New Era of Food Safety for Poultry Automation

As poultry production has changed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and with the emergence of new transformative technologies, there are unparalleled opportunities for improvements in food safety and quality. On March 10, 2021, Eagle Product Inspection is hosting a live webinar on “Automation, Traceability and Remote Options: Advanced X-ray Inspection for Poultry in a New Era of Food Safety.”

Part of an ongoing “Eagle Speaks” thought leadership series, the upcoming webinar features three poultry inspection experts weighing in on the shifting marketplace and the ways that x-ray technologies advance automation and traceability: Marge Thompson, Poultry Technical Sales Manager, and Travis Ratcliff, North American Service Manager of Eagle Product Inspection and Scott Davis, Sales Manager of FPEC Corp.

Attendees will gain key insights on pandemic-related changes in everyday approaches to sanitation and safety in poultry plants and how the global supply chain has been affected by market disruptions and the ebb and flow in consumer demand across foodservice and retail. “The poultry industry has been hit hard with labor challenges at the same time that processors are buying more products that must be evaluated for safety and quality, leading to growing interest in automation. In the consumer marketplace, there is higher awareness of food safety and bone detection as people cook more at home,” says Davis.

According to Thompson, new poultry inspection technologies have been developed at a time of greater need and emphasis on safety and quality. “PXT technology is a new breakthrough that enables poultry processors to obtain much higher resolution images and capture more detailed data than what has previously been possible,” says Thompson.

Advanced inspection systems also provide the traceability that is demanded by poultry processors and their customers and increasingly required by regulations and standards. “Next-generation software is allowing processors to make their suppliers accountable, with information and data that shows where most of the rejects are coming from. Eagle’s TraceServer™ software program is especially useful in audits when monitoring lines,” Davis says.

Technology-enabled remote services aid compliance in and beyond the COVID-19 period and can be utilized for audits, pre-purchase testing and maintenance/troubleshooting. “Remote monitoring and technical support are available to address problems quickly and safely while minimizing downtime. Remote support has also empowered those who perhaps before wouldn’t be comfortable with certain changes – we’re seeing a lot of positive outcomes,” says Ratcliff.