Special Edition: Sustainable packaging

United Biscuits to switch to rPET for all trays by end of 2010

United Biscuits is aiming to switch to rPET for all its thermoformed trays by the end of 2010 in a bid to scale up the amount of recycled packaging in...

Role of high hydrostatic pressure in boosting meat quality

A review of scientific literature has evaluated how high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) can affect the texture and sensory characteristics of meat, as well as assessing the possible limitations of...

Price rise warning in German plastics packaging sector

Plastic packaging and film producers in Germany may seek to raise prices by 10 per cent this year in a bid to offset huge recent jumps in the cost of...

News in brief

EFSA panel publishes GMO model

The European Food Safety Authority’s GMO panel and Environmental Working Group has developed a new mathematical model for working out the impact of genetically modified crops on butterflies and...

Single use PET may be as green as multi use glass

The green credentials of disposable PET bottles have improved in Germany over the past two years to such an extent that they now stand on a par with multi-use glass...

Special edition - sustainable packaging

Industry learns the limits of lightweighting

Lightweighting can be a win-win strategy, reducing the impact of packaging on both the environment and profit margins but food and drink companies are learning that it is not always...

PCA accused of ‘serious and wilful’ safety breaches

The Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) is facing fines of US$95,600 for a slew of alleged “serious and wilful” safety violations at its plant in Milwaukee.

Scallop-shell powder boosts frankfurter safety and shelf life

Treating frankfurter sausages with scallop-shell powder (SSP) significantly reduces the growth of Listeria monocytogenes (LM) and E.coli 0157:H7, and boosts product shelf life, according to a new study.

Sealed Air recovery held back by weak Europe

Sealed Air Corps said it had made a “modest recovery” in the first quarter but that continuing economic weakness in Europe had held the company back. Its revival would instead...

Imperial shares know-how on sugar dust hazards

Dust produced by sugar and flour and other materials such as wood, metal, coal and paper, can produce explosive hazards if not contained, claims Imperial Sugar Company.

Special Edition: Sustainable packaging

Sustainable packaging - road map or road to nowhere?

Sustainable packaging is a buzzword on the lips of consumers and industry players alike. But what is sustainable packaging and how far has the sector come in developing a road...

French call for ‘systematic labelling’ of bisphenol A

The French Food Safety Agency (AFSSA) has recommended that consumers should be alerted to the presence of bisphenol A (BPA) in packaging via a system of “systematic labelling”.

MEPs vote to veto ‘meat glue’ additive approval

The EU Environment committee is taking steps to block the planned approval of bovine and porcine thrombin as an additive to bind together meat morsels into one piece, on the...

Tetra Pak underlines cost saving potential of consulting service

Tetra Pak has claimed that its Operational Cost Reduction (OCR) programme for dairy and juice firms cuts the cost of running a packaging line by an average of 12 per cent.

News in brief

M-real announces kraftliner price increase

Fibre paperboard producer M-real has announced plans to increase the price of its coated and uncoated white-top kraftliner prices in Europe.

SCA sells off Asian packaging business

SCA announced it has signed an agreement to sell its Asia packaging operations to International Paper for US$200m.

Cermex unveils advanced product selection and batch prep system

An innovative product selection and batch preparation system for case packing lines is compact, effective, affordable and simple to operate, said manufacturer Cermex.

EFSA delivers all-clear verdict on volcano food safety risks

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has judged the potential risk to food safety in the EU emerging from the volcanic eruption in Iceland as negligible.

Eastman considers PET sale as beverage demand weakens

Eastman is considering the possible sale of its PET business as weak demand from the beverage industry dampens growth figures.

Sweet firm fined over worker death

Tangerine Confectionery, the UK's largest sweets manufacturer, has been fined £300,000 following on from a guilty ruling related to a worker fatality at one of its plants

EFSA evaluates Indian grapes pesticide risk

An initial assessment from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) said current levels of the pesticide chlormequat on table grapes from India pose no threat to consumer health.

