Recycled paper and board used in food packaging materials (boxes, paper bags) often causes migration of mineral oil into food at levels that are claimed to be unacceptable, according to present toxicological assessments.

Visy Automation has developed a new-generation box ‘lidder’ machine founded on innovative drive technology from SEW-Eurodrive, delivering a powerful combination of speed, accuracy and throughput.

Many would say this is an ‘oxymoron’ because how can you manage pests without pest control? In today’s manufacturing world, particularly in the food processing industry, the management of pests has become a high priority. Consumers will not tolerate poor products let alone food that has an elusive insect in it, so how does this affect pest management for food manufacturers?

Kentaur manufactures breakfast cereals, both for its own brand and for major retailers such as Migros and Coop, Switzerland’s first- and second-largest retailers. To plan and install a complete new packing system for a wide variety of popped wheat cereals and corn flakes, Kentaur chose Ishida’s representative in Switzerland, Itech of Rotkreuz.

Wireless temperature sensors and ethernet-enabled gateways have allowed one of the world’s leading food production companies to automate its cooking processes.

A chlorophyll-based marker in animal feed that fluoresces under UV light may be used to identify contamination of meat, chicken and eggs.

As well as having anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, resveratrol also appears to suppress inflammation in humans, based on results from the first prospective human trial of the extract.

Cassava roots are usually inedible and unmarketable by two to four days after harvesting, severely affecting their effectiveness as a major third-world food source. Now, several genetic mechanisms have been identified which improve the shelf life of cassava roots.

Researchers at Swinburne University have been investigating the use of bioplastics - ingredients from renewable sources - and the properties of biopolymers that determine their ‘compostability’.

In the US, researchers at the Agricultural Research Service investigated the quality of eggs - finding no difference between organic and conventionally produced, white and brown, free-range and cage.

An Australian seafood processor has turned to cans to expand its operation and avoid the complexities involved with live exports.

Linx Printing Technologies has launched an enhanced version of its SL301 scribing laser coder, which the company believes is the fastest, most cost-effective and versatile coder available to the bottling industry.

Foster’s sought to upgrade some of its ageing fleet of ink jet coders. It sought an advanced ink jet coder, with performance characteristics not previously offered on the market. The system will be used for printing information such as the use-by date detail on shrink-wrapped cluster packs.

IntraVis Vision Systems of Germany has installed its Sample PreWatcher machinery in the Coca-Cola plant in Halle, Germany, and into two large suppliers for Coca-Cola in the USA.

Fibre King Crate Erectors have been used to erect nearly 100 million returnable plastic crates since their launch in 2006.