MAGNUM

MAGNUM aims to use X-ray grating interferometry technique for analyzing solid contaminants that are normally difficult to detect (such as wood or plastic materials) in food production lines, particularly those for baked goods. X-ray grating interferometry is implemented using synchrotron light sources, which produce very intense and highly coherent X-rays. By introducing a pair of gratings, called phase gratings (G1) and absorption gratings (G2), between the source and detector, the beam intensity is modulated and the wave phase is analyzed, thus obtaining additional information to the absorption signal (ABS): a differential phase contrast signal (DPC) and a dark field signal (DF).

However, this technique can also be used with conventional X-ray sources, such as those for medical or industrial radiography, optimizing coherence conditions through the addition of an absorption grating (G0) near the source.

MAGNUM applies this technology to the food industry through a system capable of:

• Having better resolution and contrast compared to current systems;
• performing scans of food products before packaging, identifying small-sized contaminants (a few tens of µm) and light materials in real time;
• visualizing the product in 3D at resolutions on the order of 10 µm;
• performing evaluations under dynamic conditions, for example during pasta drying or for a set of baked goods moving on a conveyor belt before packaging.

The system also complies with dose and energy limits imposed by European directives on X-ray inspection systems for food.