Fulfilling the strict hygiene standards that apply in food and beverage manufacturing means exposure to strong thermal and mechanical loads, as well as aggressive chemical cleaning agents, which presents a real challenge to sensors. [ + ]

Three- to four-day shelf-life increases have been reported for breads subjected to infrared radiation. Whole bakery lines can also be disinfected easily and economically. [ + ]

Pre-applied zipper packaging film combined with automatic splicing can present food processors with an economical and time-efficient way of moving to reclosable packaging. [ + ]

Research into ice crystal size minimisation plus some warnings about counterfeit and mis-labelled refrigerants appearing as R-22 is phasing out. [ + ]

A report by Rabobank has identified 'disruptive forces' at work in Australia's fresh fruit and vegetable retail market. [ + ]

Funky-looking space cups are a new option for astronauts aboard the International Space Station, allowing them to smell and enjoy hot beverages thanks to research on the behaviour of fluids in space. [ + ]

Organic ingredients, clear labelling and 'free from' products feature in Innova Market Insights' list of top 10 trends in food and beverages for 2016. [ + ]

TV dinners grew from non-existent to a multibillion-dollar industry through the latter half of the twentieth century, helped by new freezing technology and a big advertising spend on television. [ + ]

Treasurer Scott Morrison has blocked Chinese attempts to purchase the vast Kidman empire — which amounts to 1.3% of Australia’s total land area saying it would be contrary to the national interest for it to go to a foreign buyer in its current form.

At a recent meeting of the AIP, three presentations were delivered on self-adhesive labels. [ + ]

Bacteria can be spread from contaminated produce to other foodstuffs via common kitchen utensils such as knives and graters, a study has found. [ + ]

Cleaning and sanitation of a process plant is one of the most critical aspects of food processing to ensure the health and safety of the consumer. Proper cleaning is essential for the production of high-quality food products, especially those with extended shelf life.

Using a 3D-printed model of the human airway to study the process of taste, researchers have found that eating more slowly will actually make food taste better. [ + ]

'Super-ingredients' that come with health and wellbeing claims are often added to ready meals to make them more attractive to consumers. Manufacturers promote the ingredient on their packaging and in their advertising and hope this will be the deal breaker in promoting sales. But, what happens when the super-ingredient isn't what you thought it was? Can you even tell? [ + ]

The production and packing of sweets and snacks presents new challenges to machines and their constructors as market demands increase. [ + ]