WO2010001112A1

WO2010001112A1 - Monitoring a food packaging process

Info

Publication number: WO2010001112A1
Application number: PCT/GB2009/001640
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ulrich Carlin Nielsen
Original assignee: Ishida Europe Ltd
Current assignee: Ishida Europe Ltd
Priority date: 2008-07-02
Filing date: 2009-06-30
Publication date: 2010-01-07
Anticipated expiration: 2011-01-02
Also published as: GB0812125D0

Abstract

A method of monitoring a food packaging process, the method comprising performing (30-38,42-48) a number of processes to create a packaged food item including sealing the item in a package; generating (40) an identifier for the package and recording the identifier on the package; and storing (50) data items relating to the packaging process in one or more storage locations in a database addressed by the said identifier.

Description

MONITORING A FOOD PACKAGING PROCESS

The invention relates to a method of monitoring a food packaging process.

It is now a requirement in the food industry to be able to track food items "from birth to consumption" so should any product at any stage be detected as being contaminated, the food item and the batch from which it originated can be traced and removed from the market so that the source of contamination can be eradicated. This traceability of food product has been required for some years and various techniques have been described for achieving this. Examples can be found in WO-A-2006/021802, EP-A-1942459, US-A-2004/0177011 , WO-A- 2007/020661 and "Traceability in the Food Chain", Food Standards Agency, March 2002.

Whilst these techniques are successful in ensuring that contaminated food products can be removed rapidly from the market, we have realised that there are other reasons why the food package can be contaminated which have not so far been addressed in the industry. In particular, contamination can occur during the process by which a food item is packaged. At present, it is very difficult to determine the source of such a contamination so that it can be corrected.

In accordance with the present invention, a method of monitoring a food packaging process comprises: performing a number of processes to create a packaged food item including sealing the item in a package; generating an identifier for the package and recording the identifier on the package; and storing data items relating to the packaging process in one or more storage locations in a database addressed by the said identifier.

We have devised a method that allows the packaging process for individual packages to be recorded so that if a problem with a particular package is identified then the identifier of that package can be used to obtain data relating to the process used to form the package and thus track where a contamination problem originated. In other words, not simply to a packaging site but to a particular stage in the packing process.

Furthermore, it is not necessary to print or otherwise provide large amounts of information about the process on the package itself. Instead, each package is allocated its own identifier and then this is used as an address into a database in which information relating to the package and the packaging process can be stored. This has an additional advantage in the preferred case in which the database is accessible remotely allowing consumers, retailers and other third parties to inspect the data themselves.

It will be appreciated that a wide variety of data items can be stored on the database. Examples include details about the contents of the package e.g. food type, weight, gas mix, batch information, X-ray, weight, seal and label inspection, the box it sent in to etc, material of the package and/or material used to seal the package; one or more of the results of tests performed following said processes such as the results of a seal test or leak test; and one or more of details of a gas mixture used in the package, the weight of the package, and ambient temperature measured during performance of the processes.

A further particularly advantageous data item is an image of the food item and/or package. This could be a visual and/or X-ray image and provides an actual image which can be viewed of the package itself, providing additional confidence to the viewer.

Further examples of data items include an identifier of a box into which the package is supplied and the identity of an organisation which subsequently handles the package. This could be a wholesaler, transit organisation, retailer and the like.

In some cases, third parties such as transit agents, retailers and the like can also store information themselves as data items on the database.

Preferably, the package identifier is printed directly onto the package/top film since this makes it difficult to tamper with the identifier. In this case, a label could be adhered over the identifier to conceal it. However, the identifier could be printed on a label which is adhered to the package.

It should be understood in this context that by a "food item" we include single items of food as well as food mixtures and the like. Examples of food stuffs that could constitute food items include natural products such as chicken pieces, fish, poultry or items such as cheese, mince meat etc.

A typical "package" includes a tray or other container which is sealed by a sealing film or the like. However, other forms of package are envisaged including those in which a food item is simply packed in a film such as vacuum packed without an additional container.

The generation of an identifier for the package can take place at various stages through the packaging process but preferably is done before the food item is placed into the package.

By allocating an identifier to the package as early as possible in the packaging process, more information can be added to the database. For example, in tray sealing applications, there are three key positions at which a code can be applied, each with its own benefits and disadvantages. a) On the tray, at or soonest after a denester or other tray supplier b) On the sealing film c) On the labels applied by a labeller

Alternatively, the trays could be pre-numbered by the manufacturer. In this way, they are born with a unique number that is used throughout the process. a) (and manufacturer pre-numbering) has the benefit of marking the tray from the very outset, allowing filler information, for example details of a filling gas, to be added at point of filling; b) has the benefit of permitting the use of a thermal printer mounted in the tray sealer; c) has the benefit of utilizing a printer that most likely is already present in the system.

There are four principal technologies that can be used for marking the package: a) InkJet printing b) Laser marking (burning marks into the tray or other container material) c) Thermal printing d) RFID (radio frequency ID) tagging InkJet printing and laser marking are suitable for marking the trays or other containers at the earliest point in the packaging processes; thermal printing can be applied either at the sealing stage or using labeller; RFID tagging is suitable for high-cost consumables.

An example of a method according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a block diagram of a typical food packaging system;

Figure 2 is a flow diagram illustrating steps in a method according to an example of the invention;

Figure 3 is a block diagram of apparatus for carrying out the method of Figure 2; and,

Figure 4 illustrates part of a database.

