Edible wraps made of fruit and vegetables and plastic wrapping that
incorporates basil are being developed. Is this the future of
packaging, or will the concept fail to catch on or meet stringent
EU health and safety regulations?
Glacier Mints manufacturer Fox's Confectionery is to deploy a
Tropos ERP system at its Leicester head office and factory. The
Tropos system, to be supplied and managed by SSI, is due to go live
in the summer, writes Anthony Fletcher.
Canadian business software developer VantagePoint Systems has
formed an RFID product group within the company to provide software
and integration services to packaging manufacturers. The company
believes that the new division will...
The UK's Institute of Packaging is helping to launch a Europe-wide
diploma in packaging. But as IoP chief executive Lynda Purser
outlined in her speech at Total 2004, both the Institute and the
packaging industry as a whole must...
The latest metal detectors on show at Total 2004 suggest that
equipment suppliers are fully aware of the most pressing concerns
of food processors - guaranteeing food safety, ensuring
traceability and the facilitation of uninterrupted...
As food manufacturers and ingredients suppliers work towards tough
new rules on the labelling of food allergens, Europe's risk
assessment body concludes that current scientific evidence is
'insufficient to establish an intake...
A new bearing grease effective in a wide range of food grade
applications has been developed. The main selling point of the
mineral oil grease, according to the manufacturer, is that it is
formed from a unique mix of aluminium complex...
The USDA has released an informational compact disc for federal and
state agriculture vets. The move is designed to prevent the
intentional and unintentional introduction of animal diseases into
the nation's food production chain.
Concerns over the presence of acrylamide in processed foods have
flared up again after the US food watchdog detects levels of this
carcinogenic chemical in a new batch of foods. The industry risks
being bruised.
Governments on both sides of the Atlantic need to better understand
how consumers perceive risk if they are to form better food safety
policies. The issue of bioterrorism however is helping to establish
a growing consensus among policy...
In under 50 days the ten accession countries will join the European
Union bringing the number of consumers from 382.4 million to 456.6
million. Failure to properly control food imports at the 'new'
borders may have disastrous...
Food safety agencies the world over issue updated advice on the
consumption of fish by consumers, at the same time a panel at
Europe's food safety agency calls for further research into the
side effects of mercury.
A new means of purifying air based on a simple electronic device
could mount a significant challenge to established players such as
ultraviolet light and HEPA filters, writes Phil Taylor.
A new food authority with safety at the helm is on the way for
Australia's New South Wales state after clearing the final obstacle
in parliament last week.
The bacteria involved in the ripening of cheeses may find their way
into the final product by surviving the pasteurisation process, say
researchers from Italy, Ireland and France.
A new heat/ chill thermal fluid developed has just received
official food-grade certification in the US. Manufacturer Paratherm
says that the fluid offers food processors a safer alternative to
conventional heat transfer fluids, and...
Coca-Cola is withdrawing its Dasani bottled water from sale in
Britain after finding that samples contained higher than permitted
levels of the chemical bromate. A Coca-Cola spokesman said that the
voluntary withdrawal was a precautionary...
Heinz is dropping its healthy eating logo from cans of baked beans,
spaghetti and soups amid because it believes that the products will
fall foul of health targets being set by the UK government.
Food manufacturers, retailers and service providers will have to
collaborate more in the future if they wish to remain competitive,
predicts electronics giant Siemens. But the good news is that the
technology to achieve complete systemic...
A survey of UK-produced eggs has found that the level of salmonella
contamination is now one third of what it was in 1996. Poultry
producers hope that the findings will go some way to allaying
consumer fears over poultry products,writes...
Comforting news for parents as survey of infant formula by the UK's
food watchdog finds levels of harmful chemicals, dioxins and
dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), in infant formula
have fallen significantly over the...
As increasing numbers of national governments worldwide toy with
new legal frameworks for genetically modified foodstuffs, the
global food labelling body Codex Alimentarius will table the issue
at an upcoming meeting in Montreal.
Reading Scientific Services (RSSL) is launching a programme to help
food manufacturers address issues such as obesity, nutrition and
food safety. Entitled HOW - health, obesity and well-being - the
programme offers consultancy, development...
The Dutch government has ordered the culling of 600 ducks on a farm
after routine blood tests showed signs of antibodies to a mild
strain of bird flu. There are fears of a return of the virus that
devastated much of northern Europe's...
