Call for one world system to manage land use for biofuels
A sensible balance between UK biofuels and food production is impossible without comprehensive data capture and land use management and proper government incentives.
Archives for July 31, 2010
Too COOL by far? Common sense and country-of-origin labelling
Recent announcements about the future of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) dealt with the handover of country of origin labelling (COOL) to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
In search of the Holy Grail
Salt replacement and anti-microbial properties are being studied, says John Dunn
New government’s sustainability commitment is ‘only skin deep’
The government's decision to cut funding for the Sustainability Development Commission (SDC) the publicly funded body serving the UK has been met with outrage.
Rotary process gives better results in barrier and retort
Rexam has applied its proprietary rotary thermoforming (RTF) technology to new containers used by Danish brand Tulip for its heat-processed pork products.
Retailers launch plan to stem campylobacter in poultry
Retailers are behind a core part of the Food Standards Agency's (FSA's) latest five-year strategy of targeting the UK's biggest source of foodborne illness. They have come up with a plan to work with their suppliers to substantially reduce levels of...
What green and clean really mean
At a recent Leatherhead conference, a speaker from Mintel said the number of new products making 'natural' and 'green' claims increased steadily between 2005 and 2009. But I'm not convinced that consumers understand all these claims.
Plan your factory using the latest simulation
Simulation, as a term, evokes images of a second-class experience. But it could help Britain’s food manufacturers avoid costly mistakes on new installations.
Naan so bold
Honeytop Speciality Foods is storming the tortilla market and continues to champion innovation in products and processes, as Rod Addy discovers
Double layer puts sparkle in filtration
Filtration and separation specialist Porvair Filtration Group has designed a double layer membrane filter for use in the wine industry.
First Milk to share storage space and cut transport costs
Storage and distribution firm Grocontinental has clinched an agreement granting dairy business First Milk the use of its recently completed £3m, 7,432m2 multi-temperature warehouse to store its cheese.
Infrared cameras ensure that burgers are cooked to perfection
As the sophistication of infrared (IR) cameras increases, so their usefulness in food processing as part of automated machine vision applications also grows.
Environmental management: Waiting for the axe to fall
Swingeing budget cuts by the government are likely to impact on the food industry, but how? asks Michelle Knott
In defence of Coca-Cola
I am writing with regard to the article published in the July issue of Food Manufacture (p7) ‘Soft drinks firm labels Coca-Cola’s production plant ‘a disgrace’.
Bisphenol A: Sense and Sensationalism
Bisphenol A is in fact one of the world’s most researched chemicals and has a history of risk assessment in Europe going back a quarter of a century. So why is it still generating such heated responses? asks Sebastian Day
TV chefs to take Ghanaian food to the high street
Ghanaian entrepreneurs Lloyd and Adwoa Hagan-Mensah of Raymond's Blanc's BBC2 series The Restaurant have launched London's first Ghanaian cookery school.
Safer food means better business
As a consumer, caterer, chef and food developer, I have found the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to be a great source of clear and concise information that has helped me to make more informed choices and, more importantly, produce food safely. It has lived...
Omega-3 chews on horizon
Oxford Nutrascience is launching cranberry and omega-3 fortified chews in September, having already produced calcium fortified chews under its Ellactiva brand.
Digest and transform food waste
BioNova's new accelerated aerobic biodigester transforms food waste in around 72h into a nutrient and energy-rich material.
Crumpets go paperless
The crumpet department at Hovis Greenford has now gone paper-free with the Principle Suite system from Applied Principles. The system had previously been successfully trialled in the bread plant at Greenford.
Pie maker shows its metal
When frozen food wholesaler Freshpack built a new production line at its Stoke-on-Trent factory, it included a twin-headed combination metal detection system with ferrous-in-foil inspection facility and checkweigher from Fortress Technology.
More efficient effluent
Micromac Filtration has re-designed and upgraded the effluent treatment infrastructure at frozen ready meal supplier Headland Foods.
X-ray gets to the bottom of issue
The interference caused by domed bases of bottles, jars and cans when X-ray scanning for contaminants has troubled manufacturers across the food processing industry.
ASI unit offers basic automation
To keep pace with demand from the food and drinks sector, Alfa Laval has launched the ThinkTop Basic actuator-sensor interface (ASI) valve sensing and control unit.
DD Williamson looks to organics
US-based colours processor DD Williamson is targeting Europe with ingredients that would potentially suit organic products.
New document to come for food safety guidance
Consultation closes this month on the latest version of a guidance document for the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI v6), which seeks to converge the requirements of third-party certification schemes recognised under its umbrella.
Research promises new dawn for low-fat food
The appointment of Dr Hans Tromp as professor of Colloid Chemistry at Utrecht University promises new technological solutions for low-fat food products, according to food research firm Nizo.
Government aims to fly the flag for British food standard
'Buy British standards' is the coalition government's latest plan for public sector food procurement.