Metal detection for fish sausages, right on the fishing boat

Metal clips in fish sausages

Among the favorite products of Tunacor Fishing Ltd are their fish sausages, which are especially celebrated in Spain. However, every now and then they would receive complaints from customers about bits of metal in the sausages.

The fish sausages are prepared directly on the fishing boat from the byproducts of the filleting process. Finding an adequate metal detection solution is made difficult by two factors. For one, the fish sausages are sealed by metal clips on both ends. For another, fresh fish has a very high producteffect.

With such demanding requirements for sensitivity and sturdiness, Tunacor Fishing Ltd reviewed several metal detection options but was unable to find a satisfactory solution. That is, until they contacted Baader Namibia, a partner of Sesotec. Baader Namibia took on this immense challenge and presented the customer with the optimal solution.

Deployment of a metal detector during the production process

A closer evaluation of their process revealed that customer complaints usually resulted from metal clips inside the fish sausages. There are two possible ways that these clips could make their way from the intake of the vacuum filler into the sausages: 1. Loose clips lying around the ship; 2. Clips from sausages that burst after sealing were ending up back in the production process.

With this knowledge, it was clear that the most effective location for a metal detector was at the critical processing step of vacuum filling. An end-of-line solution was ruled out. For the purposes of Tunacor Fishing Ltd, the metal detector LIQUISCAN VF+ presented the optimal solution as it could be coordinated with both the vacuum filler and the clipping machine.

The pipeline metal separator LIQUISCAN VF+ was developed especially for controlling paste-based products such as sausages. When metals are detected, the filling process is either stopped or the contaminated mass is automatically ejected into a collection container by the separation system. Various thread adaptors allow the separator to be connected with all common vacuum fillers.

Tunacor Fishing Ltd was pleased with the simplicity of the solution, and so the decision to go with Baader Namibia and Sesotec was an easy one.

No more customer complaints

Sesotec’s LIQUISCAN VF+ metal separator has been operating aboard a Tunacor Fishing Ltd ship since the beginning of 2020. From the start, the company has been pleased with the simple operation of the metal separator, the high quality and process stability it generates, and its high detection accuracy.

Since the installation of the LIQUISCAN VF+ metal separator for filling applications, Tunacor Fishing Ltd has yet to receive another customer complaint about metal contaminants. Tunacor Fishing Ltd is pleased with its decision to consult with Baader Namibia and Sesotec. Professional advice, competent contact persons, and quick onsite servicing set them apart.