Free supply chain guide now available online

A new guide aimed at helping food processors assess weaknesses in the food supply chain is now available to download free of charge, said one research organisation behind the project.

Inventor seeks partner to commercialise novel packaging concept

An inventor behind a novel packaging concept that would enable food manufacturers to package multiple snack bars, coffee granules and other products at up to 12 times the speed of...

News in brief

Canada invests in food packaging safety

Canada is to invest C$569,000 (€425,000) in a programme to boost safety along the food packaging supply chain.

Food processing growth in China prompts Alfa Laval acquisition

Alfa Laval Group has acquired a majority stake in a leading Chinese fluid handling company as it seeks to capitalise on growth in the country’s flourishing food processing industry.

Goodbye milk fraud, hello origin tracking

A kit to test the authenticity of milk origin for use within the food and beverage industry can be used within the processing facility and has been developed by global...

New look for FoodManufacture.co.uk

One of NutraIngredients.com’s sister websites, www.foodmanufacture.co.uk, received a new look this week with a full redesign, daily dedicated news updates, easier navigation, and many new features....

News in brief

Finnish meat processor announces Russian expansion

Finnish meat processor Atria has announced the start-up of a €70m plant in Russia – dubbed the most modern in the country.

US bread slicer tooling firm in UK push

Fine tuning of the blade technology behind its band slicers means that they can now provide cleaner cuts, continuous operation and less waste, claims a US supplier that is set...

Raw chicken primary source for Listeria monocytogenes - USDA

New research indicates that incoming raw poultry is the primary source of Listeria monocytogenes (LM) in commercial chicken cooking plants.

Volcanic ash could pose a threat to food safety

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is investigating potential food safety risks emerging from the volcanic eruption in Iceland.

Coca-Cola dismisses BPA criticisms as shareholder coalition vows to fight on

Some 22 per cent of Coca-Cola shareholders yesterday voted in favour of a resolution urging the company to disclose how it is responding to public fears over bisphenol A...

Wrigley set to replace foil with paper in gum wraps

US based Wrigley is set to switch from aluminium foil wrappers to paper for the packaging of its five leading chewing-gum brands.

Pactiv profits hit by high raw material costs

Pactiv Corp said high raw material costs were a major cause for a 38 per cent plunge in its Q1 profits.

News in brief

American Packaging faces $127,000 fine over worker death

American Packaging Corp faces fines totalling over $127,000 following citation by the OSHA over the death of a worker and a string of health and safety violations at its...

Nisin coated films may stop Listeria growth in stored cheese

Nisin-containing sodium caseinate films were shown to be effective against L. innocua in cheese during refrigerated storage, according to a new French study.

Breakthrough X-ray system kills foodborne bugs

A new food safety system that uses X-rays to kill harmful bacteria could aid public acceptance of irradiation and revolutionise the post-harvest processing (PHP) of oysters, said the scientist behind...

Novel biocide in bid to revolutionise factory cleaning

An Isle of Wight-based firm is targeting food manufacturers with a novel ‘green’ cleaning fluid that kills bugs on impact, does not need to be rinsed with water and can...

Allergen testing guidance offers hope to frustrated food manufacturers

New guidance promising to alleviate the nightmares caused by inconsistent results from allergen testing kits has been published by an industry taskforce.

Coca-Cola facing shareholder challenge over bisphenol A

Shareholders from Coca-Cola will vote today on a proposal urging the company to disclose how it is responding to public fears over bisphenol A (BPA), which is used in the...

News in brief

New Greiner technology targets eco-packaging trend

Greiner Packaging has developed a green version of its K3 packaging technology – a new plastic-cardboard combination for cups and tubs.

Tannic acid may boost beef quality in high oxygen MAP storage

Tannic acid treated ground beef stored under high oxygen modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) could maintain colour stability as well as inhibit lipid oxidation and microbial growth during refrigerated storage for...

