The question is no longer whether you should check your products, but when and how often.

Knowing when to mix and match these technologies and X-ray systems to the application is important. “If you’re looking for fine pieces of ferrous dust in flour, metal detectors won’t be any help-nor will an X-ray machine,” says Pedersen. A rare earth magnet will grab those pieces of dust-sized metal particles. For hot dog applications, Pedersen suggests a metal detector on the emulsion feeding the linker and one at the final package inspection-both for less than the cost of one X-ray machine.