Inside food & drink manufacturing
Laboratory equipment spotlight
Milk pasteurisation efficacy is typically monitored by checking for the presence of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) – an enzyme present in raw milk – thus ensuring a product is safe for consumption.
Scientists have called for a vaccine against campylobacter, to cut the number of contaminated chickens in supermarkets.
A butcher who faked a letter from a supplier about payments in order to steal more than £80,000 in tax fraud, has been jailed for two years.
Bakery giant Warburtons has won planning approval for a new research and development (R&D) hub at its Bolton site in Lancashire.
Manufacturing product file
A new Z-Conveyor has been introduced by Dutch company Poeth, which is claimed to minimise the amount of light powders left behind in transport systems and optimise production capacity.
Laboratory equipment spotlight
A new molecular detection method for cronobacter – a pathogen often found in powdered infant formula that can cause fatal infections – has been introduced by 3M Food Safety. It is claimed to save two-to-four days during the testing process.
A fire at a pie manufacturer in Shropshire forced the evacuation of the site this week.
Manufacturing product file
Food and drink processing equipment specialist JBT Corporation has acquired high pressure processing (HPP) equipment supplier Avure Technologies for $57M (£47M) in a move designed to expand its food processing systems, which extend food shelf-life.
Traditional confectionery manufacturer The Cheddar Sweet Kitchen has placed its Somerset factory on the market for £470,000.
Yearsley Logistics is set to start work on the first phase of its 150,000 pallet £65M cold store development in Peterborough this September.
Scottish craft brewer BrewDog has installed a new pumping system with the assistance of Xylem at its brewery in Ellon, Aberdeenshire to overcome a problem with an existing system, which had increased costs and downtime.
Laboratory equipment spotlight
Rapid testing techniques are becoming more widely used in food microbiology laboratories as part of the drive to produce faster and more accurate results.