Optimizing food quality through smart optical technologies drives Maciej Kisiel.
Modern Food Production Requires More Than Machinery – It Demands Vision.
Maciej Kisiel, our Sales Representative for Poland, shares his insights into how cutting-edge optical technologies are transforming the potato sector and the broader food industry – with particular focus on Insort’s latest innovations, including the Sherlock Separator for potatoes and potato products, and the Sherlock Safeguard for bulk foods such as frozen and freeze-dried products, gummies, and more.
A Passion for Intelligent Technology
I have dedicated my entire professional career to working with advanced technologies. I value solutions that are energy-efficient, deliver tangible value for the customer, and – above all – integrate effortlessly into existing systems to create optimised, intelligent processes.
Insort GmbH offers precisely that. With its unique CIT® (Chemical Imaging Technology) and AI-enhanced optical systems, real-time quality control at a chemical level becomes possible. From early foreign body detection to the identification of subtle quality differences, Insort’s technology supports processors in stabilising production, minimising waste, and protecting product integrity – across a broad range of applications.
Precision Sorting for Potatoes: Sherlock Separator
The Sherlock Separator is a highly specialised sorting system developed for potato processors, particularly those handling raw, peeled, or pre-treated tubers. By combining CIT® and high-resolution RGB imaging, the system enables intelligent three-way sorting:
Conforming product continues down the line.
Chemically or visually defective tubers (e.g. sugar ends, greening, rot) are rejected or diverted for re-peeling.
Foreign materials – from stones and soil to plastic and metal – are reliably removed.
The Sherlock Separator significantly reduces the need for manual inspection and brings greater consistency to processing – particularly relevant in French fry and chip production. By pre-sorting peeled potatoes, processors gain rapid return on investment (typically within 2–3 years) while improving product quality and reducing downstream rejections. The inclusion of CI-LED lighting provides high spectral accuracy with minimal energy use – contributing to both cost-efficiency and environmental responsibility.
Your Food Safety Guarantee: Sherlock Safeguard
Bukl Food, for example Frozen and freeze-dried foods pose unique challenges, from structural fragility to visual inconsistency. Sherlock Safeguard was engineered specifically to meet these needs. Powered by Sherlock Hypernova technology and supported by AI-driven pattern recognition, Sherlock Safeguard provides:
Precise defect detection without over-sorting,
Gentle product ejection via fine-tuned nozzles or mechanical rejectors,
Real-time analysis of dry matter – crucial for freeze-dried fruits and ready-meal components,
Adaptive learning to distinguish between visually similar product variants (e.g. Polish vs. Spanish strawberries).
With Sherlock Safeguard, food safety and product uniformity become measurable and controllable – reducing quality claims, recall risks, and reputational threats. It’s a significant step forward for producers of frozen fruit, vegetables, herbs, and high-value specialities.
Always Connected: Remote Diagnostics and Support
Both Separator and Safeguard are designed to integrate seamlessly into digitalised production environments. Standard OPC-UA protocols, 24/7 remote support, and online diagnostics ensure swift responses and minimal downtime. Our technical team works closely with yours – from commissioning through to ongoing optimisation – to ensure maximum performance throughout the system lifecycle.
In Conclusion
Whether you’re processing potatoes at scale or producing delicate freeze-dried foods, Insort’s optical sorters and analysers – including the Separator and Safeguard – set new standards in quality assurance. These systems don’t simply detect; they think, decide, and protect.
Curious how this could work for your production line? I’m happy to discuss it with you.
For more information contact:
Maciej Kisiel
Sales Representative – Poland
