What’s New in Food Technology Jan/Feb 2013

Fill one bulk bag per week or 20 per hour at the lowest cost per bag Flexicon’s extra-broad model range, patented innovations and performance enhancements let you exact-match a filler to your specific cost and capacity requirements FILLER FOR PALLET JACK BAG REMOVAL Low profile version of patented TWIN-CENTREPOST™ filler allows removal of filled bags using a pallet jack, eliminating the need for a forklift or roller conveyor.

Low cost standard models offered with many performance options.

BULK BAG FILLER USES PLANT SCALE Full length forklifting tubes allow positioning of this TWINCENTREPOST™ filler model on a plant scale as needed, allowing you to fill by weight without investing in load cells and automated controls.

FILLERS WITH AUTOMATED FEEDING SYSTEMS Every Flexicon filler is offered with pneumatic (shown) or mechanical (bottom right) feeding/weighing systems, as well as inlet adapters to interface with optional overhead storage vessels.

COMBINATION BULK BAG/DRUM FILLER Patented SWING-DOWN® filler features a fill head that lowers and pivots down for safe, easy bag spout connections at floor level, and a swing-arm-mounted chute for automated filling and indexing of drums.

PATENTED SWING-DOWN® FILLER Fill head lowers, pivots and stops in a vertically-oriented position, allowing operator to safely and quickly connect empty bags at floor level and resume automated filling and spout-cinching operations.

CANTILEVERED REAR-POST FILLER Offered with performance options including: powered fill head height adjustment, pneumatically retractable bag hooks, inflatable bag spout seal, dust containment vent, roller conveyor, and vibratory bag densification/deaeration system.

BASIC FILLER FOR TIGHTEST BUDGETS A lighter-duty version of the economical TWIN-CENTREPOST™ filler, the BASIC FILLER reduces cost further still, yet has an inflatable bag spout seal and feed chute dust vent as standard, and a limited list of performance options.

PATENTED TWIN-CENTREPOST™ FILLER Two heavy-gauge, on-centre posts boost strength and access to bag hooks while reducing cost. Standard manual fill head height adjustment, and feed chute vent for displaced dust.

Numerous performance options. First filler to receive USDA acceptance.

See the full range of fast-payback equipment at flexicon.com.au: Flexible Screw Conveyors, Pneumatic Conveying Systems, Bulk Bag Unloaders, Bulk Bag Conditioners, Bulk Bag Fillers, Bag Dump Stations, Drum/Box/Container Tippers, Weigh Batching and Blending Systems, and Automated Plant-Wide Bulk Handling Systems

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contents

January/ February 2013

11

food for thought

17

ingredients 12 Lubricants from

vegetable oil Who’d have thought it? You’re better off eating the food than taking a supplement

©iStockphoto.com/Javi Julio Sierra

28 39 57 processing .

28 Women in business:

representatives for

their gender or their industry?

34 The carrot or the stick?

packaging .

48 A solution to bottle

shop angst 53

What makes better drinks: wet-aseptic or dry sterilisation and irradiation

24 Is the welfare of the NZ

and Aust dairy herds

being neglected?

©iStockphoto.com/ Vasileios Economou

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21

testing and quality dairy assurance

©iStockphoto.com/pepj

6

©iStockphoto.com/Grant Shimmin

©iStockphoto.com/photovideostock

bulk handling, storage & logistics .

59 Take the pressure down 63 Lowdown on

cleaning up 66 Diet and sperm quality

56 ‘Organic’ doesn’t

always transform

into sales www.foodprocessing.com.au

Jan/Feb 2013

3

Research in the food industry covers an awful lot of areas - from novel ingredients through cleaning and processing systems to intelligent packaging systems. Human nutrition gets a fair bit of coverage as well but sometimes the investigations can go a little far.

I was listening to the Naked Scientists on Radio National recently and I swear this was the gist of the program: If a male astronaut ran out of food while on a space mission, how much longer would he survive if he ate his own arms and legs as he waited for the rescue mission to arrive?

The presenters asserted that the average US astronaut weighs 82 kg and the arms and legs contribute 30 kg of this. So they estimated the nutritional requirements of a sedentary person weighing 52 kg and also the nutritional content of the 30 kg of human limbs. (It was admitted that little was known about the nutritional and energy content of human flesh so they based this figure on pork.) Then they computed the extra time the astronaut could gain by eating his limbs.

The answer was around 39 days.

There were some astounding oversights - like how could the astronaut remove his limbs and then eat them without having any appendages. The easiest answer is that there is a second astronaut - but if that was the case, wouldn’t the more powerful astronaut simply cannibalise the weaker and keep his own arms and legs attached?

Now this was obviously all just idle conjecture but it does make you think about the research you put into your business and what your business does. How often do you review your research and development programs? Do you have a clear objective? Or will you end up knowing how long the astronaut will be able to extend his life by eating assorted bits of himself?

With a new year, it’s a good time to step outside the box and look at your business and processes from a different angle. Most of the time we are so busy just getting through the day that we don’t evaluate the real need and benefit of what we are doing.

In the 1980s I was working for a flavour house and when the credit squeeze squeezed we were forced to reduce our workforce by 50% or go under. No department was left untouched - every department had to make the very painful cuts.

Whole paper empires of very hard working people collapsed overnight. It was an awful time.

But what was most amazing was that the loss of many of these paper empires did not affect the running of the business. In retrospect it seemed that all the work these people were doing, and many of them were extremely hard working and productive, was actually of no benefit to the business.

How could this be so? I suppose that systems and jobs just crept into the system and no one ever stood back and looked at whether or not they should be there.

I might just stand back and have a look at how I operate now.

I hope 2013 is a great year for you and that we meet at AUSPACK Plus or some other foodie event through the year.

©iStockphoto.com/Vitaliy Yatskin

Is it time for a bit of a look?

