Filling and Sealing Packaged Foods
Practical Action
Check-weighing and metal detection
Scales (Fig. 16) are used to ensure that fill-weights meet legal requirements and to minimise
product give-away. They are tared to take account of the weight of the package and samples of
products are taken from the production line to check that the net weight (i.e. the weight of
product in the pack) is correct. At larger production rates, automatic check-weighers are fitted to
product conveyor belts, where they weigh each pack and automatically reject those that are
over/under-weight. These are however, very expensive and unlikely to be used at a small scale.
Contamination with metal fragments can occur during processing as a result of wear or damage to
equipment, and metal detectors are therefore an important part of quality assurance in all food
processing. The basic components of a metal detector are a detection head, a conveyor that moves
the products under the detection head, and a reject system that removes all packs that contain
metal fragments. However, metal detectors are expensive and are often not used by small-scale
processors.
Fig. 16. Check-weighing scales
Labelling of packages
Labelling options and requirements are described in Technical Brief: Food Labelling.
Equipment Designs
Practical Action has designs for the following hand-operated equipment: jar sealer, Crown cork
bottle sealing machine and pilfer-proof capping machine. Engineering drawings are available on
request.
Equipment suppliers
Note: This is a selective list of suppliers and does not imply endorsement by Practical
Action. A comprehensive list of worldwide packaging suppliers and support institutions is
provided by Packaging International at www.packaging-int.com/companies/
Filling and sealing equipment
Alvan Blanch Chelworth Malmesbury, SN16 9SG, UK., Tel: +44 (0)1666 577333,
Fax:+44 (0)1666 577339 , info@alvanblanch.co.uk , http://www.alvanblanch.co.uk
Aqua Technology Inc., San Jose, Sunnyvale, Pismo Beach, CA, USA., Tel: 1 800
4787342/1-805-773-4502, Fax: 1 805 7734409, e-mail: purewater@earthlink.net
Website: http://www.aquatechnology.net/shrink_wrap.html
Bombay Engineering Industry R.No.6 (Extn.), Sevantibai Bhavan, Chimatpada, Marol
Naka, Andheri (East), Bombay - 400 059, India, Tel: +91 (0) 22 8369368 / 8215795,
Fax: +91 (0) 22 8369368.
Fisher Scientific UK Ltd. Bishop Meadow Road, Loughborough, LE11 5RG, UK., Tel: +44
(0), Fax: +44 (0) 1509 231893 1509 231166, E-mail: info@fisher.co.uk , Website:
http://www.fisher.co.uk
Gardners Corporation, 6 Doctors Lane, Near Gole Market, PO Box 299, New Delhi -
110001, India, Tel: +91 11 3344287 / 3363640, Fax: +91 11 3717179.
Glenvale Packaging Ltd., Unit 3, Edison Close, Park Farm Industrial Estate,
Wellingborough, Northants NN8 6AH, UK., Tel: +44 1933 673677, Fax: +44 1933
676728, E-mail: info@glenvale-pkg.demon.co.uk , Website:http://www.glenvale-pkg.co.uk
Inline Filling Systems Inc., 216 Seaboard Avenue, Venice, Florida 34285, USA., Tel: +1
941 4868800, E-mail/Website: http://www.liquidfiller.com/
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