Data capture unit helps food processors in credit crunch, says firm

According to Innovation Software Consultants, its quality control system, Tracesoft, ensures that non-conformity in quality attributes of products can be identified immediately rather at the end of a production run.

Stephen Mumby, director of the company, told FoodProductionDaily.com that the portable, easy-to-use units can check in real time that critical factors such as temperature, Ph levels, salt levels and bar code are not of out specification.

He said that companies in the food processing sector are particularly vulnerable to error, as high volume production lines can easily miss key production indicator quality standards, resulting in financial losses very quickly, in part due to dependency on antiquated paper based systems.

“Using the portable Tracesoft units, an operator can alert a line supervisor without delay via an email or SMS message if the computer has recorded a defect on a particular batch run; this is far speedier than the clipboard and pen method of measurement,”​ he continued.

Mumby explained that food companies can configure the hand held data recorders to suit their particular needs and the system monitors a food production line using accurate quality measurements from a pre-programmed historical database.

Waste reduction​

A research project by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) showed that UK food producers work with production waste levels running at between three and eight per cent of turnover.

According to Mumby, UK sauce maker, Greencore, by using the Tracesoft system in its facilities, has managed to cut the amount of this production wastage to 0.6 per cent.

He added that continuous improvement of quality in line with the British Retail Consortium BRC Global Standard for Food Safety (issue 5) is enabled by the fact that the portable units are highly configurable and flexible.

Upgrades​

Mumby said upgrades to the mobile technology are ongoing and that developments are currently underway to integrate a camera into the computers to enable an image to be downloaded in conjunction with the real time data.

“The image recording feature will help improve quality control in food plants, particularly the monitoring of incoming raw materials,”​ he continued.

He said that as part of the package the company provides to food companies quality control managers and staff are fully trained, over a two to three day period, in how to programme and employ the units correctly.