Regards Janette Woodhouse Chief Editor What’s New in Food Technology & Manufacturing www.foodprocessing.com.au

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Jan/Feb 2013

www.foodprocessing.com.au

Getty Images

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Fo d

A new guide to help food and drink companies identify and manage supply chain risks has been launched by the UK’s Food and Drink Federation (FDF).

Suitable for small and large companies, the free guide forms part of an approach to sustainable sourcing.

The guide, which has been developed

by FDF’s Sustainability Steering Group, provides a simple step-by-step approach to mapping the use of ingredients and utilities back to source, guidance on how to understand the key risks, and opportunities and tips for creating a plan of action and integration into the business.

“Recent weather events both here in the UK and around the world have

FOR

image©iStockphoto.com

©iStockphoto.com/Mitshu

Free guide for managing supply chain risk demonstrated all too clearly the importance of managing risk in the supply chain,” said FDF Director of Sustainability Andrew Kuyk.

“The global food system is vulnerable to external shocks not only from climate change but also pressure from population increases, growing demand for limited natural resources and changing diets.

At the same time, consumers are increasingly seeking reassurance that the products they buy have been sustainably sourced.

“At a time of diminishing resources, it also makes good business sense for companies to look at what is required to produce the product and how they would manage if some resources were not available.”

The free guide, as well as other business resources, is available on the FDF website: www.fdf.org.uk/sustainable-sourcing.

thought

Coffee bumps tea off the top spot in Australia Coffee has been named king of hot beverages in Australia, usurping tea’s position as the at-home drink of choice among Australians.

According to BIS Foodservices’ Coffee and Beverages 2012 report series, Australia is becoming a coffee nation.

“Coffee is now the at-home beverage of choice for Australians, replacing tea for the first time,” said Sissel Rosengren, Head of BIS Foodservices. “This has been driven largely by the significant fall in cost of making an espresso-based coffee at home, combined with a maturing coffee palate. In addition, coffee is now the number one hot beverage across all age and socioeconomic groups.”

Coffee’s rise has coincided with tea’s demise. According to the report, the average number of units of tea consumed per person per week at home has fallen from 8.6 to 7.9.

“The demise of tea can largely be attributed to the demise in popularity of black tea,” Rosengren said. “Green tea and other types of tea have tracked reasonably well over the same period, but black tea with milk in particular

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Jan/Feb 2013

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has seen a sharp decline in popularity.

“Tea actually tracks well in the home environment but falls short away from home, unlike coffee,” says Rosengren. “Operators need to understand the value in producing a better quality cup of tea. In 2012, we still have the extraordinary situation where many highend cafes use tea bags instead of tea leaves in a pot despite it being well known that using tea leaves will produce a better quality cup of tea.” Rosengren suggests that companies need to promote the health benefits of tea in order to stem the flow of people deserting the drink. Tea producers should also market the beverage to a younger demographic that is embracing coffee.

“Tea is simply not resonating with younger individuals,” Rosengren said. The rest of the economy might be struggling, Rosengren says, but coffee is booming. “Despite downturns elsewhere, the coffee industry has joined mining in the tier of the economy that is tracking well,” Rosengren said. The full report is available via the BIS website.

©iStockphoto.com/1kayros1

Winemakers welcome tax changes Winemakers now have something new to drink to. New laws to the Wine Equalisation Tax Rebate have been passed, which will reportedly ensure its integrity.

The changes will ensure that a wine producer cannot claim a rebate for wine used in manufacture unless the previous producer or supplier provides a notice that a previous producer is not entitled to the rebate on that wine.

“This is a really significant move because it takes away the opportunity that currently exists for multiple rebates to be claimed on the same quantity of wine,” said Chief Executive of the Winemakers’ Federation of Australia Paul Evans.

“This clearly was never intended

when the rebate was introduced.

These amendments will ensure the system works as intended.

“WFA has worked closely with the Australian Taxation Office to close these and other loopholes that we believe undermine the integrity of the WET rebate system and we are pleased that the government responded quickly.”

The rebate scheme entitles a wine producer to a rebate on their WET payments up to a maximum of $500,000 per financial year.

The amendments also cover New Zealand wine, as New Zealand producers qualify for the rebate under reciprocal trade arrangements.

The changes take effect immediately.

Sugar and self-control To boost self-control, gargle sugar water. According to a University of Georgia professor of psychology, a mouth rinse with glucose improves self-control.

Leonard Martin looked at 51 students who performed what is known as the Stroop task where they were asked to identify the colour of various words flashed on a screen, which spell out the names of other colours. The Stroop task’s goal is to turn off the student’s tendency to read the words and instead see the colours. Half of the students rinsed their mouths with lemonade sweetened with sugar while performing the Stroop test, the other half with Splendasweetened lemonade. Students who rinsed with sugar, rather than artificial sweetener, were significantly faster at responding to the colour rather than the word.

“Researchers used to think you had to drink the glucose and get it into your body to give you the energy to [have] selfcontrol,” Martin said. “After this trial, it seems that glucose stimulates the simple carbohydrate sensors on the tongue.

This, in turn, signals the motivational centres of the brain where our self-related goals are represented. These signals tell your body to pay attention.”

It took subjects about 3-5 minutes to perform the Stroop test. Martin said results show a measure of self-control but a glucose mouthwash might not be enough to solve some of the biggest self-control obstacles like losing weight or smoking.

“The research is not clear yet on the effects of swishing with glucose on long-term self-control,” he said. “So, if you are trying to quit smoking, a swish of lemonade may not be the total cure, but it certainly could help you in the short run.”

Martin theorised that the glucose causes emotive enhancement, leading the person to pay attention to their goals and perform better at evoking the non-dominant response.

“The glucose seems to be good at getting you to stop an automatic response such as reading the words in the Stroop task and to substitute the second harder one in its place such as saying the colour the word is printed in,” he said. “It can enhance emotive investment and self-relevant goals.”

“We are saying when people engage in self-control, they ignore important aspects of their goals and feelings. If you have to stay late at work, for example, but you really want to be going home, you have to ignore your desire to go home.

