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A company which makes cartons for the drinks industry has confirmed it is axing 150 jobs from its factory in Wrexham. (BBC North East Wales) Tetra Pak said it had seen a fall in its exports which accounted for half of its business. The Wrexham site will continue to house the company’s commercial operations for the UK and Ireland, employing about 115 people. Tetra Pak said it was committed to remain a “leading employer” in Wrexham. The company... read more →

Savoury ingredient supplier Jardox has completed a £1 million factory upgrade project that has doubled its production capacity. (Foodnavigator.com) The modernisation programme, which has just been finished, includes production areas, staff facilities and new equipment to improve efficiencies at the firm’s Sevenoaks, UK base. As a leading supplier into the UK chilled ready meal, soup and sauce market, Jardox provides wet stocks, pastes and dry ingredient... read more →

Slaughterhouses may have to install additional ventilation and air extraction systems after scientists discovered bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) can be spread to livestock by air. (Meatinfo.co.uk) They have found prions – the infectious agents triggering the disease – are not necessarily transmitted only by eating contaminated material. The researchers from the University of Zurich, Switzerland, and the Institute of Immunology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut,... read more →

World leaders have warned that rising food prices could lead to social unrest and even “economic war”. (BBC Business) Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that with the world population rising, “the race for scarce resources” could lead to conflict. And French President Nicolas Sarkozy called for regulation to rein in speculation and volatility in prices. But business leaders at the World Economic Forum rejected calls... read more →

Low-dose e-beam radiation under modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is a viable alternative to chlorine to reduce microbes or eliminate Salmonella and Listeria from baby spinach, claims US research. (foodproductiondaily.com) The authors, writing in the Journal of Food Science, said the novel treatment improves the shelf life of minimally processed fruits and vegetables and results in a high level of microorganism inactivation using lower doses than the... read more →

BASF has obtained certification from the German Technical Inspection Agency (TÜV) for a new biodegradable adhesive used on flexible packaging applications like potato chips and chocolate wrappings. (Foodproductiondaily.com) The German chemical giant said its Epotal Eco adhesive is the first compostable water-based adhesive to be certified by the DIN Certco, a certification company of the TÜV. This means that the product is certified as a biodegradable... read more →

RockTenn has acquired fellow containerboard and corrugated packaging supplier Smurfit-Stone in a $3.5bn deal, months after Smurfit-Stone emerged from bankruptcy. (Foodproductiondaily.com) The acquisition will create a $9bn a year company with a total production capacity of seven million tons. That makes a combined company that is the second biggest North American containerboard producer and the number two global supplier of coated recycled board. Deal... read more →

The UK has confirmed it is to review the way official food safety controls are carried out in a bid to simplify the system, ensure consistency across sectors and centralise responsibility under four national bodies. (Foodproductiondaily.com) The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said at its board meeting this week it is to undertake a far-reaching rethink on the system for charging for inspections at food business operations (FBO). Its recommendations are ... read more →