Insort is set to showcase a new optical sorting platform for snack and food processors at Snackex 2026, introducing a system designed to improve defect detection while reducing product loss and maintenance requirements.

The company will present the Sherlock Belt Compact, a compact sorting solution developed for the inspection of potato chips, snacks and other small-sized food products. The launch will take place during Snackex 2026, scheduled for 17–18 June in Lisbon, Portugal.

The new platform differs from conventional belt sorting systems by inspecting products in free flight rather than directly on a conveyor belt. According to Insort, this background-free inspection architecture enables cleaner image acquisition and more accurate sorting decisions, while improving reject removal efficiency.

Sherlock Belt Compact combines high-resolution 4K RGB imaging with AI-supported deep-learning algorithms and high-speed air ejection technology. The company says the system was designed to help processors reduce false rejects, lower maintenance requirements and increase operational uptime.

A key feature of the platform is the placement of the inspection point closer to the ejection zone. Insort says this reduces the distance between defect detection and product removal, allowing more precise reject targeting and helping processors minimize the loss of good product.

The sorter has been engineered for integration into existing production environments, with a compact footprint intended to simplify retrofits and installations where available space is limited.

According to Insort, the system is designed to deliver stable performance under real production conditions by eliminating background-related interference and improving the accuracy of product inspection.

The Sherlock Belt Compact is intended for a broad range of food processing applications beyond potato chips and snacks, including processed foods, nuts, dried products, fresh and frozen foods, gummies, seeds and beans.

The launch expands Insort’s Sherlock portfolio of optical sorting solutions, which covers multiple stages of food processing from raw material intake through to final product inspection. The company positions the new platform as an option for processors seeking advanced sorting performance while maintaining production efficiency and maximizing product yield.

Insort will exhibit the Sherlock Belt Compact at Snackex 2026 at Booth 134.