Doing so will help you stay late at work, but it may also put you out of touch with what you personally want and feel on later tasks. Swishing glucose can focus you back on those goals and feelings and this, in turn, can help you perform better on the second task. In short, we believe self-control goes away because people send it away, not because they don’t have energy. People turn it off on purpose.”

www.foodprocessing.com.au

Jan/Feb 2013

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Dennis Mutton and Sandra Di Blasio have been elected to the Board of Directors of the CRC for High Integrity Australian Pork at its 2012 annual general meeting in Melbourne. Professor Simon Maddocks, Rod Hamann and Chris Trengrove were all re-elected to the Board.

The Pork CRC Board now comprises: Dr John Keniry (Chair), Kathryn Adams, Sandra Di Blasio, Rod Hamann, Professor Simon Maddocks, Dennis Mutton, Professor John Pluske, Kenton Shaw, Andrew Spencer, Chris Trengrove, Professor Robert van Barneveld and Dr Hugh Wirth.

The CRC for High Integrity Australia Pork’s four research programs are: • Confinement-free sow and piglet management • Herd health management • Healthy pork consumption • Carbon-conscious nutrient inputs and outputs

Fo d

Mutton is an Adelaide-based independent consultant in resource planning and development, administration of R&D, leadership, strategic management and regional development.

He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is chair of the Council of Rural R&D Corporations, BioInnovation SA and the Native Vegetation Council of SA. A qualified accountant with extensive experience in auditing, risk management, governance and process improvement, Di Blasio has been a member of the Pork CRC Audit Committee since May 2012.

FOR

thought

New CEO for Milmeq Milmeq has appointed a new CEO after current CEO Matthew Wall announced his intention to retire at the end of 2012. Mike Lightfoot was selected from over 100 individuals to lead the next phase of development for Milmeq.

With a background in international sales and marketing, Lightfoot has a passion for New Zealand manufacturing.

“I see huge potential in the suite of technology the company designs and the opportunity to enhance the international recognition of the value delivered to protein processing businesses,” Lightfoot said. While Lightfoot comes from electromagnetics and motion control industries, he has experience leading technical manufacturing companies through change and growth. Lightfoot joined Milmeq on 3 December, to allow a handover period with Matthew Wall.

©iStockphoto.comBecky Weidow

image©iStockphoto.com

In the wrong job? Mutton elected to Pork CRC Board

Consumers deterred by “Made in China” label on food and wine While Chinese might be Australia’s favourite ethnic cuisine, Australian consumers say they are less likely to buy wine and food labelled “Made in China”, according to recent Roy Morgan Research data. However, significant portions of the population are happy to buy clothes and electrical goods that are made in China. “Australians have a strange relationship with our largest trading partner - China,” said Norman Morris, industry communications director with Roy Morgan Research.

“Despite trade with China making up nearly 20% of Australia’s overall two-way trade - well ahead of second-placed Japan (12%), the USA (9%) and South Korea (5.4%), across the board far more Australians say they are “less likely to buy” a product labelled “Made in China” than those that say they are “more likely”.

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Jan/Feb 2013

“The largest difference is for wine and food with 82.6% of Australians “less likely to buy wine labelled Made in China” compared to just 3.2% that would be “more likely” and 82.5% “less likely to buy food labelled Made in China” compared to only 5.8% that would be “more likely”.” According to Morris, considerable proportions of Australians said they are more likely to buy clothes and electrical goods if they are labelled as being made in China - the two product categories for which Chinese goods find the most favour.

“Despite this clear reluctance to buy food and wine labelled “Made in China”, Chinese food remains the favourite ethnic cuisine of more Australians than any other as shown in a recent Roy Morgan State of the Nation Report,” Morris said.

www.foodprocessing.com.au

Fo d

food safety products will also be boosted by the adoption of more stringent food safety regulations in both developed and developing countries.

Freedonia predicts that disinfection products will continue to account for the largest share of the global market for food safety products, representing over half of total demand in the forecast period.

Increasingly, strict food safety regulations worldwide will see an upsurge in the frequency of food plant inspections, which Freedonia says will drive demand for diagnostic testing products.

While the US will remain the world’s largest user of food safety products, accounting for a quarter of the world market, Freedonia predicts the most rapid advances will occur in developing regions.

Following a number of recent food safety incidents, China will see some of the fastest growth in demand and is expected to surpass Japan to become the world’s second largest food safety product market.

For more information on the World Food Safety Products report from Freedonia, visit www.freedoniagroup.com.

Information supplied by The Freedonia Group, Inc.

FOR

image©iStockphoto.com

The food safety sector looks set to boom in the coming years, with a new study from the Freedonia Group suggesting that demand for food safety products will rise 8.4% per year to $18 billion in 2016.

Food safety is at the front of consumers’ and legislators’ minds thanks to international foodborne illness outbreaks and large product recalls due to food safety concerns being given plenty of media airtime, Freedonia says. Demand for

thought

Bonsoy class action widens to include manufacturer and distributor More than 600 Australians have joined a class action against three companies associated with Bonsoy soy milk. Maurice Blackburn Lawyers has extended the statement of claim to include the manufacturer and exporter as well as the brand owner, Spiral Foods. The companies are accused of failing to react to tests showing excessively high levels of iodine in the product, despite multiple consumer complaints.

After commencing action against Spiral Foods in 2010, Maurice Blackburn has now extended the claim to include the two Japanese companies that manufactured and exported the products to Australia: the manufacturer Marusan-ai Co Ltd and the exporter Muso Co Ltd. Maurice Blackburn claims that Bonsoy contained excessive iodine levels since 2003, when Spiral Foods requested that Marusan-ai and Muso reformulate Bonsoy using iodinerich kombu as an alternative means of adding salt. The statement of claim alleges that the three companies did not consider the safety consequences of the reformulation, despite widely available information about the potential dangers of excessive kombu consumption.

