Industry News
Meat processing plants: COVID-19 hotspots in Europe
A European study has identified poor working conditions at meat processing plants across Europe as a reason why they are becoming vectors for the spread of COVID‑19. [ + ]
ACCC, wine industry unite to improve commercial arrangements
The ACCC has been working with winemakers, grower groups and Australian Grape & Wine to improve standard form contracts between grape growers and winemakers. [ + ]
MoU signed to create Industrial Digital Innovation Hub
RMIT will host a new Industrial Digital Innovation Hub at its Melbourne Advanced Manufacturing Precinct after partnering with Siemens and Festo Didactics. [ + ]
COVID-19 leads to decline in US wine market volumes
US wine volume sales are predicted to be flat in 2020, with consumers drinking the same amount of wine, but doing more of it at home, reveals Wine Intelligence. [ + ]
Airbridge to connect food process to distribution centre
Mainbrace Construction will build an airbridge to connect the Hilton Foods process facility with a new Woolworths distribution centre in Melbourne. [ + ]
Wine sector welcomes Smoke Taint Grant
The wine sector has welcomed the government's $5 million Smoke Taint Grant, which will help wine producers overcome recent bushfires and COVID-19. [ + ]
Fonterra to pay for milk based on sustainable farming
Fonterra has announced that farmers who produce sustainable, high-quality milk will be eligible for a new payment of up to 10 cents per kilo of milk solids. [ + ]
Longreach abattoir to reopen in Qld
The Queensland Government plans to revitalise the abattoir on the site of the former Longreach Pastoral College, bringing employment to the area. [ + ]
Low-energy beverage processing line introduced by Tetra Pak
Tetra Pak has launched a low-energy processing line for juice, nectar and still drinks (JNSD) that treats beverages in two separate streams. [ + ]
AIP supports Global Webinar Series on Packaging
Informa Markets, in collaboration with the World Packaging Association and the AIP, will run a five-part series of webinars on the packaging industry. [ + ]
US study: 82% of avocado oil either rancid or adulterated
A study of commercial avocado oil quality and purity has found that the majority of avocado oil sold in the US is of poor quality, mislabelled or adulterated. [ + ]
PepsiCo releases 2019 Sustainability Report
The 2019 Sustainability Report reveals that PepsiCo has exceeded its Safe Water Access goal five years early and reduced its GHG emissions by 6%. [ + ]
Study reveals which substances make coffee bitter
Researchers have provided new insights into the molecular interaction between five bitter compounds in coffee and bitter receptors. [ + ]
Plant geneticists unmask hidden mutations in tomatoes
Researchers have identified long-concealed mutations within the genomes of 100 different types of tomato, which could guide efforts to tweak modern tomatoes. [ + ]
Wine industry welcomes Australia, UK FTA negotiations
The Australian wine industry has welcomed news of free trade agreement negotiations between Australia and the UK as the sector works to recover from COVID-19. [ + ]
