Finally, some important physics - researchers have worked out why if you tap the bottom of a newly opened beer bottle it froths up and foams everywhere. [ + ]

Consumers and retailers could ascertain the freshness of the fish without opening the packaging if an RFID chip that measures freshness is included in the packaging. Consumers could then read the chip with their smartphones before deciding whether or not to buy. [ + ]

Baby food, dairy and beer manufacturing are leading Australian export prospects, according to market analyst experts. [ + ]

While growth is forecast for the canned fruit industry, its market share is being eroded by the growth in minimally processed and fresh fruit consumption. [ + ]

Coles, Woolworths and the AFGC have agreed on a ‘Food and Grocery Prescribed Industry Code of Conduct’ which is supposed to give suppliers a “fairer go”, according to AFGC CEO Gary Dawson. But will it? [ + ]

Urban Ecological Systems Australia is growing herbs and barramundi simultaneously - with zero effluent - in Western Sydney. And Coles (and a $1.9m Early Stage Commercialisation grant) has helped to make the low-energy, sustainable, organic food production system a commercial reality. [ + ]

Innova Market Insights' Top 10 Trends list for 2014 reveals that sustainability, food safety, provenance and health will be the buzzwords of the coming year. [ + ]

The first Venezuelan non-refrigerated pourable yoghurt, called MiGurt, is packaged in an aseptically filled, 750-gram barrier PET bottle from Amcor Rigid Plastics. [ + ]

The average Briton's weight is up while their energy intake is down and real food spending is down as cheaper energy foods go into the grocery basket. Some fascinating insight into how Britons are changing their diets over a generation. [ + ]

If trans fat loses its GRAS status in the US, manufacturers will have to get premarket approval from the FDA to include trans fats in their formulations or face having their processed foods declared adulterated. [ + ]

SPC Ardmona kept it simple when developing a healthy snack alternative: fresh apples, sliced and bagged. The company engaged Emrich to devise a packaging solution for the new product. [ + ]

Identification and inspection in food manufacturing are often regarded as two discrete processes; one bound by a plethora of legal and compliance requirements, the other an inherent part of manufacturing operations. [ + ]

Forget the mining boom - Australia's agricultural sector is looking to the emerging 'dining boom'. However, the difference between boom and bust all depends on whether Australia has enough water, a new study shows. [ + ]

The Australian Instutite of Packaging delivered a week-long training course in Lagos, Nigeria. Thirty-four students attended, all with a strong desire to learn more about the science and technology of packaging. [ + ]

Skills training can offer great opportunities for both workers and companies - and the government may even foot some of the bill. Are you taking advantage of the benefits that can accrue from a workforce that has been trained for your particular circumstances, products and ethos? [ + ]