“We say that these three companies had test results in mid-2006 which showed that Bonsoy contained extremely high levels of iodine, but they did nothing,” said Irina Lubomirska, Maurice Blackburn Senior Associate. “On at least three occasions they were contacted by customers expressing concerns about the iodine

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Jan/Feb 2013

content of Bonsoy and they did not act to ensure the product was safe. They have breached consumer protection laws in both Australia and Japan. “There was a wealth of information available about appropriate iodine consumption.

Even a five-minute internet search would have revealed that the levels of iodine found by the test in 2006 were dangerously high and could cause a range of health problems. None of the three companies did anything to ensure that Bonsoy, which was marketed and sold as a premium health-food soy brand, was in fact safe to consume.”

The product was not recalled until late in 2009, when health authorities reportedly discovered that one glass of the product contained seven times the upper safe dose of iodine for adults.

Maurice Blackburn claims that hundreds of Bonsoy consumers suffered thyroid illness as a result of consuming the product during the six-year period.

“We will be vigorously pursuing the legal action against the three companies and are confident of proving all allegations at trial,” Lubomirska said. “We have been contacted by approximately 600 victims and believe there is a very good case for compensation for medical expenses and loss of income, as well as pain and suffering and other losses for many of our clients.” For more information on the class action, visit the Maurice Blackburn Lawyers website: www.mauriceblackburn.com.au.

www.foodprocessing.com.au

©iStockphoto.com/ARENA creative

Food safety sector set to boom by 2016

Production of epoxides made from domestic vegetable oils is already at pilot-plant stage.

O

il independence is the dream of many countries that lack raw materials. Nevertheless, black gold still retains its dominant role as a power source, and also serves as a basic material for the chemical industry. In order to change this, researchers started the ‘Integrated BioProduction’ project. At the Fraunhofer Center for Chemical-Biotechnological Processes CBP in Leuna, the pilot plant-scale production of epoxides, made from domestic vegetable oils, begins in October. The intermediate chemical products support the production of lubricants, surfactants and emulsifiers.

Epoxides are highly reactive organic compounds comprised of a triple ring with two carbon atoms and one oxygen atom.

Among other things, the chemicals industry uses them for the production of lubricants for vehicles and engines, as well as surfactants and emulsifiers for detergents and cleansers. Until now, epoxides have been based primarily on source materials procured from petroleum. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB have engineered a chemical-enzymatic process that now enables vegetable oil-based production, at lower temperatures and under more environmentally friendly conditions.

The Fraunhofer Center for Chemical-Biotechnological Processes CBP in Leuna has made this technology ready for industrial application. Starting October 2012, the findings obtained in the laboratory will be scaled up to an even larger volume. Quantities of up to 100 L will be possible at the new centre. That corresponds to a 70 kg batch of epoxides. In the laboratory this reaction yielded batches only in the grams 12

Jan/Feb 2013

range. The 14 partners in the project will be working until April 2014 on engineering a process for procuring epoxides, made from domestic vegetable oils, for industry use.

Using by-products from the food industry The foods that are suitable for epoxides production include, for example, the oils of mustard, elder seed, crambe (Abyssinian cabbage) and dragonhead. To some extent, these oils emerge from food production as by-products, but are not themselves used as food. The epoxide is procured in Leuna from fluid oils, or fatty acids as well, with the aid of chemical-enzymatic epoxidation. In contrast to the established, pure chemical variety, the enzyme lipase here catalyses peracid, the epoxidation medium. The main benefits are that the enzyme is easier and more efficient to handle. In comparison to many other chemical reactions, they operate at moderate temperatures, at neutral pH values and under normal pressure. At the same time, the enzymes conduct the epoxidation only on the designated sites in the molecule, and without side reactions.

“Even if the petrochemical process can never be completely replaced, the potential for sustainable raw materials in the chemicals industry is immense. In 2009, roughly 14 million tons of vegetable oil was used for chemical-technical products, compared to about 400 million tons of mineral oil in the same year. To reduce the dependence on petroleum and carve out potential savings in CO2 equivalents, the industry needs ultra-modern biorefineries. In Leuna, we are creating just the right processes for this,” explains Dr Katja Patzsch, group manager for biotechnological processes at CBP.

www.foodprocessing.com.au

©iStockphoto.com/Kristian Septimius Krogh

INGREDIENTS

Lubricants from vegetable oil

Ingredients NEWS

Nuts to the notion that nuts make you fat Juiciness key to salt reduction in sausages

www.foodprocessing.com.au

Jan/Feb 2013

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INGREDIENTS

Salt reduction is particularly important in processed meat products, which are a major contributor to the high salt intake in the modern Western diet.

Researchers at NIZO have found that by influencing the juiciness of processed meat products, a salt reduction of 15% or more can be achieved while retaining the same salt perception.

The researchers have tested this in sausages that vary in salt level and serum release but not in firmness. By changing the structure but not the firmness, the amount of serum that can be released could be modulated.

A trained panel rated the saltiness, firmness and juiciness of sausages with a low and high serum release at three salt levels. The sensorial scores for saltiness showed that sausages with a high serum release were perceived significantly saltier than those with little serum release.

The perceived juiciness is the result of the amount of serum that is pushed out of the meat matrix while chewing and the ability of the tissue to bind water, which is affected by the salt content. The observed increase in salt perception, as a result of increased juiciness, was largest at the lowest salt level.

“We have already developed innovative clean label solutions for the reduction of salt in bread, cheese and meat while retaining a good taste,’’ said Fred van de Velde, senior scientist and project manager. “With this technology a salt reduction of at least 15% and possibly 40% can be achieved.”

Nuts are back on the menu for dieters, following the release of a health report that busts the diet myth that eating nuts makes you fat. The 2012 Nut Report: Nuts and the Big Fat Myth shows that this myth is so ingrained in the Australian psyche that it’s the reason 98% of Australians don’t meet the recommended daily intake of 30 g of nuts a day.

“Nuts are nutrient-dense and a rich source of good fats - mono and polyunsaturated fats,” said Lisa Yates, Advance Accredited Practising Dietitian and author of the report.

