Fortress Unveils High-Speed OCR Inspection System to Combat Food Labelling Errors
Fortress Technology is set to showcase its latest innovation in food safety automation at PPMA Total 2025, introducing the Vyper Vision system—an advanced label inspection solution designed to address one of the most persistent causes of product recalls in the UK food sector: labelling errors.
According to industry data, nearly 25% of all UK food recalls in 2024 were triggered by mislabelling, underscoring a critical need for reliable label verification technology. In response, Fortress Technology has developed Vyper Vision, a high-speed, fully integrated inspection system that provides top and bottom label inspection at rates of up to 200 packs per minute.
Vyper Vision uses advanced optical character recognition (OCR) to verify label placement, use-by dates, allergens, ingredients, batch numbers, and barcodes. The system aims to ensure compliance with increasingly stringent food safety and retailer labelling requirements.
"This is especially good at reading label data on concave packaging, usually shaped or chilled products where condensation can distort text and codes on labels," said Jodie Curry, Commercial Manager at Fortress Technology. Curry also noted that OCR allows the system to dynamically adjust to variations in lighting, font size, and label distortions—common challenges in fast-paced food production environments.
The camera unit, housed in a waterproof IP65-rated enclosure, is designed for durability across industrial food manufacturing settings. Out-of-specification packs are automatically diverted to a lockable reject bin. Additionally, the system captures an image of every rejected label and transmits it as a digital file to the processor's central network for secure storage and traceability.
Designed to integrate seamlessly with Fortress Technology's suite of inspection solutions—including metal detection, X-ray, checkweighing, and combination systems—Vyper Vision can be mounted on Fortress's Raptor Combination unit, enabling a compact, end-of-line solution within a single footprint.
The system also supports communication protocols such as OPC UA and is fully compatible with Contact 4.0, Fortress Technology's data collection and monitoring software platform. In addition to standard label checks, Vyper Vision can be configured to inspect promotional labels, 1D and 2D barcodes, and instructions for cooking and storage.
By automating the detection of labelling faults caused by data entry errors, poor print quality, or misaligned labels, Fortress Technology positions Vyper Vision as a safeguard for brand reputation and consumer safety.