All news articles for March 2014

Reaseheath Food Centre technical manager Katharina Vogt

Colleges must deliver practical skills for food industry

By Nicholas Robinson

It is vital to the future of food and drinks manufacturing that people in the sector are given the right skills to succeed from the beginning of their career to the end, according to the technical manager of a leading food training college.

Almost 90% of consumers pledged to pay more for Fairtrade bananas

UK consumers would pay more for Fairtrade bananas

By Laurence Gibbons

Almost 90% of UK consumers have pledged to pay more for Fairtrade bananas, if the extra cost benefited farmers and workers’ lives, according to a new survey by the Fairtrade Foundation.

There is unrest at United Biscuits' Halifax site in protest over proposed changes to shift patterns

Unrest at United Biscuits may be wider issue

By Rod Addy

Union unrest at United Biscuits’ (UB’s) McVitie’s Cake Company factory at Halifax is a reaction to issues that have also been raised at other plants, according to sources.

Young people are unaware of the career opportunities in food and drink

Young Talent award will raise profile of food sector

By Michael Stones

The New Young Talent of the Year award is one of the most significant developments in the Food Manufacturing Excellence Awards’ (FMEA’s) 14-year history, says Paul Wilkinson, chairman of the judging panel.

Amazon is likely to roll out fresh deliveries internationally after US expansion

Amazon set to expand fresh online sales

By Michael Stones

Online retail giant Amazon is poised to deliver “a fresh approach” to the UK grocery market, with online sales of fresh, chilled, frozen and ambient food products delivered direct to customers, predicted Charles Wilson, Booker chief executive.

Behaviour change in consumers is the third stage of action for the CCC

Carlsberg: probably the best sustainable supplier rethink

By Paul Gander

Denmark’s Carlsberg Group is creating a new model for supply chain co-operation on sustainability, with targets for achieving ‘cradle-to-cradle’ certified packaging in different materials every year for the next three years.

The role of packaging in preventing food waste is not widely understood

‘We need leadership on food waste’

By Paul Gander

Ambitions to build on the UK’s 21% reduction in avoidable domestic food waste recorded since 2007, and recognition of packaging’s role in facilitating such change, are being undercut by lack of central government commitment, specific targets and funding,...

Salad firm makes 'substantial' energy savings

Salad grower slashes energy by 50%

Salad grower and packer Glinwell has reported “substantial” energy savings by upgrading its existing compressed air supply to Atlas Copco GA 15 FF VSD+ compressor

Confectionery firm widens product offering

New depositor makes more sophisticated candy

Baker Perkins has enhanced its product and process development capability for the confectionery industry with the installation of a new laboratory-scale depositor in its Innovation Centre. It can handle three components of hard or soft candy simultaneously,...

Crisp firm installs new weigher

Weigher is crisp on accuracy

The latest Ishida multihead weigher to be installed at Pipers Crisps factory in Lincolnshire is a 14-head CCW-R series model in a ‘crisp’ specification to handle product quickly and gently throughout the weighing process. This new packing line also includes...

Obesity in children in big cities such as Birmingham is at 'crisis' levels

Regulation calls grow to counter obesity ‘crisis’

By Rick Pendrous

Britain’s obesity “crisis” is leading to mounting calls by health groups for tougher regulation to counter the marketing and sale of foods high in fat, sugar and salt in the lead up to next year’s general election.

Flexible packaging to be key to Ishida’s Foodex stand

X-ray can spot specific invaders

Innovation in quality control and the ability to tailor equipment for a variety of food packing applications will be the key themes of Ishida Europe’s Foodex stand.

Packaging Automation to show cost cutting tray sealers at Foodex

Low energy tray sealers can cut costs by 90%

Electric flexible tray sealers designed to seal film, foil or board lids to plastic, foil or board trays, will be shown by Packaging Automation (PA). Speeds ranging from 15 to 150 packs a minute mean that equipment can cater for the needs of the start-up...

Cryongenics to be on show at Foodex

Cryogenics mean less product dehydration

The latest developments in cryogenic freezing technology will be shown by BOC, which is part of the Linde Group, at this year’s Foodex. The company will be displaying scale models of two new freezers recently launched on to the market.

Confectionery firm develops tooth-friendly gum

Sugar-beet carb used for tooth-friendly gum

Functional ingredients maker Beneo has used its sugar-beet derived carbohydrate Palatinose to develop 'the first' polyol-free, tooth-friendly bubble gum children's confectionery.

Natural fibres blended with Stevia may help public health

Swedish research natural fibres to replace chemical sweetener

By FoodManufacture.co.uk team

Sweetener specialist Bayn Europe and ingredients firm Barentz are researching the use of stevia dietary fibre blends to replace chemical sweeteners in the Baltic region. The project is supported by the Swedish government for its effects on the environment...

The fibre is extracted from the bambo shoots not the cane

Fibre’s free-from promise

Clean-label specialist Ulrick & Short is developing a versatile fibre extracted from bamboo shoots that has potential for the gluten-free market.

Its sensory spectrum is huge

Three ways to create Indian mango flavour

Sensient Flavors has analysed the sensory attributes of three varieties of Indian mango – alphonso, kesar and badami – to produce a range of natural mango flavourings for drinks. The base for these flavours is Sensient’s natural extracts, which are derived...

Breast milk has high concentrations of osteopontin for immunity

The quest for breast milk

Feeding babies with infant formula enriched with Arla Foods Ingredients’ Lacprodan OPN-10 supports their immune development, according to the results of a new trial.

Rick Pendrous, editor, Food Manufacture

Has 2 Sisters bitten off more than it can chew?

By Rick Pendrous

Ranjit Boparan’s 2 Sisters Food Group (2SFG) was voted one of the most admired food firms at the start of the year in a report from corporate reputation experts at Birmingham City University.

Intake of vitamin E in the developed world is low

Vitamin E deficiency alert

By Laurence Gibbons

More than three-quarters of the population in developed countries do not meet their recommended daily intake of vitamin E, potentially putting their health at great risk, a new study has shown.

Clare Cheney, director general, Provision Trade Federation

Unbalanced diets are the cause of obesity

By Clare Cheney

In response to the recent focus on sugar in the diet and whether it is linked to obesity, Dr Susan Jebb, chair of the Public Health Responsibility Deal (PHRD) Food Network, said “in the PHRD we have made clear that it’s the total calories that matter...

Franks: frozen sector must innovate

'Enough already about horsemeat scandal'

By Nicholas Robinson

Frozen food manufacturers must stop dwelling on the horsemeat scandal and focus on revitalising the sector, Dr Oetker UK md Peter Franks has advised.

Premier Foods was predicted to be on the brink of unveiling a £750M plus refinancing package

Premier Foods confirms review of refinancing options

By Michael Stones

Premier Foods is continuing to review its refinancing options, the food manufacturing giant confirmed today (March 3), after weekend press reports claimed it would reveal a deal worth more than £750M this week.

Key questions remain about the EU's new food labelling rules

FIR webinar

New food labelling rules: key questions remain

By Michael Stones

Key questions about the EU’s new food labelling rules remain unanswered, according to speakers at the Food Manufacture Group's webinar on the Food Information to Consumers Regulation (FIR) last month.

Panned: the Provision Trade Federation has strongly objected to the labelling changes

British bacon threatened by added water rule changes

By Rick Pendrous

Bacon suppliers are protesting about late changes to meat labelling rules, which will force most firms to label their products as ‘with added water’ when they come into effect at the end of the year.

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