“This has led to confusion and perpetuated the myth that eating nuts makes you gain weight. In fact, the science shows the opposite is true.”

Yates said the report shows that those who regularly eat nuts generally have a lower body mass index (BMI), a better diet, lower risk of chronic disease and are less likely to gain weight than people who avoid eating nuts.

“To ensure more Australians gain the important health benefits of nuts, it is critical to bust the myth and once and for all confirm a handful of nuts a day does not cause weight gain and, as part of an energy-controlled diet, may help you lose weight.”

The study analysed a number of population studies, including the SeventhDay Adventist study, Nurses’ Health Study and the Physicians’ Health Study, which followed more than 130,000 people in total. It also analysed more than 60 intervention studies including research on weight management in diets designed to achieve other health outcomes such as cholesterol lowering and diabetes management.

The study said that, as well as having a high protein and fibre content that helps to satisfy hunger, nuts contain a fat that releases satiety hormones such as cholecystokinin CCK into the digestive system, which increases metabolism.

Despite nuts’ higher fat content, nut eaters don’t absorb all the fat in nuts, the report said, but rather excrete more fat that those who don’t eat nuts.

Ingredients NEWS

INGREDIENTS

New technology takes the danger out of ripening fruit Who knew ripening fruit could be so dangerous? Bananas, mangoes, avocados, citrus and tomatoes are all picked at ‘commercial maturity’, when they are hard and green, but in a mature state, before ripening has started.

Compressed ethylene gas, which is stored in cylinders, has traditionally been used to ripen and colour these fruits, but in its compressed form it is highly volatile and can cause explosive accidents.

New technology could take the danger out of ripening f r u i t , h o w e v e r. M a t e r i a l s scientists from the University of Queensland (UQ) have developed a way to convert the unstable ethylene gas into a more stable powder form.

“Compressed gas can be expensive, difficult to handle and unsafe,” said Professor Bhesh Bhandari, who developed the technology along with PhD student Binh Ho. “To try to overcome these disadvantages, we have been looking at methods to encapsulate the gas in various types of solid materials to create a safe and convenient powder form.”

The research team, from UQ’s School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, identified a starch derivative biological material that has cavities in its crystalline structure that encapsulate the ethylene gas. The ethylene gas is released from the complex powder when the temperature and humidity are raised.

“We have developed a food-grade, environmentally friendly biological powder that can release the ethylene gas very quickly in humid and high-temperature conditions,” Ho said. “This would make handling the ethylene much easier and safer and allow for very small amounts to be used to ripen small batches of fruit.

“It could also potentially be placed in trucks that transport the fruit from the farm so that the fruit arrives at the market perfectly ripe.”

Professor Bhandari presented the findings at the International Drying Symposium in China, where he was also presented with the Excellence in Drying Award, which is presented once every four years to the world’s top researcher in recognition of their achievements in the transfer of fundamentals into practice. The award is presented by the International Drying Symposium and is sponsored by the French Association for Drying in Industry and Agriculture.

Professor Bhandari and Ho are working with UniQuest, UQ’s research commercialisation company, to prepare the technology for industry investment and licensing opportunities. An application for patent protection for the technology has been made.

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Huge costs of E. coli O157 infections A new study on the long-term health costs associated with E. coli O157 has estimated the cost of primary and secondary illness in Canada to be $240 million per year. The scientific model used data from the National Notifiable Disease Registry (NNDR), examined the burden of disease, the direct cost to the Canadian health care system and the indirect societal costs for lost productivity and premature death resulting from Verotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC) infection.

According to the model, 22,329 cases of primary VTEC infections occur in Canada annually, costing Canada $26.7 million in medical costs, lost productivity and premature death. The estimated annual medical cost of the long-term health outcomes attributed to E. coli O157 infection is $213 million annually, making the combined total costs approximately $240 million per year. The NNDR online information reported that 48.7% of the total VTEC illnesses involved children and adolescents.

The 2002 to 2008 Long-term Health Study, funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term Care, which followed Walkerton, Ontario, citizens for six years after the town’s well was contaminated afforded the opportunity to learn about the long-term health consequences of E. coli O157 exposure. The findings of this research demonstrated an increased risk of kidney damage, irritable bowel syndrome, hypertension and cardiovascular disease in those individuals infected with E. coli O157.

“I have witnessed first-hand the long-term impact that E. coli O157 can have on people,” said Dr William Clark, an investigator on the Walkerton Long-term Health study. “We have an obligation to do whatever we can to mitigate the impact of this deadly pathogen.”

Hundreds of different types of E. coli exist, most of which don’t harm humans. One category of E. coli, VTEC, has been associated with causing human illness.

93.7% of the VTEC illness in Canada comes from one type: E. coli O157. The primary source of E. coli O157 is cattle. It is estimated that as many as half the herds in North America are contaminated with E. coli O157.

“Canadian food processors do a tremendous job protecting consumers from E. coli, but more can be done on the farm - at the source of the problem,” said Mr Bliss Baker, spokesperson for the Canadian Food Safety Alliance. “There are on-farm preventative measures such as vaccination of cattle, the primary source of this pathogen, which would reduce the risk of human exposure to E. coli O157.”

“When the estimated annual burden of illness due to E. coli O157 is $240 million and the estimated annual cost to address this at the source by vaccination of cattle is only $50 million, why aren’t we doing it,” added Baker.

Canadian Food safety Alliance

©iStockphoto.com/AntiMartina

INGREDIENTS

Who’d have thought it?

You’re better off eating the food than taking a supplement

It’s a very ‘first world’ approach, this seeking a product to cure our current and prevent future health problems.

The idea that a food supplement or a pill can magically prevent disease is very alluring and much of the complementary therapy industry uses this allure to attract business.

L

ong-chain omega-3 fatty acids are a case in point. Omega-3s are part of the vernacular - not only are fish oil capsules and krill oil capsules available in every supermarket, lots and lots of foods are marketed as ‘containing omega-3’.

