Delivering Quality at High-Speed in the Snack and Confectionery Industry

In an industry where speed and quality go together like crisps and salt, snack and confectionery manufacturers face the constant challenge of keeping up with consumer demand without sacrificing product integrity.

- Rob Stevens, Market Manager, Mettler-Toledo Product Inspection

Snacking continues to become more popular globally. It is even predicted that by the year 2030, global sales of savoury snacks could reach a value of USD386.8 billion¹. It's easy to see that the pressure to deliver a diverse range of high-quality products at speed has never been greater. In this article, Rob Stevens, Market Manager at Mettler-Toledo Product Inspection explores how manufacturers can overcome production challenges in highspeed snack and confectionery applications without compromising quality.

Challenges in High-Speed Production

High-speed snack and confectionery production poses several challenges, particularly in product handling and rejection. When products are processed at high speeds, they are more susceptible to damage or misalignment, leading to increased rejection rates. Handling delicate items or products with specific packaging requirements, like flowwrapped goods, becomes more complex as speed increases, elevating the risk of product rejection and waste.

Weight Challenges

Accurate weighing is further complicated by the sealed edges of flow wraps, which can cause handling and sorting issues, and the need for stricter tolerances with smaller, lighter products. Advanced dynamic checkweighers incorporating FlashCell™ technology from Mettler-Toledo help solve this issue by effectively handling products with brief weighing times. They also offer enhanced accuracy and reliable handling, providing consistent weight measurements and product quality, even at speeds of up to 800 products per minute.

Contaminant Detection