Foreign body identification

Foreign bodies are a well-known hazard for the food industry and a problem that can cause distress for consumers – especially when the foreign body isn’t immediately recognisable. Securing a rapid identification is essential for deciding how to deal with an incident, and for providing reassurance to consumers.

Major investment in new microscopy facilities has enabled RSSL to introduce a new service for identifying routine foreign bodies, helping customers to deal promptly with consumer complaints and quickly detect production issues that need to be addressed to prevent problems recurring.

The new service has been made possible after RSSL recently opened an extended, fabulously equipped microscopy laboratory. The new laboratory has more space, new equipment, new technology, and more scientists, increasing its capacity, capability and efficiency. Routine foreign bodies, such as glass, plastic and metals can be identified quickly and inexpensively. An investigative foreign body service will still be offered to deal with more complex cases.

The refurbished microscopy laboratory includes a new field emission scanning electron microscope, a new con-focal microscope, and FT-IR spectrometer, as well as new technology used to prepare samples for analysis, all geared towards gaining an identification as soon as possible.