If the Australian Government really wants to enhance its manufacturing base and create jobs and export markets, it should look at investing in upgrading and automating the food processing sector. [ + ]

New label-related technologies are reducing the errors that can be harmful to a brand or even present liability issues for a brand owner, while other technologies are improving the purchasing experience for consumers by giving them access to more information and helping them 'connect' with brands. [ + ]

Gentle Motion reciprocating retorts have been installed in a European food plant for the first time and are being used on shelf-stable soup products packed in flexible containers.

Big 8 Beverages engaged SIPA to install a complete beverage line, including a SincroBloc and Stillfill SP gravity filler. The line runs at 12,000 bottles/h when producing and filling 500 mL PET bottles. [ + ]

While few new product launches are sporting high-protein claims, yoghurt product launches have had a particularly high proportion of high-protein claims, according to new research from Innova Market Insights. [ + ]

If there is a competition problem in Australia's grain trading, where did it come from? And what (if anything) is the government going to do about it? [ + ]

Mexican food processor Sabormex has turned its wastewater stream into energy by installing a GWE ANUBIX-B anaerobic reactor, an ANAMIX-T reactor and a complete biogas re-use system. [ + ]

Integrating identification and inspection processes gives better visibility into the packaging area, which was previously a black hole, and an overall picture of what is happening on the production line, such as rejects per hour rates in real time. [ + ]

Walk-in freezers can be energy-hungry at the best of times, but are even more so when they aren't well sealed. To make sure a freezer's insulation is working properly, thermographers inspect the insulation material with a thermal imaging camera. [ + ]

Are fish catches being accurately reported? Possibly not, according to satellite imagery from Google Earth. [ + ]

The increasing popularity of the 'hand-pulled' look for beef, lamb, pork and chicken has resulted in a research collaboration between Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and Summit Machinery. [ + ]

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. [ + ]

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. [ + ]

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. [ + ]