The invention is applicable to a wide variety of food packaging systems and the exact components of that system will vary depending upon the food being packaged and other requirements. In the example shown in Figure 1, the components are essentially conventional and will not be described in detail. The food line commences with a fresh food weigher 1 for weighing the amount of a food item to be packaged in a tray. This is then transferred manually or automatically into a tray supplied from a denester (not shown) onto a conveyor (not shown) of a tray sealer 3, for example the QX1100 manufactured by lshida Europe Limited. The tray sealer operates to seal a film lid onto the tray, usually with an inert gas mixture sealed within the tray. In other cases (not shown), the weigher 1 may be omitted. This would be for example when the food item is a predetermined quantity of food such as mince meat or a number of slices of meat etc.

The sealed tray or package is then fed by conveyor through an X-ray machine 5 which obtains an X-ray image of the packaged food item to enable a local operator to check that there are no foreign objects in the food item. The X- ray image is also recorded digitally and stored within the machine 5.

The sealed tray then passes on a conveyor to a check weigher 7 which measures the weight of the package (tray and food item) to enable a check to be made that this is correct and the sealed tray then proceeds to a labeller 9 where a label is applied to the package. The labelled package is then optically inspected by obtaining a visual image which is digitally recorded and a seal test is carried out, both in a unit 11. Finally, the labelled package is picked up by a robot arm or the like and transferred to a box 13 for onward transfer.

In order to record information about each package, a monitoring apparatus is provided shown in Figure 3. This comprises a microprocessor 20 which receives data defining various data items (to be described below) and which is connected to a SQL database 22. Information can be manually input to the microprocessor 20 via a manual input device 24 such as a keyboard or mouse while a remote access interface 26 is provided to enable remote access to the database 22 via the microprocessor 20. The interface 26 can be accessed by a dedicated line or a network such as the Internet.

An example of the method of operation will now be described with reference to Figure 2.

Initially, (step 30) fresh food is weighed in the food weigher 1 and this weight together with the identity of the food is input manually through the device 24 and stored in a temporary buffer (not shown) by the microprocessor 20. Other items that may be stored at this stage include details of the food source, e.g. farm, animal identity etc.

In step 32, the food item is sealed in a tray by the tray sealer 3 to form a sealed package and then in step 34 the X-ray image is obtained by the X-ray machine 5. This X-ray image is recorded as mentioned above.

The sealed tray is check weighed by the check weigher 7 (step 36) and the resultant weight recorded in the temporary buffer (step 38).

The tray is then transported to the labeller 9. The labeller generates a unique identifier such as an alphanumeric number or the like (step 40). This number is then printed by the labeller onto a label which is then adhered to the tray or package (step 42).

In fact, it is preferable to print the identifier directly onto the film. This could be done by a printer, e.g. ink jet printer, within the labeller and reduces the possibility of the identifier being tampered with. In this case, a label may be adhered over the identifier to conceal it. The label would be removed if it was necessary to interrogate the database so as to reveal the identifier. The sealed tray is then transported on the conveyor to the vision and seal test unit 11. This obtains an optical image of the sealed tray (step 44) which is stored in digital form in the temporary buffer (step 44).

The seal test unit 11 carries out a conventional test on the integrity of the seal and the result of this is also recorded in the temporary buffer (step 46).

The robot arm (not shown) then picks the sealed package or tray from the vision and seal test unit 11 and places it in a box 13 with other such sealed trays (step 48). The box 13 has its own identifier and this is stored in the temporary buffer (step 50).

Information in the temporary buffer is then transferred by the microprocessor 20 to the database 22. Figure 4 illustrates the typical logical layout of data in the store 22. Each row of the table in Figure 4 is addressed by a respective tray or package identifier (ID1.ID2 etc). Each row has a plurality of storage locations labelled Item 1 , Item 2, Item 2 etc. Each item of data and/or image is then stored in a respective one of the locations corresponding to the identifier of the package concerned (step 50).

In the example shown in Figure 4, different groups of data items are shown being stored for different packages ID1, ID2, ID3. In practice, of course, the data items stored will be of the same type for each package in the same packaging process and Figure 4 has been generated to show different combinations of data items which in practice would be stored for different types of packages.

Finally, an operator can input via the manual input device 24 further details to be stored in the database 22 such as the identity of subsequent organisations handling the tray (step 52). These organisations could include transit organisations, wholesalers, retailers and the like.

At any time, a third party, typically provided with password access, can interrogate the database 22 from the remote location, for example via the Internet and interface 26. The interrogator enters the ID of the tray concerned and can then view the stored items corresponding to that identifier such as one of the images. This enables customer complaints to be dealt with quickly and efficiently.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a food packaging process, the method comprising performing a number of processes to create a packaged food item including sealing the item in a package; generating an identifier for the package and recording the identifier on the package; and storing data items relating to the packaging process in one or more storage locations in a database addressed by the said identifier.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data item(s) relate to one or more of the results of tests performed following said processes such as the results of a seal test or leak test.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the data item(s) relate to one or more of details of a gas mixture used in the package, the weight of the package, and ambient temperature measured during performance of the processes.

4. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the data item(s) include one or more images of the food item and/or package.

5. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the data item(s) include an identifier of a box into which a package is supplied.

6. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the data item(s) include the identity of one or more organisations subsequently handling the package.

7. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the database is adapted to be accessed remotely, for example via the Internet, as well as locally to the packaging process.

8. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the package identifier is printed on a film that seals the package.

9. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the identifier is allocated to a package before the food item is placed into the package.

10. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the package comprises a tray or other open container which is sealed by a sealing film.