Breaking News on Food Processing & Packaging

Cadbury cites eco concerns for tin swap

05-Nov-2009 - Confectionery giant Cadbury is playing up its sustainability initiatives in its seasonal packaging to appeal to consumer demand for a 'green' Christmas.

News in brief

Mocon to open 'strategic' Indian lab

05-Nov-2009 - Mocon has said it will be opening a new testing laboratory in India at the beginning of next year as part of a strategy to expand into global packaging hotspots.

New valve delivers quicker filling and dispensing

03-Nov-2009 - Improved performance during filling and dispensing is the main benefit claimed for the new DN50 Integral valve from the UK-based, bag-in-box specialist, Rapak.

Call for more education on Canadian nutrition labeling

02-Nov-2009 - Most Canadians use on-pack nutrition labeling as their primary source of nutritional information but many need to interpret it better, according to a study from the Canadian Council of Food and Nutrition.

Weekly comment

Clinical trials are EFSA’s fool’s gold

02-Nov-2009 - There’s gold to be found in them health claims mountains, but prospectors from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) must be happy with the little chunks that add up to a lot, and stop searching for nuggets the size of your fist.

Velvety PETG film protects drinks from light damage

30-Oct-2009 - Printpack has developed a new PETG film with a matte finish and light protection barrier to help fruit juice and dairy product makers replace expensive containers.

News in brief

Sonoco internal flexible packing merger

29-Oct-2009 - Sonoco has announced the merger of two of its subsidiaries within the company’s flexible packaging division.

SIG gives combiSmart screw cap wings

28-Oct-2009 - SIG has added wings to its combiSmart screw cap to make small cartons of products like condensed milk and cream easier to open.

US federal cash for ‘estrogenic activity free’ plastics

28-Oct-2009 - As concern over bisphenol A (BPA) in baby bottles mounts, US company PlastiPure announced it has received more than $1m in federal funding to develop plastics free of chemicals that may mimic estrogenic activity (EA).

Alcan costs and flexible packaging sales under pin Bemis results

28-Oct-2009 - The $16m costs of acquiring Alcan Packaging Food Americas and strong performance in its flexible packaging sector underpinned Bemis Company’s 2009 third quarter results.

US government slammed on wood packaging plans

28-Oct-2009 - The US government should find out more about how serious a problem plant pests pose in wooden packaging before making potentially costly and damaging rule changes, said the American Meat Institute (AMI).

Asda green packaging scorecard to launch next year

27-Oct-2009 - A leading UK packaging figure has welcomed a move by Asda confirming it will be rolling out its own version of Wal-Mart’s packaging scorecard next year.

Diageo to close bottling plant in Quebec

27-Oct-2009 - Diageo plans to close its Dorval bottling plant in Quebec in February 2010 as workers in the UK ballot on strike action.

New packaging 'triples' food shelf life

27-Oct-2009 - New food packaging can double or, in some cases, even triple the shelf life of certain foods for up to 24 months compared with conventional packaging, claims its manufacturer Superfos.

Water coated bio tray could keep buns fresher

27-Oct-2009 - A tray combining biodegradability and moisture resistance attributes can extend the shelf life of baked goods and other food products, while reducing the eco footprint of the pack, claims a Hong Kong based packaging developer.

Metabolix’ field trials investigate bioplastic-producing crops

26-Oct-2009 - Field research on tobacco takes Metabolix one step further in its quest to design non-food crops that produce plastic resins for use in cosmetic and food packaging.

Investment in US rPET industry critical to avert ‘demise’

23-Oct-2009 - The US recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) industry could go into decline unless vital investment is made in collection and reclamation capacity, leading trade bodies have warned.

Tetra Pak's 1.5 billion eco-cartons in UK & Ireland

23-Oct-2009 - Tetra Pak has given a boost to its green credentials after announcing that more than 1.5 billion of its cartons on sale in the UK and Ireland in the next year will carry the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label.

Amcor's global vision after Alcan merger

23-Oct-2009 - Plant closures, overhead reductions and improved procurement will be the major platforms for up to A$250m (€154.2m) of savings Amcor forecasts it will realise in the three years following its takeover of Alcan.

Sidel to pursue green initiatives with NAPCOR

22-Oct-2009 - Sidel says its decision to join the National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR) is motivated by the need to advance and promote the environmental credentials of PET.

'World-first' high-tech printer set to make its mark

22-Oct-2009 - An innovative way to promote products and to differentiate primary packaging are the claims made for the new Laserprint technology from Van Der Windt UK.

Linpac restructures debt and product names

22-Oct-2009 - Day-to-day operations of UK-based packaging giant Linpac will not be affected by the decision of a private equity firm to sell its stake in a debt-restructuring deal, FoodProductionDaily.com understands.

Clip could offer snack makers sustainability boost

22-Oct-2009 - A new slider system for resealable snack and dry goods pouches can boost a manufacturer’s eco profile due to its lighter weight, claims Zip Pak.

EFSA approval for food contact materials

21-Oct-2009 - The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has given food contact approval for two new substances, both from Japanese companies, to be used in plastic packaging.