top of page

The important role of food inspection

  • Writer: Emile Derache
    Emile Derache
  • Jun 6
  • 3 min read
Mushrooms are inspected for size, shape, and the presence of sand or soil at the stem base

Consumers must be able to trust that the food they consume is safe and of high quality. Thanks to modern technologies such as hyperspectral imaging, thermal cameras, X-ray inspection, and artificial intelligence, food inspections today have reached an unprecedented level of precision and reliability. In this blog post, we take a closer look at the different types of food inspection and the advantages these innovations bring.

Why is food inspection so important?

Food inspection helps to:
  • Prevent contamination and enhance food safety

  • Reduce food waste by detecting defects early

  • Comply with legislation and quality standards

  • Enable traceability, allowing producers to pinpoint exactly which batch a product came from

  • Protect the reputation of producers and retailers

Types of food inspection

Food inspection is divided into 5 categories:

1. Fresh Products: Vegetables, Fruit, Meat, Fish, and Dairy

Fresh produce is inspected for freshness, ripeness, and possible contamination. Hyperspectral imaging allows the detection of mold and ripeness levels, enabling optimal product assessment. Additionally, X-ray scanners are used to detect foreign objects in meat and fish, such as bone fragments or metal particles, ensuring consumer safety.

2. Processed Products: Bakery Items, Canned Goods, and Liquid Foods

Modern bakeries often use multiple inspection technologies to ensure the quality of products like donuts. Color cameras assess the baking level based on color and check for deviations in shape and size. Hyperspectral cameras add an extra dimension: they can accurately determine fat content, something not visible to the naked eye. X-ray vision offers insight into the internal structure of the product. It can detect material inconsistencies such as bits of packaging liner, production contaminants, or even loose machine parts.

3. Dried and Bulk Products: Grains, Nuts, Rice, and Cereals

Products like rice, grains, and nuts are inspected for color deviations, clumping, and unwanted materials. Optical sorters use advanced image recognition to remove defective or contaminated items, which not only reduces waste but also improves the quality of the final product.

4. Packaging and Labeling: Seal Inspection, Barcodes, and Fill Levels

Proper packaging is essential to ensure shelf life and prevent food waste. Thermal cameras are increasingly used to assess the integrity of packaging. Packaging methods like top-sealing and flow-sealing use heat to create airtight seals. This heat process prevents air or micro-organisms from entering and spoiling the product. If a seal is incomplete or broken, a thermal camera can detect temperature anomalies that indicate a defective seal, allowing for immediate corrective action.

5. Safety and Contamination Control: Metal Detection and Microbial Inspection

To ensure food safety, metal detectors and X-ray scanners are used to identify hazardous materials such as glass, plastic, or metal. Hyperspectral imaging helps detect microbial contamination—such as bacteria and mold—early on. These methods enable producers to deliver food that meets the highest hygiene and safety standards.

Benefits of Food Inspection with Vision Systems

Thanks to modern technologies, food inspection is becoming increasingly effective:

  • Faster and more accurate detection: Smart algorithms identify anomalies better than humans

  • Cost savings: Early detection prevents waste and reduces production costs

  • Analysis: Processes can be continuously monitored and adjusted in real time

  • Improved regulatory compliance: Automated inspections ensure compliance with strict food safety regulations

The Future of Food Inspection

The use of advanced vision technologies is fundamentally transforming food production. Where inspection was once largely manual and based on random sampling, hyperspectral cameras, thermal imaging, X-ray systems, and artificial intelligence now allow for real-time, fully automated, and highly accurate inspections. The benefits are clear: enhanced food safety, less waste, lower costs, and greater transparency across the supply chain. As these technologies continue to evolve and become more accessible, even more producers will integrate them into their processes. Machine vision will no longer be just a supporting tool but a strategic component of quality management and sustainability in the food industry.The future of food inspection is digital, intelligent, and indispensable.

Here you see a 3D scan of pieces of chocolate; they are being inspected for imperfections.
Here you see a 3D scan of pieces of chocolate; they are being inspected for imperfections.


 
 

We'd love to hear from you!

Thank you for your question.

This website is developed with the support of

Asstraat 5, 3000 Leuven, Belgium,

 

Tel. +32 16 797 960

flanders investment and trade_AI.jpg
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
bottom of page