Food scraper in safety with POM-C detectable- test

Looking at filling machines in the food industry, most of them use a scraper in the funnel to ensure a constant flow of the food, e.g. meat or sausage meat. The scraper is usually made of the thermoplastic material TECAFORM AH natural, a food grade acetal that exhibits high stiffness combined with a good wear rate against stainless steel.

 

In some instances the scraper may get broken if the load is unexpectedly high. Most of the time, as this is a fully automated process, the damage is detected very late. As a result of the plastic contamination in the food, the whole production lot of the current production run has to be disposed of, as it is now damaged food.

Increased scraper safety

As most filling machines are equipped with an inline metal detector, Ensinger technical support suggests changing the material to TECAFORM AH ID blue, an food grade acetal with detectable additive, which can be detected by standard metal detectors down to a size of 3 cubic mm. The material properties of TECAFORM AH ID blue are still very similar to the unfilled natural grade POM-C to meet the requirements for mechanical strength and wear. Also, this plastic for food applications ensures high dimensional stability and machinability - characteristics necessary for production of precision components. The high resistance to sterilizer and low moisture absorption make TECAFORM AH ID blue ideal for a wide range of applications in the food industry.

No surprises in the production process

With TECAFORM AH ID blue, the production process is stopped immediately if there is an unexpected breakage of the scraper and plastic is identified in the food. Even smaller pieces, which might break off, can easily be detected using standard metal detectors in line, either by the operator or by camera thanks to the blue colour of the material. The material complies with EU10/2011 and FDA requirements. This is ensured by carefully selected raw materials and material processing in accordance with GMP 2023/2006/EU as well as migration tests performed on Ensinger semi-finished products.

Not only did the customer improve safety in the production process, but also benefitted from a massive reduction in waste and chose an economically optimum solution.

If you zoom and rotate here, you can take a closer look at the food scraper, made by Ensinger from TECAFORM AH natural

metal detectable plastics for food applications

All ID products comply with the specific requirements of Regulation (EU) 10/2011 and FDA. In order to meet many more application requirements, the ID series also includes:

TECAFORM AH ID blue

​TECAFORM AH ID inductive detectable POM-C is modified with a metal detectable filler that provides excellent protection while monitoring for unwanted particulates.

TECAFORM AH ID grey

TECAFORM AH ID grey inductive detectable acetal is a metal detectable POM-C material designed for use in the food industry.

TECAMID 6 ID blue

This PA 6 is modified with an metal detectable filler, and is likewise pigmented with a food-compliant blue colorant...

TECAPEEK ID blue

TECAPEEK ID blue is a metal detectable PEEK made with Victrex® PEEK polymer.