Krones acquires rights to elastic stretch-sleeves from CCL

Krones has acquired rights to the TripleS labelling technology – an unusually elastic stretch-sleeve film developed by CCL Industries for decorating contoured bottles.

News in brief

Food processing industry vital, says Canada

The food processing sector is to play a key role in contributing to Canada’s economic recovery, said the country’s agriculture minister yesterday.

Crown upbeat about 2010 as can volumes rise

Crown Holdings is upbeat about growth prospects for 2010 after global beverage can volumes rose markedly in the first quarter.

Robot fish processor cuts time, space and giveaway

A new robot-supported processing system for fish and shrimps combines both processing and packaging functions to reduce time, space and product giveaway, said manufacturer Cabinplant A/S.

Hygiene focused clutch brakes may cut energy bills

Upgraded pneumatic clutch brakes that can withstand washdown could eliminate bacteria build-up and reduce downtime for bakery and other food processing operations that require repetitive stop-start torque control.

Ti forecasts bioplastics boost after entry to BoPLA market

BoPP film producer Taghleef Industries (Ti) has announced plans to enter the bioplastics polylactic acid (BoPLA) packaging market by the end of this year.

Smurfit Kappa buys Mondi UK corrugated assets for €43m

Smurfit Kappa Group (SKG) announced today the completion of the deal to buy Mondi Group’s UK corrugated packaging business as part of €51m asset swap deal.

Comment

Groundhog Day for European health claims?

“Many in industry are pinning their hopes on EFSA showing them the light at the meeting, including the likes of Danone, which withdrew three probiotic immunity/digestive health article 13.5 claims...

Nanoparticle recycling may clear cost hurdle to commercialisation

An innovative way to recycle costly nanoparticles could accelerate the application of the technology across a vast range of sectors, including food packaging, said new research.

Smurfit Kappa cleared for takeover of Mondi UK corrugated ops

Smurfit Kappa Group’s (SKG) proposed acquisition of Mondi Group’s corrugated packaging division has been given the go-ahead by UK competition authorities. But the deal will not be a game-changing...

Developed nations’ food imports threaten world water supplies

The UK and other developed countries’ food supplies could be badly affected by global water shortages – and exacerbate the problem, according to a new report from an alliance of...

EFSA issues guidance on antimicrobial substances for meat

New EU guidelines on the submission of dossiers for substances designed to eliminate microbial surface contamination of foods of animal origin have been published.

News in brief

FDA publishes guidance on egg safety rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published guidance for small egg producers to help them comply with a rule that was published last year in an effort to reduce...

Groupe Guillin buys Sharp Interpack

The takeover of UK plastics packaging company Sharp Interpack by French multinational firm Groupe Guillin was announced yesterday.

News in brief

Russian processor IPO to fuel expansion

A major Russian food processing group said it will use funds raised from an initial public offering (IPO) to expand its production facilities and finance future acquisitions.

CDC reports little change in foodborne illness

Little or no progress has been made in reducing the incidence of foodborne illness in the United States in recent years, according to a new report from the Centers for...

Oxo-bio bread packaging is biodegradable – ads body

Oxo-bio company Symphony has hailed a ruling by the South African Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) that bread bags made with its d2w additive can be advertised as biodegradable.

Follow EFSA's lead on bisphenol A – Danish plastics body

The Danish Plastics Federation (DPF) has voiced its opposition to its Government’s temporary ban on bisphenol A (BPA) in food contact materials for young children and urged Ministers to abide...

EFSA cuts melamine TDI by 60 per cent

The tolerable daily intake (TDI) for melamine has been cut by 60 per cent after new research suggests the chemical may pose health risks at lower levels than previously...

News in brief

Salmonella detection kit validated by AOAC

Life Technologies Corp’s salmonella detection kit has been validated by the AOAC Research Institute.

Beverage industry publishes environmental reporting guidance

Leading companies and trade groups in the beverage industry have clubbed together to draw up guidance for greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting.

