Ishida x-ray machines are part of the family at Smithfield Murray
With a commitment to maintaining the highest standards of food quality , poultry processing specialist Smithfield Murray has installed two IX-G2 X-ray poultry solutions from Ishida Europe to detect and remove bone and cartilage from its products .
As one of Europe ’ s leading suppliers of prepared fresh and frozen poultry , Smithfield Murray handles around 250 tonnes of meat each week , which is ultimately supplied to major retailers and food service companies including the UK ’ s leading supermarkets .
The dedicated Ishida X-ray inspection systems for poultry were installed in 2021 at Smithfield Murray ’ s BRC Grade AA purpose-built plant in King ’ s Park , Manchester . The investment in X-ray inspection technology supports the company ’ s drive to be , as Managing Director Damien Murray explained , “ the best in the world at what we do .”
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The two Ishida IX-G2 models use advanced dual energy technology which incorporates two-line sensors , one which takes images at high energy and one at low energy . These are then compared , which provides a better overall image of the product with a clearer contrast between the product and any lowdensity foreign bodies , such as bone fragments . Should any foreign body be identified , it is rejected and returned for re-trimming .
Our view is there ’ s no downside to sharing best practice in the industry . If it makes better product and improves standards for everybody
Dual energy X-ray inspection is particularly appropriate for the needs of the poultry industry where the density of the product and the potential contamination can be very similar , for example the bone and meat of a chicken which have almost the same density . Removal of low-density foreign bodies , such as bone and cartilage , is essential as the majority of poultry products need to be supplied boneless for use in recipes such as ready meals , children ’ s meals , deli products , pies and pastries .
“ Consumer expectation is that meat is boneless , but due to the relatively young age of many chickens at slaughter , their bone development isn ’ t at full density . This can leave cartilage or soft bone fragments in the meat , which we need to remove before supplying product to our customers ,” explained Smithfield Murray ’ s Operational Production Manager , Pawel Charazmusiewicz .
To minimise the risk of such foreign bodies , some retailers require a ‘ 200 %