More than 50 years ago, Wallace McCain, a young Canadian, had a pioneering idea: McCain and his brother Harrison invested in the still relatively uncommon technology for frozen food and began immediately to produce frozen French fries.

Assumptions about an instrument can lead to unpleasant surprises during the calibration cycle.

A continuous pasteurisation system for ambient pouch and tray packaged food has the potential to deliver product at a lower cost per unit than cans. Compared to current batch-based systems, users can expect increased output and huge savings in water and energy usage.

New Zealand punches far above its weight when it comes to producing food and is a trusted supplier to markets across the globe.

Reducing energy consumption is one of the most important requirements today when modernising machines and systems. Often, there is great potential for saving energy - which, in the end, means saving money. While retrofitting a transportation system, Vienna-based Coca-Cola Hellenic Austria used the Movigear mechatronic drive system to reduce energy consumption by 75%, which is equivalent to an annual reduction of 41 tons of CO₂. What’s more, the amortisation time is less than one year, meaning project managers had little trouble in gaining approval from their finance department.

Refrigeration is the biggest energy use for most food and beverage industry businesses - from abattoirs to bakeries, cold stores, dairy processors and food, beverage and pet food manufacturers. Tamburlaine Winery in the Hunter Valley has slashed its power use by half. Find out how you can reduce your refrigeration power bills.

Sometimes when traditional methods of production are replaced by more efficient or more hygienic technology the foods produced lose some of their attractive sensory quality. However, there are examples where modern technology improves products, as is the case with vacuum applications. Drying and deep-frying under vacuum are well-known and successful methods and cooling bakery products using vacuum (vacuum baking) has been experiencing a comeback in recent years.

Machine vision is a branch of engineering that uses cameras in the context of process control. Images are collected and analysed and the data extracted used for controlling an automated process or action. When we refer to machine visions systems we are typically referring to smart cameras or vision sensors - devices that possess image capture capability, are able to extract information from captured images and make decisions that are used in wider automation systems.

Chocolates are always in demand - from Valentine’s Day and beyond. In the chocolate world, the fastest growing segment of the industry is fine-flavour, high-end chocolates. Until now, the source of these specialised confections has been largely limited to small regions of Venezuela and Ecuador.

Many food companies are not making the required investment in quality software, according to software specialist Graycorp.

Consumer research reveals Australians prefer glass packaging for food and beverages.

Enhancing the presentation of your product can be achieved with attractive packaging but the old adage that the proof is in the eating is increasingly being explored by food processors and their marketing teams. With today’s media a substantial emphasis is given to taste and the appearance of food. By the addition of some special ingredients, not only the taste but the appeal of the product can be shaped.

The Optima Group is an internationally active, mid-sized family company headquartered in Schwäbisch Hall, Germany. It offers industry oriented packaging and filling machines for the foods, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, air and water filters, cosmetics and non-wovens sectors.

UK-based salads producer Flavour Fresh, has recently taken delivery of an additional 11 station Marco YCM (Yield Control Module) system.

The Shaka in-container sterilisation process is claimed to produce better ambient preserved foods. It can reduce sterilisation cycle times by some 90% and energy consumption by up to 50%, compared to some conventional batch retort sterilisation processes. Other costs should be comparable with conventional batch processes.