Metal detection for pet food
Pet food spans both extremes of the detection problem: dry kibble moving in bulk at high volume, and wet loaf and paste products pumped through closed systems. Both are inspected, usually at different points in the same plant.
A raw material stream with real variability
- Raw material intake — rendered material and by-products carry a genuine contamination history
- Grinder and extruder wear, the highest-energy equipment in the plant
- Conveying and elevator components in bulk handling
- Packaging equipment, particularly on multi-wall bags and pouches
Two very different detection tasks in one plant
Dry kibble behaves like any other dry bulk product: low product effect, good achievable sensitivity, and free-fall detection before bagging is usually the right answer.
Wet loaf and paste products behave like meat: high moisture, high salt, strong product effect, and pipeline detection before filling is the practical solution. The two require different systems and different critical limits, even in the same facility.
Volume is the other factor. Pet food lines often run continuously at high throughput, which makes unplanned stops expensive and makes reject volume worth calculating carefully.
Not sure what can be detected in your specific product? Send us a sample. You get a written test report with false reject rate and probability of detection — free and normally within a week.
What we typically supply
Dry kibble before bagging
Free-fall detector in the drop pipe with fast reject valve.
Wet loaf and paste
Pipeline detector before the filler, IP68/IP69K.
Packed bags and pouches
Conveyor system after packing with automatic reject.
Retailer requirements drive this segment
Much of the tightening in pet food inspection comes from retailer specifications rather than legislation. Those requirements tend to mirror human food standards, including documented test frequency, traceable test pieces and verified reject.
If a customer has just handed you a specification you are not sure you can meet, send us the product. We will tell you honestly what is achievable before you commit to it in writing.