Baker found in breach of regulation over worker injury

UK speciality bread manufacturer Country Style Foods has received a fine and was also ordered to pay costs after a court found that it failed to protect a worker and...

EC revises restrictions on guar gum imports

Restrictions on guar gum imported from India into the EU have been revised on fears that the risk of dioxin contamination of the product remains too high.

Euro eco-rating system awards top marks to Ingeo resins

NatureWorks said its Ingeo resins are the first polymer to be awarded four stars from the European renewable certification organisation Vincotte of Vilvoorde in Belgium.

RFID tags to gain from bar code label market maturity, Freedonia

Sales of smart tags and labels such as radio frequency identification (RFID) devices will experience the fastest gains among food safety products, driven by their ability to providing traceability throughout...

Bakery workers more prone to work aggravated asthma, study

Bakery workers were nearly eight times more likely to have an asthma exacerbations than those working in other industries, reports a new analysis of 2003 European research data.

News in brief

€100m food processing fund for Africa

A London-based company is to open a €100m fund to invest in African food processing and sales.

Tetra Pak unveils China technology centre

Tetra Pak inaugurated its newest technology centre in China today as part of its on-going strategy to consolidate its position in the domestic processing and packaging sectors.

‘Unique’ linear actuator is compact, powerful and rugged - company

Demand from packaging equipment manufacturers was the driver behind the development of a new smaller, robust and powerful linear actuator, said Thompson.

Chesapeake eyes CEE expansion after Polish packaging takeover

Chesapeake has acquired a leading Polish label and carton operation in a bid to expand its share of the Central and Eastern European (CEE) market.

Hefestus poised to enter Australian market

Hefestus said it is to launch its innovative modified atmosphere packaging system in Australia in a bid to make the country a major market for the company.

Sudpack to showcase ‘warm’ meat packaging innovation at IFFA

Sudpack has announced plans to showcase a new packaging innovation at the upcoming IFFA international meat fair next month.

Comment

Time for Europe to send bisphenol A into the sunset

Bisphenol A (BPA) is living on borrowed time. And not just in the United States but now in Europe too where mounting consumer hostility and scientific concern over its...

Kellogg’s sued over salmonella-tainted snacks

A Florida man has filed a federal lawsuit against the Kellogg Company, claiming it failed to warn consumers that some of its products could have been tainted with salmonella.

Solvent costs could be eliminated with new ink system

Solvent-free inks that offer low migration and low odour risk are suitable for a range of primary and secondary food packaging substrates and ensure cost efficiency, according to the developer.

Multihead weigher cuts nut giveaway by 80 per cent

Significant cuts in average giveaway and the ability to handle high value products at faster speeds are benefits claimed for a German nut processor after switching from volumetric methods to...

Two new volumes examine dairy quality and safety

Woodhead Publishing has published two new books addressing the latest processing technologies and advances in formulation science relevant to improving the safety and quality of dairy products.

News in brief

BRF Brasil expects merger approval

BRF Brasil Foods SA said it hopes to receive regulatory approval by the end of the second quarter to complete the merger of Perdigao SA and Sadia SA.

Alfa Laval bags Italian aseptic technology company

Boosting its position in food use concentrates was one reason behind Alfa Laval’s acquisition of Italian aseptic technology company Astepo Srl, the firm told FoodProductionDaily.com.

CSPI launches attack against half empty food packs

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has mounted a campaign against half empty food packaging, accusing the US food industry of flaunting federal regulations.

Glass and aluminium bodies reject PET study

The methodology used in a study that found PET plastic bottles are more eco-friendly than glass and aluminium containers is flawed, leading packaging bodies have told FoodProductionDaily.com.

International coalition of scientists calls for bisphenol A ban

An international group of eminent scientist has today called for the banning of bisphenol A (BPA) in food and packaging for children on precautionary grounds.

FDA food safety inspections and enforcement declining, auditors say

Federal inspections of food manufacturing facilities have declined over time, as have regulatory actions triggered by inspections, a government auditor reported on Wednesday.

