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.

Despite Australia’s legendary success in developing wine export markets, the industry has recently come under severe stress and must take action to deal with the challenges it faces, according to a recently released global industry report.

Interest in food and drinks carrying gut or digestive health claims appears to be continuing unabated, at least as far as food and drinks companies are concerned.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Catania-Spagna packages and processes cooking oils ranging from vegetable to fine olive oil, servicing the retail, restaurant, bulk and export food industry. It operates four packaging lines to keep up with demand, two of which rely on induction sealing technology.