In Australia, the Heart Foundation claims: “Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats are essential nutrients for a healthy heart. Since the release of our position statement in 2008 we have recommended that Australian adults consume at least 500 mg of omega-3 EPA/ DHA every day from oily fish or fish oil supplements.”

The US FDA has approved the administration of omega-3s as triglyceride-lowering agents in patients with overt hypertriglyceridemia, and some (but not all) European national regulatory agencies have approved the omega-3 administration for cardiovascular risk modification.

However, it now seems that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation is not associated with lower risk of major CVD events.

It turns out we’d be better off eating the fish than taking the supplement. Who’d have thought it?

Eating at least two servings of oily fish a week is moderately but significantly associated with a reduced risk of stroke, according to a recent study published on bmj.com. But taking

fish oil supplements doesn’t seem to have the same effect, say the researchers.

Regular consumption of fish and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids has been linked with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease and current guidelines recommend eating at least two portions of fish a week, preferably oily fish like mackerel and sardines. But evidence supporting a similar benefit for stroke remains unclear.

So an international team of researchers, led by Dr Rajiv Chowdhury at Cambridge University and Professor Oscar H Franco at Erasmus MC Rotterdam, analysed the results of 38 studies to help clarify the association between fish consumption and risk of stroke or mini-stroke (transient ischaemic attack or TIA). Collectively, these conditions are known as cerebrovascular disease.

The 38 studies involved nearly 800,000 individuals in 15 countries and included patients with established cardiovascular disease (secondary prevention studies) as well as lower risk people without the disease (primary prevention studies). Differences in study quality were taken into account to identify and minimise bias.

Fish and long-chain omega-3 fatty acid consumption was assessed using dietary questionnaires, identifying markers of

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Jan/Feb 2013

15

INGREDIENTS TESTING

omega-3 fats in the blood and recording use of fish oil supplements. A total of 34,817 cerebrovascular events were recorded during the studies.

After adjusting for several risk factors, participants eating two to four servings a week had a moderate but significant 6% lower risk of cerebrovascular disease compared with those eating one or fewer servings of fish a week, while participants eating five or more servings a week had a 12% lower risk.

An increment of two servings per week of any fish was associated with a 4% reduced risk of cerebrovascular disease.

In contrast, levels of omega-3 fats in the blood and fish oil supplements were not significantly associated with a reduced risk.

Several reasons could explain the beneficial impact of eating fish on vascular health, say the authors. For example, it may be due to interactions between a wide range of nutrients, like vitamins and essential amino acids, commonly found in fish.

Alternatively, eating more fish may lead to a reduction in other foods, like red meat, that are detrimental to vascular health. Or higher fish intake may simply be an indicator of a generally healthier diet or higher socioeconomic status, both associated with better vascular health.

The differences seen between white and oily fish may be explained by the way they are typically cooked (white fish is generally battered and deep fried, adding potentially damaging fats).

Although there’s a possibility that some other unmeasured (confounding) factor may explain their results, the authors con-

clude that “they reinforce a potentially modest beneficial role of fish intake in the cause of cerebrovascular disease”.

In addition, they say their findings are in line with current dietary guidelines that encourage fish consumption for all; and intake of fish oils to people with pre-existing or at high risk of heart disease. They also support the view that future nutritional guidelines should be principally “food based”.

In an accompanying editorial, authors from the Division of Human Nutrition at Wageningen University suggest that although it is “reasonable” to advise patients that eating one or two portions of fish per week could reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke, any benefit of long-chain omega-3 fatty acid supplementation is likely to be small. They say it is possible, however, that patients with additional risk factors such as diabetes may benefit.

In another study, Evangelos C Rizos, MD, PhD, of the University Hospital of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece, and colleagues performed a large-scale synthesis of the available randomised evidence by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the association between omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and major cardiovascular outcomes. They found that supplementation with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids was not associated with a lower risk of all-cause death, cardiac death, sudden death, heart attack or stroke. The study included nearly 70,000 patients and was published in the 12 September issue of JAMA.

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Jan/Feb 2013

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R

esearchers at the University of Seville (Spain) have developed a technique for estimating grape composition and variety using computer imaging.

They have also put forward an index for identifying the ripeness of seeds without the need for chemical analysis. This new method can help to decide the best moment for picking.

The normal procedure for identifying the sugar content of grapes involves chemical analysis. But this is a long and tedious task that tells vine-growers when to start picking their grapes. Now, though, scientists at the University of Seville (US) are proposing an alternative technique: photographing grapes and analysing the images.

The method consists of inserting the fruit or seeds into a light-controlled cabin. Computer imaging then identifies exact colour in accordance with International Commission on Illumination standards along with morphological characteristics such as length, width and sphericity.

Lastly, using software developed by the researchers themselves, the variety of samples can be recognised by comparison with a pre-established database of images.

Published in the Computers and Electronics in Agriculture journal, the study has been successfully validated in vineyards with the Denomination of Origin Condado de Huelva.

The machine is capable of differentiating whether the grape is of the Tempranillo, Syrah or the native Zalema variety.

“The advantage of this technique is that it offers automated and speedy quality control and inspection as well as objective monitoring of the ripening process,” as explained to SINC by Francisco J Heredia, one of the authors and coordinator of the Food Colour and Quality Group of the US. The researcher also highlights that they conceived a ‘browning index’ for seeds - a parameter that estimates

ripening stage regardless of variety and harvest year solely using data provided by the images.

Revelation of phenolic content with images In addition, thanks to statistical tools, the team has been able to confirm that there is indeed a direct relationship between the aspect and colour of seeds and their phenolic content, with phenols being compounds that determine the ripeness of the grape. This is also the case according to another study published in the Analytica Chimica Acta journal, which obtained its results from La Rioja grapes collected on six separate occasions.

“The compounds analysed in the seeds are not the main causers of red wine colour, but their polymerisation and oxidation during the ripening phase cause browning in the seeds. This was determined using tristimulus colorimetry through digital imaging and is linked with composition,” adds another of the authors, Francisco J Rodríguez-Pulido.

