Ipifini has introduced Programmable Choice-Enabled Packaging technology. The technology employs buttons on the container's surface that release flavours or other ingredients into the liquid. Flavour buttons allow the consumer to choose variations of the beverage at the point of consumption. For example, a programmable cola bottle with buttons for lemon, lime, vanilla and cherry flavours, as well as a caffeine button, allows for 32 potential choices of soda. The technology has tamper-resistant formats, which disable the buttons until the beverage is opened.

Brad van Dijk, VP Australasia of PepsiCo Beverages, has been elected as president and chairman of the Australian Beverages Council.

The Sustainable Packaging Alliance has received two Commonwealth government grants to support the development of its prototype rapid packaging environmental impact assessment tool, PIQET.

Owens-Illinois (O-I) has announced a NZ$78 million expansion at its glass manufacturing facility in Penrose, Auckland, New Zealand.

Professionals from the food and hospitality industries will be checking in for their annual gathering at the Fine Food Australia exhibition, being held at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre 11–14 September.

Globalisation is driving a dramatic restructure of the world's food production, processing and trade.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has improved its website, claiming it makes it easier consumers, the food industry and health professionals to find information about food standards and other food concerns.

Diversified Exhibitions Australia (formerly AES), the leading exhibition organiser for the automation/manufacturing industry in Australia, recently announced the postponement of the Automation Business Forum 2006. The forum was to be an exclusive new business matching event set to take place in Melbourne for one day only on 16 October, 2006.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has released details of proposed changes to the Food Standards Code and invited comments from individuals and organisations with an interest in the regulation of food.

A two-day symposium covering topics of relevance to the Australian food industry will be held in Cairns on 19–20 August.

A recent study by Leatherhead Food International revealed that up to one third of food packaging may be contaminated with latex and the latex can be transferred to food in some cases. In one unnamed chocolate biscuit, the latex was 20 times the level that instigates a reaction. The wrapper contained 85ng/ml of latex.

With the ongoing debate over antimicrobial resistance and its effect on human beings, alternatives to antimicrobial growth promoters are likely to gain R&D funding support and consequent volumes of uptake by end users.

Australian and New Zealand agriculture will be in the spotlight at a forum examining the world’s ability to sustain food supplies through soaring demand, changing climate, land degradation, trade wars, health risks and regional upheaval.

The report on the National Demonstrator Project for RFID/EPC technology was presented at July's Impetus GS1 conference.

Indulgence and health trends are driving new confectionery product development, as confectionery companies target consumer demands for healthier pleasure. An analysis of 325 new confectionery products launched in January and February 2006 tracked by the Innova Database found that indulgent and premium (59 launches) and novel and fun (102) still scored highest in terms of new product launch positioning. News that Nestlé is looking to the inspiration of a chef for a new line of flavoured chocolates to be launched later this year indicates the giants know all too well that the primary aim of confectionery remains indulgence. Nestlé will use Spanish chef Ferran Adria to help boost sales of its Cailler brand of chocolate bars in Switzerland.