Pursuit Dynamics claims that its fluid handling system is able to
reduce cooking times for sauces by up to 95 per cent and clean-down
time between batches by 80 per cent, writes Anthony
Fletcher.
Greater traceability in the food chain is a political issue that
could add significantly to manufacturers' expenses and even claim
some casualties. But the industry should still benefit in the long
run, KPMG analyst Mark Baillache...
Technology that allows real-time x-ray inspection imaging has been
developed. Manufacturer Cintex says that the reason the
modifications made to its range of MIACS software is so innovative
is because it will allow, for the first...
Countries affected by the deadly avian influenza virus H5N1 should
not restock their flocks too quickly to avoid the disease flaring
up again, FAO warned today. But two months after the outbreak of
the epidemic some countries are...
Last month Brussels laid down amendments to three European
directives linked to colours, sweeteners and food additives. The
latest in a series of changes to existing technical legislation
covering the purity criteria for food additives,...
In a move set to fuel the already heated GM debate swirling around
Britain, the country's medical body said this week it sees no
'current evidence of potential harm from GM food'.
A new IT system pioneered in the States will give food
manufacturers enhanced traceability, food quality, security and
efficiency, according to developer Arrowsight.
FoodProductionDaily.com talked to company CEO Adam Aronson
to...
A new test instrument accessory to check the optimum peel strength
of sealed lids on yoghurt packaging has been developed by UK firm
Lloyd Instruments. The TG 5346 peel fixture is the latest addition
to a fast expanding grips and...
UK government agrees 'in principle' to the commercial cultivation
of GM maize on UK soil, provoking an angry reaction from consumer
campaigners who claim the recent debate and science review on GM
foods has fallen on deaf...
Food manufacturers continue to face the costly process of food
recalls as the UK's Food Standards Agency brings more food products
contaminated by the illegal carcinogenic food dye Sudan to light.
A new Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) programme designed to
improve efficiencies in consumer demand chain management is about
to be launched in the US. The technology is still in the testing
phase, but developer Albertsons,...
Wermer Bauer, executive vice president of technology, processing
and R&D at Nestlé, has urged food manufacturers to recognise
the link between sound engineering and strong financial
performance. He also told delegates at the International...
A test has been developed that can reveal the presence of meat from
32 different kinds of animal species. The DNA-based scheme is
currently being examined by European food regulatory bodies as a
possible means of ensuring that a food...
Leda Technologies, which has developed a patented pasteurisation
system that it claims is capable of eliminating Salmonella and high
levels of avian flu in shell eggs, is looking to roll out its
technology on an industrial scale.
US-based Colder Products Company (CPC), a manufacturer of fluid
couplings used in various food processing applications, is to use
RFID tagging across a range of its products. The company believes
that this will improve product identification...
Metro, the German retail group, is one of the main supporters of
new retail developments in Europe, but it appears that its
enthusiasm for the advantages that technology can bring is not
shared by all of its customers.
Industry group Scottish Quality Salmon has slammed research
recently published in Science magazine. The body claims that
the article on fish farming is misleading, and says that steps to
minimise PCB and dioxin levels in fish farming...
Approximately one-third of global meat exports, or 6 million metric
tonnes, are presently being affected by animal disease outbreaks,
the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said today. With the
value of global meat and live...
Exporters of genetically modified (GM) food suffered a setback this
week when an international conference on biotech safety agreed to
impose stricter labelling requirements on such products. The US,
which is the largest exporter of...
Leaked minutes from the UK government show that it is planning to
enforce different levels of GM contamination for different organic
food if GM crops are grown commercially in the UK, says UK organic
body, the Soil Association.
A screening method to identify a series of banned food dyes has
been developed in the UK. The move comes in response to the
European Commission's attempts to prevent the importation of
products containing four chemicals known...
Meeting calls to cut the salt content manufacturers in the UK have
committed to a programme that will aim to reduce salt in processed
foods such as soups, pizzas and ready meals, according to the food
industry body, the Food and Drink...
The UK food industry has promised to continue reducing levels of
salt in manufactured food products. In a joint report from
manufacturers, farmers and the hospitality sector, salt in sliced
bread is to be further reduced and targeted...
Canada is set to publish its first voluntary standards for
labelling food free of genetically modified ingredients. But a
number of food processors say that the rules are so badly flawed
that they will be of no use to the majority...
A new guide from UK-based research group CCFRA has been published
that will help chilled food manufacturers and retailers determine
the shelf-life of their products. The guide aims to improve both
the safety and quality of chilled...