Exal Group taken over

Exal Group, the world’s largest specialty maker of aluminium containers, has been acquired by a private equity group led by Canadian investors the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP).

Study finds HIPEF preserves soy beverage and its antioxidants

A new study suggests that high-intensity pulsed electric fields (HIPEF) treatment could be an effective way of preserving the vitamin C content and antioxidant capacity of drinks containing fruit juice...

PET outperforms glass and aluminium in LCA study, claims PETRA

The results of a new study show PET plastic bottles outperform aluminium can and glass bottles in terms of environmental footprint by using less energy, generating less solid waste, and...

News in brief

Graham Packaging poised to break into China

Graham Packaging Company Inc said it is poised to break into the China after signing an agreement to acquire a Chinese firm.

Natural antimicrobial-treated MAPs extend poultry shelf-life

A combined chitosan and thyme treatment with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) can extend the shelf-life of ready-to-cook poultry products, according to new research.

Aseptic processing and packaging to support ‘gentle juice’ growth

The aseptic processing and packaging of so-called ‘gentle juices’ has a key role to play in the expected growth in this part of the beverage sector, said SIG Combibloc.

'Ground-breaking’ meat quality project launched

A break-through research project to develop a system as part of a meat processing line that will determine its eating quality has begun this week.

Comment

Slimmer cans could lead to bigger waistlines

Soft drink makers could end up swallowing a £10m bill for no good reason by embracing the Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommendations for new slim-line 250ml drinks.

ConAgra vows to cut packaging, water and waste by 2015

ConAgra has unveiled a raft of eco-measures aimed at “significantly” reducing its carbon footprint by slashing its packaging, water use and the waste it sends to landfill by 2015.

EFSA approves biocide for use in food contact materials

The use of a new biocide in food contact materials has been given the go-ahead by the European safety watchdog after authorities in Germany called for an evaluation of the...

Poultry specialist adds red meat ingredients to range

Rectory Foods has added a new slate of beef and pork products to its ingredient offering for food manufacturers, in a new step to expand from its solid base in...

News in brief

UK enforces fish labelling update

New requirements for the labelling of fish comes into force across the UK today, intended to let consumers know exactly what they are buying, whether it was farmed, and how...

Packaging and processing advances to help cut campylobacter

The adoption of more modified atmosphere and leak-proof packaging by retailers, as well lobbying for the use of antimicrobial washes could help cut campylobacter in UK chicken, an international summit...

Illegal dioxin levels found in 8 per cent of foods

Excessive levels of dioxins were detected in eight per cent of thousands of foods sampled over a nine-year period, said EFSA. But the food safety watchdog has challenged the significance...

News in brief

Saputo closes milk and cream processing plant

Saputo is closing a plant in Ontario, Canada, which processes milk and cream products, and consolidating distribution activities in the greater Toronto area.

Colour changing nanoparticles to flag up melamine-tainted milk

A new method that uses nanotechnology to detect melamine in milk is quick, simple and economical, said scientists in the United States.

Fibre-enriched wheat dough shows resistance to freezing, study

The addition of dietary fibres to the wheat dough increases its resistance to freezing and frozen storage, while the addition of amaranth flour to gluten-free dough also increases its resistance...

News in brief

Tetra Pak reaches eco-packing agreement with Carrefour

Tetra Pak will supply more than 100 million FSC-labelled carton packages to Carrefour stores across France during 2010.

Cardboard packaging sector unaffected by acrylamide proposal

A decision to add acrylamide to a European list of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) is unlikely to have any impact on the cardboard packaging industry, said one...

FSA proposal for 250ml soft drinks could prove costly

Implementing the Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommendation that makers of soft drinks with added sugar should introduce 250ml cans and bottles could cost the industry upwards of £10m, according to...

France calls for caution over nanotech

Food and packaging industry players should be cautious in their use of nanomaterials given the uncertainty over any long-term health risks they could present, France’s food safety watchdog has said....