- Jul 9, 2024
- 2 min read
Sidel has launched Qual-IS, a digital solution that drives quality control and food safety across aseptic production.
Qual-IS is an integrated platform that merges all activities related to quality control – including laboratory management, traceability and sampling – in a digitally-enabled and intelligent way.
Enrico Savani, product manager for sensitive product filling at Sidel: "Qual-IS is our latest digital solution – a smart, dynamic quality control system specifically designed to sustain a high level of quality control at all times thanks to its advanced traceability and data analytics".
The launch comes as food and beverage manufacturers face increasing pressure to ensure product quality and safety.
Over 80% of grocery companies define a financial risk from product recalls as either significant or catastrophic. In comparison, almost 60% have been affected by a recall event in the last five years, according to industry data.
Qual-IS integrates six key components – a sampling plan, laboratory management, traceability, hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP), calibration certificates, and quality status – into a single digital platform accessible via mobile, desktop or HMI installed on the production line.
At the heart of the system is a unique traceability solution that allocates and prints a code on each bottle, storing all relevant information about its manufacturing process, from preform and cap used to product recipe and critical production parameters.
"Traceability lies at the heart of Qual-IS," Savani explained. "Each bottle is allocated and printed with a unique code, which holds all the information connected to that bottle over the course of its manufacturing life."
The system also integrates quality control procedures across the entire aseptic production line, from preform blowing to laboratory management. This allows lab microbiologists to access all information associated with individual bottles by scanning the unique code, indicating which quality tests are required.
By unifying data collection points and presenting information in an easy-to-use dashboard, Qual-IS enables operators to forecast future parameters more accurately and drive quality control, rather than simply monitoring it.
"For customers who wish to enter the aseptic market, Qual-IS provides the mechanism to manage their new journey in an easy way," Savani added. "And for customers who are already expert aseptic beverage producers, Qual-IS provides a uniform method to manage multiple production lines by analysing data across different areas in real time."
