Some food processors rely on sampling and analysis of final packaged product at the end of their line, which presents several issues. First, if the final product is found to be contaminated or presenting other quality issues, there is no way to identify exactly where in the process the issue occurred.

Second, this method wastes both packaging materials and final product that could be sold. Rather than taking just the amount needed for a sample, a whole container of product might be wasted. With sampling done several times per day, this waste can really add up. Third, when manually sampling, stopping the process at any point to obtain product samples wastes time and money – productivity and manpower.

As part of its ongoing food safety program, a large peanut butter processor based in Georgia was sending samples of packaged, final product out to an independent food safety laboratory on a routine basis. This sampling method was expensive for all the reasons described above. Then, an employee at the plant witnessed first-hand the benefits of automatic sampling installed in another factory.

Plant management decided to evaluate the benefits of automatic sampling to determine whether it would be a good fit for the operation. After learning how an automatic sampler easily can be designed and installed into a plant, reducing product waste while ensuring reliable food safety testing, quality managers implemented a Sentry® ISOLOK® MSE automatic point sampler for high viscosity materials into the plant process line.

By implementing this automated sampling solution within its process, this peanut butter manufacturer is realizing savings of about $100,000 per year.

Since the changeover to this new sampling method, the company has reduced significant waste of final product while continuing the accuracy of its food safety testing.

The Sentry ISOLOK MSE sampler automates sampling within a food process so that samples are isolated from the operator, preserving their integrity. A Sentry sampler controller remotely operates the automated sampling solution. Because the operator can operate the controller away from the process and is physically isolated from it, this sampling solution also ensures operator safety.

Learn more about our food and beverage sampling solutions.