A leading provider of specialty powders for the medical industry needed to respond to changing client requirements and wanted to implement lean manufacturing practices. Matcon was called on to bridge the gap between theory and practical powder processing.

Scientists are working on bitter blockers to take the bitterness out of drug compliance and nutrition.

Benco Pack SpA of Italy has been chosen by Agral, a Belgium butter manufacturing company, to supply an aseptic form-fill-seal machine for its range of 8 to 10 g rectangle cup mini-portion butter products.

Baco has launched four new flavours of its Apple Tree fruit juice in an O-I glass bottle featuring an applied ceramic label (ACL) informing consumers the bottle typically uses 30% recycled content, reducing carbon emissions by around 15% and creating energy savings of almost 10%.

An innovative lids company has produced eye-catching, bespoke lids for the Greek yoghurt natural foods range, Cyclops. Chadwicks has translated an unusual blue-eye design into an appealing lid for Serra Natural Foods’ Organic Premium Low Fat Cyclops yoghurt.

A new study has found that ordinary household bleach is the most practical way to decontaminate food preparation surfaces that have been tainted with ricin.

‘More aroma, less salt’ - this straightforward formula is the result of a French study in which European Sensory Network researchers examined a simple new method by which the salt levels in food products could be reduced without it negatively effecting the consumer’s taste perception.

Getting a beer at major sporting venues around Australia is something most sports fans take for granted. From Sydney’s ANZ Stadium to the MCG, and Etihad Stadium in Melbourne to SunCorp Stadium in Brisbane, getting a cold beer quickly is an essential part of being at major events. But getting a constant flow of cold beer throughout the stadium takes some pretty sophisticated infrastructure.

d’VineRipe’s $30 million Stage 2 expansion of its tomato glasshouse in South Australia will provide considerable insurance against extreme weather events and assure the retail sector of consistent supply, according to joint venture partner Perfection Fresh Australia.

Rising consumer interest in health and naturalness is being strongly reflected in new product activity in the global soft drinks market.

Variable speed drive (VSD) technology is increasingly being deployed in many air compressor applications to cater for variable loads. As a result, developments for the motor/drive component and the compressor itself continue to improve. Sean Richardson, Product Manager with WEG Australia, and Andrew Dove, Product Development Manager with Sullair Australia, discuss the implications of the WEG motor/drive technology incorporated into Sullair’s Champion range of VSD air compressors.

Cavitation and noise issues initially prompted industry-leading beverage giant Halewood International to seek an alternative to its existing centrifugal pumps when decanting sugars and fruit juice concentrates from tankers arriving at its UK headquarters in Merseyside. Installing three sinusoidal pumps proved successful in a number of ways, not least because unloading times for sugars have been halved and, for syrups, more than quartered.

The latest packages are not only stronger but also require fewer materials and permit efficient handling - integrated time-temperature indicators and microchips constantly indicate the product’s state of quality. Active systems are even capable of improving the quality of the contents during storage. For product manufacturers, smart packaging therefore ought to be a big talking point.

Current consumer demand is for fresh food products but also, paradoxically, for foods that keep for longer. In response to this, cleanroom technology is changing to ensure hygienic preparation and processing of food products to allow foods to be stored for longer without spoiling. By preparing and packaging foods in germ-free conditions, products can keep for up to 50% longer. [ + ]

A thin antimicrobial layer which can be recharged with bleach is being tested for efficacy on stainless steel food processing and handling equipment surfaces. If the system proves as successful on the large scale as it has in the laboratory it will add a new food safety weapon to the food manufacturer’s armoury.