Coppa Inc., a premium gelato and frozen desserts producer based in London, Ontario, is renowned for its innovative flavors and commitment to uncompromising quality. As the company continues innovating, ensuring product safety remains a top priority. To address the critical need for heightened food safety standards and compliance, Coppa Inc. sought to integrate Sesotec’s “Audit Check” feature on its existing metal detector systems.
Sesotec Canada Ltd., a subsidiary of Sesotec GmbH, is a leader in the development, manufacture and support of foreign material detection and removal for the food industry. “Audit Check”, is one of the features of their exclusive Integrated Compliance software package. Sesotec’s Intuity Metal Detectors utilize “Audit Check” for automated monitoring, logging deviations, and alerting operators, ensuring reliable operation and adherence to food safety and quality requirements.
Manual inspection processes reaching their limits
Coppa Inc.’s production line operates at a fast pace to meet increasing consumer demand. Metal contamination, though rare, can occur at any stage of production. This can come from equipment wear and tear or accidental introduction of foreign objects. In this light and with Coppa’s commitment to ensuring the safest and tastiest products in the market, Coppa recognized the need to adopt a systematic approach to alerting, verifying and documenting the performance of its metal detectors.
They required a solution that would bolster traceability, reduce manual testing burdens, and ensure consistent, quantifiable product safety. Before upgrading, Coppa Inc. relied on operators to conduct hourly checks and manual data recording. Operators would test the metal detector by passing sample test pieces—ferrous, non-ferrous, and stainless steel, through the system at hourly intervals.
While this practice had proven reliable, it left room for human error. Coppa recognized that as they continue to grow and expand, there was a need to simplify their process and strengthen documentation of test results, while improving their overall commitment to food safety.
Boosting efficiency with Sesotec’s ‘Audit Check’
Working closely with Coppa’s Operations Manager, Sesotec analyzed their production workflow, and recommended incorporating its “Audit Check” feature to automate and standardize metal detector testing. “Audit Check” provided a customizable setup for testing and verification of the metal detection systems. Its design streamlined performance checks and semi-automated the testing process, while it recorded performance results without interrupting the flow of the production line.
To implement “Audit Check”, Sesotec worked with Coppa to completely understand the existing process and challenges. Through a collaborative approach, the metal detector was configured with the test specifications required to meet Coppa’s stringent food safety plan requirements. Ferrous, non-ferrous, and stainless steel test samples were passed through the metal detector, confirming the operation of the metal detector as well as the functionality of “Audit Check”.
The unit was setup to trigger an alert for operators to complete their checks hourly, as well as during product change overs, ensuring equipment is operating reliably with regular verification cycles. Operators and quality assurance (QA) staff were trained on how to setup and configure “Audit Check” intervals, monitor the performance data, and interpret the system’s on-screen reports.
The use of “Audit Check” is very intuitive and provides an onscreen guide for operators to walk them through their tests. This was one of the key factors in ensuring a smooth implementation. In addition, Sesotec’s team provided hands-on instruction focusing on system setup, operation and data review.
Greater food safety, fewer errors, optimized audits
The introduction of Sesotec Audit Check dramatically streamlined Coppa’s food safety processes. Because the system automatically alerts operators to conduct their tests and guides them through the process the likelihood of human error during manual testing is greatly reduced. Data recording is now fully integrated into the metal detector’s control interface, enhancing traceability and compliance.
Coppa achieved greater confidence in detecting and rejecting contaminated products with “Audit Check” in place. The detailed reporting feature facilitates external audits and ensures compliance to local food safety regulations. This added layer of diligence has fortified the company’s reputation for safety and quality in the competitive dessert industry.
Conclusion
By integrating Sesotec’s “Audit Check” feature into its metal detection process, Coppa Inc. in London, Ontario, has significantly elevated its product safety standards. The combination of automation, real-time data capture, and comprehensive reporting ensures unwavering food safety compliance and customer satisfaction, locks Coppa’s position as a trusted source of premium gelato and frozen desserts.
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