Migros, the Swiss food retailer, has launched a range of
gluten-free products aimed specifically at coeliacs, the first time
the co-operative group has catered for sufferers of the digestive
disease.
New technology in strawberry production has led to dramatic
improvements, a Teagasc conference in Ireland has been told.
Through the adoption of new production methods, the value of
strawberries has more than doubled during the last...
Danish ingredients firm Arla Food Ingredients has moved into
another new market with its low-calorie bulk sweetener, tagatose,
as the food watchdog for Australia and New Zealand gives the green
light for its use in foods that span...
The ten new Member States of the EU have had to work flat out to
ensure that their legal systems are brought into line with the rest
of Europe's, and no sector has been busier than the food processing
and packaging sector. For...
For many food companies in the accession countries 1 May will be
the culmination of a great deal of hard work. However in Romania
and Bulgaria, currently mooted for entry in 2007, most of that work
still lies ahead. Simon Pitman spoke...
As accession lifts the EU's population by 20 per cent at a stroke,
the European Commission reports that every food processor in all 10
new member states has been brought into the net of EU regulations.
But for one in 12, granted...
The UK government looks set to miss one of its key recyclingtargets
after new government figures published today reveal thatonly 14.5
per cent of household waste in England was recycled in2002/3. Food
and beverage packaging makes...
A web-based application that enables companies to design cartons,
pallets, trailers and ocean containers as part of their
distribution process has been launched. Developer HighJump believes
that the software, called Container Advantage,...
Print specialist Sherwood Technology is pioneering the development
of contact-free printing for packaging. The company claims that the
new technology is particularly useful in helping firms fulfill
traceability requirements.
Spearing growth in the speciality starch and health ingredients
domain MGP Ingredients links up with Penford Corporation to market
a new potato-based resistant starch for increasing fibre and
reducing carbohydrate levels in food products....
DSM Engineering Plastics is set to expand capacity at its polyamide
plant in the Netherlands. The move underlines the growing
importance of the material, which is used in flexible food
packaging.
A new automated solution that uses fieldbus network technology
gives manufacturers the opportunity to better control the food
process, claims developer Profibus. Fieldbus networks are already
used by many processors, and this trend...
The UK Food Standards Agency has published a consultation paper
seeking views on the EC's proposals to regulate the use of recycled
plastic materials intended to come into contact with food. The new
regulations would harmonise...
Manufacturing equipment provider DeltaTRAK has launched a number of
software versions to be used in conjunction with its line of
temperature and temperature/humidity data loggers. Ensuring the
correct humidity levels for food production...
Two newly-launched conveyor belt concepts demonstrate how
efficiency and ease of maintenance are key drivers in food
production. Intralox has resorted to using one belt instead of
rollers, while CSi has adopted ultrasound technology.
The countdown begins to new food allergen labelling rules in Europe
that herald an end to the 20 year old '25 per cent' rule. Taken
together with escalating incidences of food allergies, new
opportunities have arisen in...
UK retailer Sainsbury is to launch a range of wines that feature
specially treated corks. The new technology, which is said to
protect the product from cork taint, is being touted as the
possible saviour of the wine cork industry...
An additional €25 million funding for recycling and a national
biodegradable waste strategy were among the new initiatives
announced in Ireland's first 5-year report on the country's waste
management progress. A report on...
A safer way to heat food products that still manages to retain
nutritional quality is being developed by European scientists. The
researchers are eager to see if the new process can reduce the need
for additives and appeal to consumers...
A US manufacturer of frozen and refrigerated products has installed
a software system designed to optimise its production processes.
Food manufacturers are increasingly looking to IT as a means of
getting their products out of the...
A new rectangular PET (polyethylene terephthalate) hot-fill bottle,
which allows for more efficient shipping, has been launched in the
US. This could prove to be a blessing for suppliers, as shipping
rates have risen 10 - 25 per cent...
Software provider Sensitech has acquired near all of the assets of
Cox Technologies. The development demonstrates further
consolidation within the food technology sector, and suggests that
food manufacturers are increasingly looking...
Companies must manage their inventory in a more innovative way,
according to a market analyst. One way of doing this would be to
think of inventories as a liability and manage it as a risk.
An electronic nose could sniff out considerable savings for food
manufacturers as researchers use the latest technology for the
early detection of 'undesirable off-odours and microbial
contaminants' in dairy and bakery products.