Understanding this relationship “proves useful as a quick and objective estimation method when deciding upon the best time for picking and, therefore, the quality of the wine, without the need for chemical and sensory analyses”.

Wine experts tend to use so-called ‘technological ripening’, based on sugar from juice, as a way of determining when to pick grapes. However, the authors have emphasised that the ripeness of seeds must not be forgotten as this also influences wine quality.

“In warm climates, like that enjoyed in the south of Spain, technological ripening occurs quickly and does not provide enough time for seeds protected inside the grape to develop at the same speed,” explains Rodríguez-Pulido, who recognises the need for continued research so that in the future “grapes characteristics shown in their digital ‘portrait’ can be used to predict the type of wine that they will yield”.

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TESTING

Computer imaging provides grape sugar & ripeness information

Mobile gas analyser Witt-Gasetechnik’s Oxybaby mobile gas analyser has been improved, with the aim of enhancing the precision and reliability along with the application range of quality testing for protective gas packaging.

The handheld unit developed for mobile sample analysis requires only a small amount of sample gas in the series standard entering production. Depending on the application,

TESTING

Multiview light sheet fluorescence microscope The Carl Zeiss Lightsheet Z.1 is a multiview light sheet fluorescence microscope which allows users to record the development of large, living samples. The system allows imaging with virtually no phototoxicity and with high temporal resolution.

Light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) splits fluorescence excitation and detection into two separate paths, with the axis of illumination perpendicular to the detection axis. Users can illuminate a single thin section of a sample at one time, generating an inherent optical section by exciting only fluorescence from the in-focus plane. No pinhole or image processing is required.

Light from the in-focus plane is collected on the pixels of a camera. Parallelisation of the image collection on a camera-based detector allows fast collection of images with little excitation light; making 3D imaging fast and light efficient.

around 2 mL is adequate for determining the oxygen or carbon dioxide content.

This corresponds to about half of the gas required by previous versions of this widespread measuring instrument, the company says. Even the smallest packaging can therefore be monitored with a high degree of accuracy.

An optimised design and hose system as well as an improved interaction of the individual components makes this possible. According to the manufacturer, the modified structure will also increase reliability against failure and minimise service requirements.

The dual-pressure sensors installed provide a more accurate flow rate control and indicate the gas pressure in the packaging. The LED display has a white illuminated background making it easier for the user to read the measuring results, even at low ambient lighting.

There are three versions of Oxybaby with different equipment, for use primarily in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

The sensor needle (protected when not used) is pushed into the packaging via a small sealing plate for the measurement.

Carl Zeiss Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S160

The evaluation is output automatically in just a few seconds.

The measuring range extends from 0 to 100% with a display accuracy of 0.1%. The measured values are saved.

The unit weighs around 600 g and is supplied in a protective case including batteries, spare parts, consumable material and accessories. It is available with options such as a barcode reader, Bluetooth capability and a can piercer for testing bottles and cans. Complete digital documentation and analysis of the measured results is also possible via optional software.

Niche Gas Products Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S536

Food texture analyser Mecmesin has released the FTA 2.5 i food texture analyser. The analyser is based on the Mecmesin MultiTest 2.5 i, the 2.5 kN test centre for tension and compression.

The FTA 2.5 i is controlled by Mecmesin’s Emperor software, directly connected to the testing centre to control the machine and capture the data. The FTA 2.5 i can be preprogrammed for routine testing as well as R&D testing.

In-depth and advanced routines can be programmed and the analysing part of the software enables analysis of food texture properties such as chewiness, firmness, hardness and softness of food products.

Special probes and fixtures, such as the Kramer Shear cell, Dough and Gluten test cell and a variety of accessories, are available.

SI Instruments Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q511 18

Jan/Feb 2013

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Automated LC-MS system for water and beverage analysis The Thermo Scientific EQuan MAX Plus LC-MS is a turnkey, automated LC-MS (liquid chromatographymass spectrometry) system for water and beverage analysis designed to allow immediate user productivity and reduce human error by automating manual procedures.

The system is suitable for analysing water and beverages for trace amounts of pesticides, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, endocrine disruptors It includes Dionex Ultimate 3000 UHPLC pumps for productivity, precision and ruggedness. The system accommodates multiple benchtop configurations, including single stack, multiple stack, MS on left and MS on right.

Three mass spectrometer options are available: the Exactive Plus high-resolution accurate mass mass spectrometer for non-targeted screening and quantitation; the TSQ-series triple-stage quadrupole mass spectrometer for targeted screening and quantitation; and the Q Exactive hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometer for targeted or non-targeted screening, quantitation and confirmation.

Ampcontrol has announced the release of the iQguard toxic and combustible gas detectors.

Locally designed and manufactured in Australia, Ampcontrol’s iQguard toxic and combustible gas detectors have been engineered and manufactured to fit applications that require accurate and reliable gas monitoring where a high degree of safety is required.

The detectors are intuitively simple to set up and use, reliable in operation and, along with their robust construction, provide for high-integrity monitoring solutions.

The products are designed to accommodate a wide range of options and configurations including, but not limited to, moulded PVC or folded stainless steel enclosures, display or non-display and built-in relays. Communication options include Modbus RTU or ethernet, facilitating connection to a wide variety of controllers and building management systems.

All detectors in the range carry EMC and EMI approvals and incorporate inbuilt sensor self-testing.

Ampcontrol Electronics Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R627

Thermo Fisher Scientific Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S165

•Powerful Customisation •Accurate Analysis

HI902C Automatic Titration System HI902C automatic titrator can perform acid/base, potentiometric, ORP, complexometric, precipitation, back titrations and titre determinations.

This versatile titrator supports up to 100 methods, has a large colour LCD screen and a real time titration curve amoungst a host of other useful features.

Contact Hanna Instruments to learn more about this powerful automatic titrator.

