The safety and quality of the chilled and frozen food supply chains look set to be improved through EU-funded research into cost-effective technology for monitoring and tracing products. (foodmanufacture.co.uk) The euro 15.6M Chill-On project, funded under the Framework 6 programme, now in its last year, is using fish and poultry supply chains as models to test out the new technology. The project is developing new quantitative microbiological risk assessment... read more →
The National Farmers Union (NFU) has called on the European Parliament to make country-of-origin labelling mandatory on processed meats. (meatinfo.co.uk) The call comes as EU ministers prepare to legislate on food labelling, with European Parliament’s ENVI and AGRI committees due to discuss regulation on the provision of food information later this month. Pointing out that many foods, such as beef, eggs, fruit and vegetables and wine, already have country-of-origin... read more →
Tetra Pak has agreed to carry out a limited trial to source green plastic from Brazil for use in its carton packaging in what the company said is a first for the sector. (foodproductiondaily.com) The packaging and processing giant told FoodProductionDaily.com it hoped to blaze a trail for green polyethylene with its scheme – triggering greater investment in the sector to boost available supply. The company today announced a deal with Braskem SA, Brazil’s... read more →
A fourth person has died from injuries sustained from the explosion at a ConAgra food processing plant last summer. (foodnavigator-usa.com) Curtis Ray Poppe was severely burned following the blast at the North Carolina facility on 9 June and had been a patient at a burns centre since the accident. He was working for Energy Systems Analysts and involved in the installation of an industrial-scale, gas-fired water heater that is suspected of triggering the explosion. Mr... read more →
New guidelines to protect whisky from foreign imitation, including new rules on labelling and bottling, are coming into force in Scotland on Monday. (bbc.co.uk) There will be a new requirement to only bottle Single Malts in Scotland, and tighter rules on the use of distillery names on bottle labels. There will also be better protection of traditional regional names such as “Highland” and “Lowland”. The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA)... read more →
Northern Foods has disclosed plans to invest £26.5M in automation at its Fox’s Biscuits facilities as part of a vision to concentrate production at two ‘world class’ plants rather than its current three. (foodmanufacture.co.uk) The project is expected to enable increased capacity, while raising the efficiency of operations at each of its Batley, Kirkham and Uttoxeter sites initially. It will result in the loss of around 220 jobs and is expected to... read more →
Plans for the UK’s biggest liquid milk processing facility – with a one billion litre capacity – that will be built in the outskirts of London have been unveiled by Arla Foods UK. (foodmanufacture.co.uk) According to the dairy giant, the unit will be the largest, most technologically advanced of its kind in the world and will become operational in 2012. The exact location for the factory has yet to be confirmed, as Arla said it had “a handful” of... read more →
Coca-Cola Co yesterday announced the selective global roll-out of its new PET bottle made from up to 30 per cent plant materials such as sugar and molasses. (foodproductiondaily.com) The drinks giant said its PlantBottle containers were beginning to hit retail shelves across the world, with a planned production target of two billion by the end of next year. Hailing the move as a “major step along our sustainable packaging journey”, chairman and CEO Muhtar... read more →