The European Commission says it is making efforts to debunk what it
terms 'myths and misunderstandings' about a range of food and drink
products with respects to EU enlargement.
The 10 new Member States due to join the EU are on course to meet
the EU's food safety standards, said EU Commissioner David Byrne,
who claims that significant progress has been made in recent
months.
Malvern Instruments in the UK has added a new range of particle
measurement systems to its portfolio of analysers for in-process
applications, allowing users to measure larger particles of up to
2.5 mm.
Haydens Bakeries in the UK is the latest company to take advantage
of a hiring scheme operated by Packaging Automation, allowing
companies to benefit from the latest advancements in heat sealing
technology without the cost of buying...
EPCglobal, a US-based RFID standards-setting body, recently
selected VeriSign to maintain electronic product codes found on
retail and grocery store shelves. VeriSign will operate and manage
the data for EPCglobal, whose members include...
Food producers in the US are unlikely to be happy with the new
traceability regime in the EU. The NFPA argues that the regulations
represent a serious barrier to international trade, writes
Anthony Fletcher.
The key findings of a new study reveal that Radio-Frequency
Identification (RFID) is high on the agenda for European retailers,
food manufacturers and logistic service providers. This contrasts
with a resent survey of food manufacturers,...
The European Commission has announced a rural development programme
to the value of €250 million for the Czech Republic. The funding is
expected to provide a significant boost to the country's processed
agricultural products...
Competition between lower-priced resins and higher-performance
variants is set to intensify, according to a soon-to-be-released
report. The development of upgraded commodity thermoplastics is
challenging established higher-performance...
Technology group 3M has launched a new version of its 3M Integrated
Packaging Tool. The software is designed to enable food
manufacturers to integrate electronic records and facilitate
adherence to new legislative requirements on...
A high frequency metal detector designed to offer food
manufacturers and packers heightened sensitivity for non-ferrous
and stainless steel metals has been launched. Pure, high resistance
non-ferrous and stainless steel metals have...
The Ukraine region of Odessa has reported a 35.7 per cent growth in
food production in 2003. This is partly due to the influx of major
global food manufacturers to the country - Heinz for example has
become a major manufacturer of...
Anticipating growing pressure on UK food manufacturers to cut the
trans fats from food products, UK fudge and toffee ingredients firm
Food Design joins the growing number of ingredients companies to
offer alternatives, launching a...
Despite Italian food giant Parmalat's financial crisis its
divisions in both Romania and Hungary continue to operate. Indeed
Parmalat Hungary is expecting that in the ramp up to accession,
production will increase in response...
Food prices on both sides of the Atlantic are being held down by a
number of factors, not least highly competitive conditions among
supermarkets, according to a recent report from analyst Ernst &
Young. This is putting a squeeze...
A novel source of omega-3 fatty acids, seeds from the South
American plant chia, could soon reach the European market after a
UK scientific panel concludes the ingredient is safe for
consumption.
Hungarian company Master Good has become the first in the country
to establish an organic poultry processing plant, which will
largely serve the EU export market.
The food processing division of German-based Handtmann Group is the
latest processor to install product lifecycle management (PLM)
software. Technology provider Agile has created an integrated IT
environment for the division that...
Management solutions provider BridgePoint has developed iPlex
Vendor Process Management (iPlex VPM) software to help food
processors achieve increased efficiency in their plant operations.
The company argues that the growth in outsourced...
US technology firm Franwell has developed a new partnership with
the University of Florida's Center for Food Distribution and
Packaging. The partnership was formed to develop the requirements
for using Radio-Frequency Identification...
Product lifecycle management (PLM) provider Formation Systems has
launched a best practice solution for the food and beverage
industry. The company says that the system, called Optiva, provides
customers with a functional, value-added...
Heineken, keen to increase its presence in the all-important
Russian market, is said to be considering a huge investment to
develop facilities in the Sverdlovsk region.
Both the European Commission and the Polish government are
forecasting that the EU market will be flooded with Polish made
food and beverage items during the course of the next two to three
months.
A majority of material and container manufacturers feel that
rationalising their supplier bases across Europe is necessary to
combat raw material price increases, according to a recent survey.
The Central and Eastern European packaging and processing sector
comes a very definite top with respect to market potential,
according to recent market research carried out for the Total
Processing and Packaging 2004, currently running...
Modern computer-based design and manufacturing techniques are
revolutionising food packaging, says UK-based firm Delcam. The
technology is claimed to produce complex designs quicker and with a
higher degree of quality.
