5 Questions With Paul Gaertner

In the food processing industry’s quest to reduce foreign object contamination, metal detectable products have become a critical tool in helping achieve that success. Paul Gaertner, President of Detectapro Products, LLC, has been helping food processors work towards zero percent foreign object contamination for more than 15 years.

1. What products can be made metal detectable?

Virtually any product can be made to be metal detectable. In the past 15 years, we have seen an explosion of metal detectable offerings. It started with a pen and now includes flanges, retainers, aprons and more. At Detectapro we react to what end users are asking for. We recently introduced a line of Detectable Aprons and Oversleeves. These products are made from a metal detectable TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane), making them ultra light, durable, washable and tear resistant. Let us know if you need something currently not offered, we’ll look into it for you.

2. How detectable are your products?

Our products are 100% detectable when using metal inspection and X-ray detection systems. The key in detecting our metal detectable products lies with the ratio of the aperture to the size of the product. Every product is different and every detectable fragment size need is different. A good starting point is a 3mm fragment. However, you have to consider what the product is and take into account the different environmental variables. Ice cream, for example, may change its density and moisture levels throughout the processing and packaging cycle. This creates a need for the sensitivity being measured at the geometric center of the machine’s aperture to change from one machine on the line to the next.

3. Can you help my company with BRC 8, HAACP and the Food Safety Modernization Act?

4. Can your products prevent a recall?

The loss of product, lost time in wages in the production of the product, bad PR from the recall itself, possible litigation, and the inconvenience to the retailer and the consumer are just a few of the consequences of a recall. We keep track of recalls resulting in hard plastic being found in the final product. Working with Detectapro Products will reduce your chances of hard plastic contaminating the final product. While we cannot prevent a recall, using our 100% Detectable products in conjunction with properly calibrated detection systems will go a long way toward ensuring zero percent foreign object contamination in the future.

5. Where are your products produced?

All our products are produced in the U.S. and the U.K. Because of this practice, our products carry liability insurance. (Products produced in China and India do not carry liability insurance.) Many of our products are created through injection molding. By molding our products in the U.S. and the U.K., we are able to oversee the process. We never mold using a compromised mold allowing us to deliver the highest quality product to you, every time. This process helps you as you work toward achieving zero percent foreign object contamination.