Sustainable packaging, non-GMO verified authenticity and the social impact of food distribution models: these were three of the key themes of the fifth Sustainable Foods Summit. 180 executives met in San Francisco on 17-18 January for the carbon-neutral event to explore key sustainability issues in the food industry. [ + ]

In rapidly growing cities throughout Australasia and the Asia-Pacific, space is at a premium, clean water supply is precious and global warming is a major issue. In these cities, food and beverage companies face challenges to minimise their physical and environmental footprints and therefore must choose technology wisely. GWE has provided a solution to these challenges for a Bangkok confectionery company. [ + ]

Innovia Films’ shrink-tightening BOPP substrate, Propafilm OS, has been selected by global confectionery manufacturer Ferrero to overwrap boxes of its Rondnoir chocolates. [ + ]

The Melbourne Exhibition Centre will host two trade shows in one this April. From 17-19 April, the Safety in Action and Melbourne Materials handling trade shows will combine to showcase solutions for managers in the food technology industry such as plant, lab, storage and logistics managers. [ + ]

An upgraded conveyor system has helped Australia’s largest cold-chain logistics service provider stay on top of its game - at low cost. [ + ]

A pneumatic feeder built by Vibration Systems & Solutions (VSS) in July 1999 is about to celebrate its 13th birthday. Luckily, VSS isn’t at all superstitious - and with good reason. The feeder continues to give great performance delivering fruit and nuts to a multi-head packing machine, just as it has done since it was installed in 1999. [ + ]

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was alerted to the presence of the fungicide carbendazim in imported Brazilian orange juice concentrate in late December last year. Levels of up to 35 parts per billion were found in the concentrate and, in response, the FDA began testing all imported concentrate in the US. Australia’s reaction to the concerns raises difficult questions about Australian standards, testing procedures and provenance labelling. [ + ]

Ocean Spray Cranberries and Complete Phytochemical Solutions have joined forces on a project to develop a cranberry-specific PAC standard. [ + ]

Modified probiotics, the beneficial bacteria touted for their role in digestive health, could one day decrease the risk of Listeria infection in people with susceptible immune systems, according to Purdue University research. [ + ]

Human tongues apparently recognise and have an affinity for fat, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis. They have found that variations in a gene can make people more or less sensitive to the taste of fat. [ + ]

Patane Produce commissioned three 1.8-tonne Toyota 8FG18 forklifts at the end of 2011 to increase production and improve the reliability of its material handling fleet. [ + ]

The name of the game has become one of intense competition, of finding the growth niches within the overall packaging market to make sure that you grow faster than your opposition. The overall packaging market in developed countries may therefore seem to be rather mature and static but internally it certainly is very dynamic. [ + ]

Australian company A&G Engineering beat off international competition to win the contract to fabricate 10 x 100 hectolitre stainless steel beer fermenters for Casella Estate. [The finished tanks are beautiful. - Editor] [ + ]

In a search to uncover the patterns and principles people use in choosing ingredient combinations beyond individual taste and recipes, a team looked at the key ingredients of 56,498 online recipes and then analysed those ingredients for shared flavour compounds. The results showed differences between Eastern and Western dietary preferences. [ + ]

With a final death toll of 30 people, including one miscarriage, the US’s most deadly outbreak ever of food poisoning has been declared over. In total, 146 people across 28 states became ill after eating Listeria monocytogenes contaminated whole rockmelon. While the number of deaths was not the largest ever recorded for a food poisoning outbreak, the greater than one in five death rate makes the outbreak of listeriosis the deadliest food poisoning incident in the US. The outbreak was also the first caused by whole, unprocessed produce. [ + ]