Food manufacturers have an immense responsibility to produce goods that are not just delicious but safe to eat as well. Efficient quality control measures ensure both goals can be met.

There are concerns that lower-quality food inspections are on the horizon after some veterinary services (responsible for ensuring that animal products in, imported to, and exported from the UK are safe to eat) are reportedly set to merge. The quality of UK food is under scrutiny elsewhere, too, with complaints becoming increasingly common.

Still, this doesn’t mean food manufacturers can slack with their quality control measures. If anything, they must step up a gear with animal products and everything else they create and trade. These goals aren’t about ticking boxes for a regulator – they’re ethical obligations.

As one might expect, technology is what will enable food manufacturers to make greater progress in these duties. Here are some equipment and systems they use to ensure robust quality control measures.

Karl Fischer Titration Equipment

Determining levels of water content can be a huge part of wider food analysis protocols. It can affect many things about a food product; its shelf life, the consistency of the product, and how safe the product can be to consume.

As part of regulatory procedures, many food products must be analysed in this capacity. They include, but are not limited to:

Fruits
Vegetables
Grains
Processed Foods
Dairy products

Some food manufacturers will utilise moisture analysers or engage in oven drying, which may be preferable solutions, depending on the food being analysed. However, titration equipment and techniques are more commonly used in most manufacturing circles, and for good reasons.

Food manufacturers often utilise Karl Fischer titration techniques because it’s a chemical method that can determine the precise measurement of water content found in food samples. It’s a highly sensitive strategy, allowing them to refine the formulations of their products and pinpoint desired moisture levels. Titration can be part of the manufacturer’s routine quality assurance measures, and food businesses can work with entities like Metrohm for equipment and further learning on the subject.

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) Systems

The Food Standards Agency (FLA) is a regulatory body that requires all food manufacturers to use the HPLC analytical technique to analyse food samples. The aim is to guarantee compliance with labelling and food safety guidelines.

Different food sample components must be quantified and identified for a more comprehensive overview of food composition. Various aspects are studied more in-depth here, with flavourings, vitamins, additives, pesticide residues, and various contaminants all being searched for within food products. HPLC systems hone in on trace amounts of compounds or those that require more complex separation techniques to organise. Either way, it helps manufacturers refine production processes and strive for consistency in their product specifications.

HPLC systems are complex technologies that are made up of various components. A solvent delivery system, a sample injector, a detector, a separation column, and a data acquisition system all work in complete synergy to provide detailed reports on the composition of food products. All of the data it obtains is often recorded and accessed later by food manufacturers, too.

HPLC can also be used for research purposes within the food industry, informing how manufacturers investigate the complexities of food chemistry and develop innovative new products. So, again, quality control isn’t just about meeting minimum standards but also advancing the industry further.

Artificial Intelligence

We’re seeing artificial intelligence everywhere today. AI’s presence in every industry will only loom larger as time goes on, and it will take on more duties as its capabilities develop.

AI already has an enormous influence over food manufacturing procedures, especially in the quality control circles. It can perform some roles with incredible complexity and autonomy, including the following:

Sensor data analysis – AI can detect fluctuating acidity levels in food products and temperature levels that might affect food safety, and it can analyse the data accordingly and present findings to staff. The technology collates this information from sensors that can be installed inside manufacturing equipment.
Image recognition – AI can use automated visual inspection systems and a network of cameras to identify issues like physical damage to a food product. It can also detect discolouration and mould.
Supply chain oversights – AI can monitor storage conditions and even delve deep into supplier performance analytics, determining how reliable they are to the food manufacturer. AI can make similar judgements by analysing the quality of materials received, too, giving food manufacturers key data in reframing their business partnerships.
Predictive analytics – AI has gathered a lot of information so far. It can use it all as part of a wider predictive analytics strategy, using historical data to ascertain the likelihood of further problems occurring. Environmental conditions, processing parameters, and the overall quality of products can all be drawn on to uncover reliable production patterns.

This isn’t everything AI can do in food manufacturing, but it covers its broad applications. As one can tell, the more AI is used, the more it becomes a crucial framework in keeping food manufacturers operating at optimum performance levels. While there is caution about how rapidly the technology has developed, its applications in food manufacturing appear to be mostly positive.

Electronic Nose Devices

Also referred to as E-Noses, electronic nose devices don’t physically resemble human noses. However, they operate similarly in some ways, hence the curious name for the tech.

E-Noses are instruments that use sensors to detect potentially harmful compounds in substances, and they draw part of their conclusions from the aroma of food products being analysed. They’re used to ensure quality control and gauge how authentic, flavourful, fresh, or spoiled a food product might be during development.

Their usage can be ongoing, as E-Noses can detect anomalies in the aroma profile of foods. So, food manufacturers will need to use them throughout the production cycle rather than at the end when packaging is needed. The more it’s used, the more data firms have to learn from.

E-Noses can be used to monitor dairy products, beverages, fish, and meat. Larger and more well-established food manufacturers tend to use the tech more than their smaller counterparts, but the hope is that the E-Noses will become more accessible to all food manufacturers in the near future.