Baker installs metal detector

Loma Systems, designer and manufacturer of inspection systems, has recently installed a Loma IQ3 Metal Detector conveyor at Persis Ltd, producer of fine quality baklava, based in Wembley, London, UK.

Persis, which produces by hand over three tonnes of baklava a week at its dedicated site, supplies the Middle Eastern delicacy to many of London’s finest hotels and restaurants, and European wholesalers. The company operates a strict HACCP (hazard analysis critical control point) policy and, as part of its ongoing commitment to quality control, is currently working towards its BRC accreditation.

Each pastry is placed on a large metal tray, where it is cut into individual portions then placed on metal racks and into the oven. After baking, the pastries are left to cool before being packed into various sized boxes and cartons, prior to being distributed out to customers.

Persis identified that the runners on the metal racks were slowly being worn down by the metal trays that were constantly being transferred on and off them. This was causing minute metal filings from the runners to fall into the trays of baklava below. To stop this from happening, Persis looked for an end of line inspection system that would match its own quality and reputation and turned to Loma System, which identified the Loma IQ3 Metal Detector conveyor as the perfect solution.

The Loma IQ3 Metal Detector benefits from ‘variable frequency’ technology, which was recently recognised for its innovation by the Food Processing Awards. This feature allows operators to auto-select the correct frequency for maximum contaminant sensitivity; and was vital for Persis as its production line inspects a number of different flavoured baklavas every day.

The IQ3’s sophisticated electronics enable its inventive ‘automatic product learn’ system to calibrate and automatically learn the characteristics and settings for up to 100 different products. The machine is designed for tough wash down cleaning specification and meets the IP69K environment standard.

The unit includes a performance validation system, which automatically prompts the operator to test performance at pre-set intervals according to HACCP principles. This produces a detailed record of any contaminants found, leaving a detailed audit trail, which is crucial to meet BRC standards.

Nazim Frazer, production manager at Persis Ltd comments: “The IQ3 has exceeded our expectations; it is really easy to use and has given us total peace of mind that our products are free from any metal contaminants. We wanted to rule out every possibility of metal in our products so we chose the best technology available. We are really pleased with our Loma IQ3 metal detector and we would recommend this machine to other food processors.”

The machine meets all current retail specification, which is ideal as Persis plans to move into the retail market.