A better vision for
food traceability
Robots with 3D vision systems can quickly identify food contamination
Each year , 48 million Americans get ill from food poisoning and it can take months to identify the cause . To tackle this , the US Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) is introducing a long-awaited Food Traceability Final Rule for manufacturers to allow faster identification of contaminated food . Here , Ryan Guthrie , Executive Vice President at the Shibaura Machine robot distributor TM Robotics , explains why robotassisted quality-sorting is one of the most effectively ways to improve food traceability , thanks to advanced vision systems including Shibaura Machine ’ s TSVision3D .
The FDA ’ s final rule on Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods - otherwise known as the Food Traceability Final
70 FDPP - www . fdpp . co . uk
Rule - takes effect in January 2026 and will allow for faster identification and rapid removal of potentially contaminated food from the market , resulting in fewer foodborne illnesses and / or deaths . As well as addressing the widespread issue of food poisoning in America , the new rule will also compel food manufacturers to improve their end-to-end quality management practices .
Food safety in manufacturing
Much is at stake for manufacturers that fail to guarantee safety in food production , including loss of customer confidence and reputational damage . However , addressing food safety in food processing facilities is not easy . Investments of time and money , processes and equipment , as well as changes to culture and awareness among workers on the shop floor are required .
Fortunately , automation offers a solution to these myriad challenges , particularly advanced robotics . The number of new robot installations in US food manufacturing environments reached a new peak level of 3,402 units in 2021 , reports the International Federation of Robotics . Robots not only keep human workers out of uncomfortable or unsafe environments , and free from injury , they can also eliminate the potential for cross-contamination . Robots are especially effective in repetitive tasks like casing , packaging and bin picking that involves gripping , moving or placing different food products .