In May, 949 exhibitors from all over the world presented their latest products, services and high-tech solutions for processing meats at the leading meat industry exhibition - IFFA 2010. At the exhibition, Prof Dr Horst-Christian Langowski* of the Fraunhofer Institute discussed the latest developments in packaging technology.

Food manufacturers are facing tougher challenges than ever before. In order to meet record-keeping and lot-tracking requirements, they must be able to rapidly identify and track every single ingredient in their products, from receipt through processing, packaging and shipping to the exact customer location.

The underlying objective of any thermal processing of beverages or liquid food is safety. Thermal treatments consist of heating a product and holding it at a desired temperature for a specific length of time in order to either pasteurise or sterilise the product. For many processes, the minimum log reduction of bacteria are set by the regulations. However, these are minimum requirements and are usually exceeded for many reasons, including attaining lower failure rates, longer shelf life, and product quality and image. However, these thermal processes also directly impact the quality and image of the product due to its reactions to heat.

Norway is one of the countries responsible for the production of fish oils and omega-3. Over 40% of the world’s omega-3 oils in food and food supplements originate there.

Stainless steel’s unique characteristics make it highly suited to use in the food industry and users can increase corrosion resistance, cleanability and longevity by handling it appropriately. Purge welding to avoid heat tint is one example where users can ensure they get it right from the outset.

Kraft Foods is addressing the problem of increased traffic by finding alternatives to trucking and making its distribution network more efficient. Since 2005, innovative sustainability projects have saved the company more than 80 million km in its global transportation and distribution network.

Chadwicks has created a variety of lids for Bacchus’s ready-to-drink liqueur shot party pack, Shotbox.

With a specially engineered solution, Avery Dennison has helped Moet Hennessy to solve one of the most difficult challenges in wine labelling. The result is an attractive and functional neck label that secures the foil cap wrappings on the company’s champagne brand, Moet & Chandon, and all its premium champagnes.

Murray Goulburn Co-operative has used Tetra Pak’s aseptic technology to create a long-life specialist milk line for Australia’s cafe industry.

Hellers has upgraded its sausage line with a system manufactured by Mercer Stainless, making the transfer of meat trim and bagged smallgoods to the packing stations more efficient and hygienic.

A food X-ray machine is in use at the I Spy Pies processing plant at Maroochydore. The machine is installed on the pie line to ensure the company’s pies are free of physical contaminants.

A Sydney-based milk and beverage contract packaging company has boosted its plant operational efficiency from 75% to more than 90%, and has doubled its overall output, in months.

Goodman Fielder’s plant at Mascot in New South Wales has made a gain from a modest investment, by upgrading its labelling equipment on the bottle labelling line. The outlay has delivered an annual saving with a payback in around six months, achieved with the additional equipment.

Wiley has completed a state-of-the-art hide processing facility for Swift Australia.

Westland Dairy has engaged Mercer Stainless to build a new bulk storage silo for raw milk. The silo has a working capacity of 300 m³.