Denesters deliver dividends
Jacob’s Biscuits of Liverpool has made significant cost savings by installing Turbo tray denesters on three of its biscuit lines.
Archives for September 5, 2010
Major firms explore algae-derived omega-3
Major manufacturers are looking into using Eau Plus’s algae-derived omega-3 in their products, according to the London-based company.
Treatt’s ginger flavour is to go global
UK ingredients company Treatt is globally rolling out a product made in the US to aid processors struggling with ginger flavours.
united we stand, divided we fall
If there's one thing I hope that the 21st Century will become known for, it's joined-up thinking. 'Silo' thinking led to World Wars I and II.
Campden BRI in new nuts, seeds, herbs and spices probe
Scientists at Campden BRI have set up a consortium to examine the microbiological issues associated with nuts, seeds, herbs and spices in the food supply chain.
The Big Interview: Fiona Phillips, Dairy Crest
Dairy Crest’s new product development boss for foods talks to Rod Addy
FSA probes third-party assurance schemes
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has launched a probe into third-party assurance schemes such as the Red Tractor and Lion Eggs standard in a bid to understand the extent to which they improve compliance with food legislation.
hydrosol launches stabilisers and emulsifiers
Hydrosol has launched a range of stabilisers and emulsifiers for use in anything from ice cream to sausages.
Bakery paves sustainable path
An innovative British-made paving system manufactured from recycled plastics has had its first major installation at the bakery of Frank Roberts & Sons in Cheshire.
Tests to fight food fraud
As prices of commodities are rising, so are attempts to pass off cheaper foods as their more expensive counterparts.
The cold facts about cold storage
Delivering greater pallet selectivity and order assembly has helped a cold store operator meet consumers’ changing demand for frozen food.
FTA slams "gratuitous and cynical" price hikes at Severn Crossing
Hauliers are being “held to ransom” by the operator of the Severn Crossing, an essential trade corridor between England and South Wales, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) has claimed.
New non-EU export licences could help hard-pressed UK beef producers
Nine new export licences for UK beef could help home producers survive tough economic times, according to EBLEX, the UK trade organisation for beef producers.
Pump up the pasty production
Switching to a Watson-Marlow peristaltic 520 series process pump has reduced failures and downtime on Rowe’s pasty production line.
New research into digestion of fats could help to reduce binge eating
Scientists at the Institute of Food Research (IFR) in Norwich have made some unexpected discoveries about the way in which the body breaks down fat. This could lead to new ways of slowing down fat digestion and, ultimately, to food structures that help...
The final frontier for healthy food
Yorkshire-based Frontier Foods is a start-up that manufactures traditional food products that contain less fat and fewer additives than their original recipes.
French lardon processor gets its fill
A complete solution for the weighing and packing of salmon lardons has been supplied by Ishida Europe to smoked fish specialist Meralliance based in France, enabling the company to reduce product giveaway while enhancing pack presentation in retail...
Inject a cheaper labelling alternative
Linx Printing Technologies says its new thermal inkjet (TIJ) printer is a cost-effective alternative secondary packaging labeller for small manufacturers.
Sterol-enriched milk hits Chinese market
The commercial success of Cognis Nutrition & Health’s plant phytosterols has been boosted by the national launch of China’s first sterol-enriched milk by Meng Niu, China’s biggest milk firm.
Fond farewell to a food industry leader
I dedicate this column to Leatherhead Food Research chairman Dr Alistair Penman, who died on August 3 after a long battle with illness.
Beanz keepz in the fridge
Heinz appears eager to play down expectations, but the arrival of the Heinz Beans kilo-containing plastics Fridge Pack has fuelled speculation around metal’s future share of the ambient foods category – and around possible imitations.
Fairtrade supply gets nuttier
The Fairtrade Foundation aims to boost the amount of Fairtrade certified fruit and nuts and intermediate ingredients for UK manufacturers of compound products such as cakes, biscuits, ice cream and ready meals.
Sales are smoking for Scottish fish specialist
Arbroath-based smoked fish firm RR Spink has secured two major contracts worth £4.5M in the first year – a 50% increase in turnover.
Deprived more at risk of listeria, finds research
Social deprivation has again been identified as a major risk factor in listeria food poisoning in research from the Health Protection Agency (HPA), which faces closure in the next few years under government cuts.
Flavours of the future
International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) has introduced a new range of 2011-EU-compliant ‘natural’ flavours for beef and chicken.
Roll up, roll up for sustainability show
Multivac will be presenting its sustainable ranges at this month’s Fachpack trade fair in Nuremberg.
Private sector law will be the ‘answer to globalisation’
Private sector standards and self-regulation are set to become far more important than the public sector law for international trade within the food supply chain, predicts a legal expert.
Salmon firm thinks outside the polystyrene box
One of Europe's biggest smoked salmon producers is finding that it pays to recycle.Farne Salmon and Trout, which is located in the Scottish Borders,...
Plan to train jobseekers to work in food industry
Food and drink sector skills council Improve has launched a scheme to tackle the industry’s severe skills shortage.
DSM resists the impact of rising input costs
Ingredients prices could impact on the entire food supply chain if production costs keep rising, according to Gareth Barker, head of marketing, human nutrition and health at DSM.
Accident puts spotlight on maintenance training
The spotlight has fallen on maintenance training and the proper guarding of machinery in the wake of a United Biscuits worker having two fingers sliced off in a mixing machine.
Pizza ‘is meant to be fun’ – even if it has reduced salt
Own-label pizza manufacturer Freiberger has made massive strides towards hitting the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA’s) salt-reduction targets and now sells a range of pizza bases and sauces with minimal or no salt.
US is an untapped playground for dietary fibre suppliers
The US represents a vast, largely untapped playground for manufacturers of prebiotic fibres and probiotics, according to global ingredients firm Beneo.
Healthy school meals could be under threat from government spending cuts
Concerns over safeguarding healthy school meals are growing as the government plans to alter funding for consumer health campaign Change4Life, limit free school meals for primary school children from poor backgrounds and end the School Lunch Grant.
EU research opportunities open up with new funding
A fresh tranche of EU funding under Framework Programme 7 (FP7) has created new opportunities for collaborative, global packaging research.
EU pilot project sees positive yields
A Swedish pilot project on seafood traceability called eTrace, conducted as part of the SafeFoodEra EU food safety programme, has led to higher profits for those involved, says project manager Niklas Hild.
Processors crack down on supply chain inefficiencies
By rod Addy The vast majority of manufacturers reported having boosted supply chain efficiency in the past year – some by as much as 25% – in a new industry survey conducted by Culina Logistics.
Soil Association seeks 'indefinite delay' on nitrate ban
The Soil Association and other industry bodies are seeking to indefinitely delay an EU regulation that would ban the use of nitrates and nitrites in organic cured meats from 2011, and potentially ruin some producers.
BPEX embarks on novel pig welfare scheme
The British Pig Executive (BPEX) has launched a new project that takes a novel approach to pig welfare by focusing on outcomes rather than inputs.