review date: September 2, 2020 | Lire en français

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2. Preventing metallic foreign bodies: using magnets

The use of magnets to separate magnetic particles is probably the oldest method used in the food industry to prevent the risk of foreign bodies. It's not a sorting technique in the strict sense of the word, but it's one of a number of simple, inexpensive preventive measures.

2.1 Magnetic sorting: principle

A powerful magnet is placed in the passageway, in contact with or in the immediate vicinity of the bulk material being conveyed. Any magnetic ferrous metal particles that may be present are attracted, physically separated and bonded to the magnet in a way that is intended to be irreversible.

In order of increasing power (and increasing cost), we use :