Breaking News on Confectionery & Biscuit Processing

SPECIAL EDITION - ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION

Food sector set to embrace robotic technology - BARA

29-Sep-2010 - Take up of robotic technology in the food sector is set to steadily increase as processors are forced to seek further efficiency gains and demand could challenge that of the automotive industry within a decade, said the head of a leading trade body.

Cadbury reverts to tin for Roses on back of consumer sentiment

27-Sep-2010 - Consumer sentiment is forcing confectionery manufacture Cadbury to revert to metal tin for its long established brand, Roses, following an unsuccessful trial-run of cardboard packaging for the chocolates in the UK retail chain, Tesco.

Henkel, Sonoco blame price hikes on spiralling raw material costs

27-Sep-2010 - Henkel has announced price increases of up to a fifth on a range of packaging adhesives for European customers because of soaring raw material costs.

New sealing system to significantly cut packaging and costs - company

21-Sep-2010 - An innovative sealing technology for flexible packaging could save food processors thousands of tonnes of film annually, provide greater seal integrity, increase product shelf life and cut operating costs, said International Food Partners (IFP).

M-real plans folding boxboard capacity increase on booming packaging demand

20-Sep-2010 - M-real has unveiled plans to invest €26m in boosting its folding boxboard capacity at one of its plants in Finland on historically high demand for the material from the food packaging sector.

Dairy leading processing innovation at IPA 2010

17-Sep-2010 - Investments in European food processing machinery R&D are up on 2008 levels, with considerable innovation noted among exhibiting companies, reports the organisers of a trade event in Paris next month.

Borealis unveils 'step change' LLDPE film

17-Sep-2010 - Significant downgauging, improved strength and greater puncture resistance are benefits claimed by Borealis for its new linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) range of films.

First bio-based twist film packaging to be launched in Europe - company

16-Sep-2010 - Cereplast said an agreement reached with Turkish company Sezersan Ambalaj will see bio-based twist film packaging launched onto the European market for the first time

Novelty trumps sustainablity in sweet packaging launches, Mintel

13-Sep-2010 - Environmentally-friendly packaging accounted for 4 per cent of global confectionery launches in the first half of 2010 compared to 3 per cent for the period July to December 2009, according to Mintel, with novelty packs and colourful designs dominating.

Confectioners target of metal contaminant tooling upgrade

06-Sep-2010 - Increasing demand from retailers for rigorous quality control from suppliers was one of the drivers behind the enhancement of the sensitivity and early warning system of a throat metal detection system aimed at confectionery and snack food production.

Comment

Let’s hear it for the sound of compostable packaging

23-Aug-2010 - The world’s first 100 percent biodegradable chip packet attracted a lot of noise last week, but not the buzz that SunChips’ maker FritoLay had been hoping for.

Olam to build cocoa processing plant in Ivory Coast

23-Aug-2010 - Olam International is planning to invest $43.5m to build its first, large greenfield cocoa processing plant in the Ivory Coast as well as additional primary processing and warehouse facilities.

Kraft looks to packaging to protect chocolate from heat

19-Aug-2010 - Kraft Foods is reaching out to industry and academic partners to find a packaging technology that will protect chocolate bars from melting.

Products carrying “may contain” allergen labels often contaminated, finds study

13-Aug-2010 - Consumers allergic to milk, egg or peanut should not ignore “may contain” labels – as they are often contaminated with the stated allergen – much more so than those that make no claim, new research suggests.

New OPP wrap for figurines claimed to ensure EU compliance

12-Aug-2010 - A new thin polypropylene film layer that coats retro gravure inks can provide a barrier coating between the printed material and confectionery products, said its developer, the Slovakian packaging firm Moneta.

Special Edition - Plant Efficiency

EMS offers food processors benefits and challenges

03-Aug-2010 - Environmental management systems (EMS) can be a good tool for food processors looking to achieve the twin goals of improved productivity and corporate responsibility.

New microwave spectrometer brings in-line excellence to processing

03-Aug-2010 - A new in-line guided microwave spectrometer cuts costs and downtime, while boosting the speed and accuracy of measuring a raft of key food product properties, said Thermo Fisher Scientific.

SPECIAL EDITION - PLANT EFFICIENCY

Should anaerobic digestion plants be on the menu for food processors?

02-Aug-2010 - The financial and eco-benefits of investing in anaerobic digestion (AD) technology to generate energy from food waste is something that all processors should be considering, said InSource Energy.

Special Edition: Plant Efficiency

Consultant reveals the secrets behind water efficiency

30-Jul-2010 - Food and drink processors can achieve savings of up to 30 per cent on their water and effluent bills without even having to resort to major capital investments.

Special Edition: Plant efficiency

Computer modelled heat recovery could slash processors' energy bills

29-Jul-2010 - In the first part of a special edition on plant efficiency, we look at the results of a recently published Australian project, which found that a combination of computer modelling and dehydrator redesign can cut energy bills in half in dried fruit manufacture.

Ageing food factories suffer electrical problems

26-Jul-2010 - Electrical problems at ageing food factories are a principal cause of almost 20% of industry property losses, according to insurance broker Jardine Lloyd Thompson (JLT).

New depositors follow confectionery sector resurgence, says Baker Perkins

20-Jul-2010 - An increase in the amount of new product development in Europe and the US was the trigger behind two confectionery machinery launches that provide increased capacity and a greater range of layers, centre-filling and inclusion applications, claims Baker Perkins.

Bosch Packaging pinpoints Asia as future growth engine

15-Jul-2010 - Bosch Packaging has identified Asia as a key engine for future growth as its chief announced its international presence had helped the firm to “stand our ground in the global market place” during a tough 2009.

HPP can boost consistency of poor quality gum arabic, study

02-Jul-2010 - Treatment by high pressure processing (HPP) was seen to enhance the consistency of both ‘poor’ and ‘good’ quality gum arabic, finds new research from two UK universities.