Processing & Packaging

07-Oct-2004 - Cargill, the largest private firm in the US, will link up with biotech giant Monsanto to bring food makers an alternative source of soybean oil, used to reduce the artery-clogging trans fats in food products.

Conveying surface range expanded for cost-efficiency

06-Oct-2004 - Integrated material handling solutions provider FKI Logistex has expanded its range of conveying surface options to make pallet loading more adaptable and cost-effective for suppliers.

New canola oil offers TFA alternative

29-Sep-2004 - A new canola oil created by Dow AgroSciences and sourced from a seed with a low saturated fat content could be the latest alternative for biscuit and confectionery manufacturers looking to eliminate trans fatty acids from their products.

Buhler offers complete bagging unit control

24-Sep-2004 - Buhler has launched a control system capable of supervising an entire bagging unit.

Mars extends branding into 'healthy' drinks sector

23-Sep-2004 - US chocolate maker Mars has licensed a number of its confectionery brands to compatriot Bravo! Foods, which will roll them out as vitamin-enhanced milk drinks targeting the growing market for healthy and indulgent products.

Buhler completes extrusion range with lab tool

22-Sep-2004 - Buhler has unveiled the latest model in its range of extrusion systems. The BTSK-30 is a co-rotating twin-screw extruder, which the company claims is suitable for laboratory use and corresponding production capacities.

New fibre for low-carb foods

17-Sep-2004 - German fibre supplier J Rettenmaier & Sohne has developed a new product to meet the surging demand for low-carb foods, currently surpassing supply.

Packaging innovations from acquisitive Bradman Lake

15-Sep-2004 - Automated packaging developer Bradman Lake is launching its latest robotic top load cartoner for throughputs of up to 300ppm, an innovation that the group hopes will build on its international reputation.

ADM reaps praise for trans fat oils

15-Sep-2004 - Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) has been rewarded for its innovation in the field of edible oils and fats for its development of the NovaLipid line of zero and low trans fat oils.

APV unveils new confectionery depositor

02-Sep-2004 - APV Baker has developed a new range of ServoForm depositors for the production of hard and soft confectionery, toffees, gums, jellies and lollipops.

Epi Ingredients adds yoghurt powders to portfolio

30-Aug-2004 - The continuing popularity of yoghurt - and in particular its health benefits - has led to a raft of new product innovation as companies in market sectors outside the dairy industry seek to capitalise on yoghurt's reputation. And ingredient suppliers have been quick to respond to this demand for both yoghurt taste and functionality.

Taking the cookie test

26-Aug-2004 - Efficient, profitable baking is not just a question of having the right equipment for the job - it is also knowing how to use it properly. With this in mind, Spooner Vicars, the UK supplier of bakery equipment, runs regular customised training courses to help companies and their employees make the best use of their facilities - and tests what they have learned using the chocolate chip cookie technique.

Intralox invests in plastic conveyor technology

16-Aug-2004 - More and more food manufacturers are turning to plastic conveyor belts, if two new products from Intralox are anything to go by.

Tagatose chocolate has low GI

13-Aug-2004 - Food makers will be encouraged to use a low-calorie sweetener supplied by Danish ingredients firm Arla Food Ingredients with a new study showing a chocolate bar made with the prebiotic ingredient is very low in glycaemic load (GL) and glycaemic index (GI), increasingly used by food makers as an indicator to consumers concerned about carbohydrate control.

Chewy vitamins for 'tweens'

05-Aug-2004 - As Hero Nutritionals adds a new product to its line, in the form of Yummi Bears Sourz and Yummi Gworms Sourz, multi-vitamins targeted at "tweens" - or children aged eight to 13 years - Annette Dickinson, president of the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), explained to Philippa Nuttall what she believes to be the advantages of chewy supplements.

Moldflow launches plastic packaging design software

05-Aug-2004 - Plastic packaging specialist Moldflow has launched design analysis software that it claims will help manufacturers achieve more advanced packaging designs in less time.

Nestlé takes a break from Kit Kat slogan

04-Aug-2004 - For 47 years, the UK's most consistently popular chocolate bar has been advertised with the slogan 'Have a break, have a Kit Kat', a phrase which has entered the British lexicon and become synonymous with the two- or four-fingered countline bar. But the next generation of British chocolate eaters will have to get used to 'Make the most of your break' as the new slogan for the brand following the decision by owner Nestlé Rowntree to ring the changes.

Buhler develops automatic sorter checking software

30-Jul-2004 - Buhler has developed software capable of performing an automatic check on a production line's sorting capabilities, enabling trouble to be prevented before it can cause downtime.

AlphaZeta develops e-marketing for food suppliers

27-Jul-2004 - Software specialist AlphaZeta has created software for food developer Griffith laboratories that it claims will allow the firm to discover exactly what their customers want.

Cargill Dow corn packaging achieves Japanese approval

21-Jul-2004 - A plastic made from corn has been given food contact approval in Japan, suggesting that environmentally responsive packaging now has global reach.

Nabisco caters for calorie-counters

14-Jul-2004 - Nabisco, the US biscuit and snack maker, has launched a number of its most popular product lines in handy 100-calorie packs in a bid to make it easier for dieters to keep track of their intake.

Asian appetite for biscuits grows

09-Jul-2004 - The sweet biscuits market in Asia is set to grow rapidly in coming years, due mainly to the continuing strength of the China market. However launches are coming thick and fast throughout the region, as this week's product launches from Mintel testify.

New innovations in texture

22-Jun-2004 - A new report on optimising food texture and rheology has been published to help food manufacturers achieve the specific qualities consumers are looking for, reports Anthony Fletcher.

Innovation keeps French chocolate buyers on their toes

17-Jun-2004 - Keeping French consumers interested in chocolate has been the driving force behind brand owners' investment in innovation in recent years, and the latest product launches highlighted by the Global New Products Database (GNPD) compiled by analysts Mintel show that there has been little change in this strategy in 2004.

Wheat protein supplier looks forward to 2005

14-Jun-2004 - The demand for ingredients that lift fibre levels and reduce carbohydrate quantities has been a major boost for textured wheat protein supplier MGP Ingredients, recently announcing plans to expand production capacity, writes Lindsey Partos. Believing the upward curve will continue into 2005 the Atchison-based firm predicts growing sales for higher margin ingredients.