Tel: 03 9769 0666

Fax: 03 9769 0699 Email: sales@hannainst.com.au

www.hannainst.com.au

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TESTING

and perfluorinated compounds.

Fixed toxic and combustible gas detection instruments

Food texture analysis machine The Lloyd TA1 Texture Analyser from Bestech Australia is a cost-effective solution for performing rapid and detailed texture analysis in applications requiring up to maximum 1 kN applied force.

The TA1 allows users to compare the effect of changing one ingredient by measuring the resultant changes in texture. Other causes of changes in product texture, such as changes in the manufacturing process, cooking temperature, humidity, storage time and/or process timing or other process variables, can also be analysed using the TA1.

TESTING

The TA1 primarily measures the force generated by subjecting the sample to a programmed displacement vs time profile. When combined with the Lloyd NexygenPlus texture analysis software, complex texture tests can be programmed and analysed easily. Parameters such as adhesion, chewiness, firmness, hardness, modulus, resilience and stringiness are calculated as a standard procedure. Their values can be displayed in user-selected formats - graphical and tabular - on the host desktop PC or laptop.

The analyser has a force precision of Âą0.5% of 1% of load cell rating and a data sampling rate of 8 kHz. It is available in standalone, automatic or manual control. The TA1 is supplied with a range of jigs,

complying with international test standards, intuitive user-

Electric and magnetic field strength measuring systems

configurable test facilities, video and still image capture

The Narda Industrial Field Meters NIM-511

for visual analysis, SPC for continuous monitoring of

and NIM-513 are handheld measuring

process capability parameters, Microsoft Office integration

systems for equipment that operates

for seamless transfer of data to Windows Packages and

using industrial frequencies.

probes and fixtures and has a 180 mm throat depth.

The NexygenPlus software has a large library of standard test methods

test automation and batch testing. It is Windows 7 compatible.

The devices make standard-compliant measurements of electric and magnetic

Bestech Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R346

field strength to determine the degree of exposure to electromagnetic radiation and demonstrate adherence to human safety regulations. The meters consist of a basic unit and a measuring probe equipped with electric and magnetic field sensors.

The NIM-511 sensors cover a frequency range from 300 kHz to 100 MHz and are balanced during calibration at the 13.56

Inert pipette tips for food manufacturing applications

semiconductor manufacturing.

The NIM-513 sensors cover the range

For food manufacturers, clean equipment is vital to safe food production. To address

10 to 42 MHz and are balanced during

manufacturers’ concerns about labware safety, Mettler Toledo has introduced Rainin

calibration at the 27.12 MHz ISM frequency

BioClean pipette tips.

- the frequency most often used for heat

These 100% inert tips help ensure safer ingredients, critical to product safety

welding equipment and induction ovens.

and consistency. This in turn may help to reduce costs associated with reworked

Weighing 600 g, the devices are com-

batches and unhappy customers, assisting compliance with increasingly stringent

pact and easy to use. Since the probes

food manufacturing guidelines worldwide.

measure the electric and magnetic fields

Many products on the market are labelled 100% contaminant-free or sterile.

at the same time, there is no need to

However, research shows that even these tips may compromise the outcome of

switch probes, saving time when taking

scientific work because of the presence of substances commonly used in pipette

measurements. Automatic measurement

tip manufacturing, such as the detergent DiHEMDA and releasing agent oleamide.

range selection, auto-zeroing, clear op-

BioClean tips are claimed to be free of both of these substances. The pipette tips

erating mode display and a digital result

are also produced and packaged in a class 100,000 cleanroom environment via a

readout give reliable results and minimise

fully automated process, which ensures they are free of external contaminants such

mistakes in measurement.

as DNA, DNase, RNase, ATP, Pyrogens, PCR Inhibitors.

Mettler Toledo Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S506 20

MHz ISM - a frequency often used in

Jan/Feb 2013

www.foodprocessing.com.au

Narda Safety Test Solutions GmbH Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S423

Adding fish oil to milk without destroying flavour

Dairy

Tetra Pak has strengthened its portfolio of complete processing production solutions for the dairy and cheese industries with the acquisition of Filtration Engineering Company.

Minneapolis-based Filtration Engineering is reportedly the US market leader in membrane filtration technology for the dairy and cheese industries.

Established in 1982, the company specialises in the design, construction and commissioning of membrane filtration systems used in the areas of milk, whey and specialised waste treatment systems.

“The acquisition of Filtration Engineering strengthens our portfolio of products, solutions and services for dairy and cheese applications as well as provides us with additional knowledge and competence,” said Tim High, Executive Vice President Processing Systems, Tetra Pak. “Adding Filtration Engineering’s technical expertise in membrane filtration and its US market leadership to our expertise in ceramic filtration and global market presence is a winning combination for Filtration Engineering, Tetra Pak and our customers around the world.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Filtration Engineering will remain in its current location in Champlin, Minnesota and form a unit of Tetra Pak Cheese and Powder Systems Inc.

The aroma-free formulation delivered 432 milligrams of fatty acids per cup, close to the 500 mg daily target for healthy people suggested by a broad range of health studies. The US Department of Agriculture suggests daily consumption of 250 mg per day in healthy adults.

Research has shown omega-3 fatty acids are helpful for preventing coronary disease, reducing inflammation, assisting infant brain development and maintaining brain function.

Meanwhile, the American Heart Association recommends eating two servings of fatty fish per week, citing research that has shown omega-3 fatty acids decrease the risk of potentially fatal heart arrhythmias, decrease triglyceride levels, slow growth of atherosclerotic plaque and slightly lower blood pressure.

But fish hasn’t caught on with everyone, making room for new foods and beverages fortified with omega-3s in an expanding marketplace. Sales are expected to reach more than $3 billion in 2016, according to marketing analysts.

“I think the dairy industry can look at our study and determine whether it is plausible to modify its products,” Duncan said. “I would like to help people who love milk, yoghurt and dairy, which have intrinsic nutritional value, address an additional need in their diets, especially if they don’t like to eat fish or can’t afford it. One of these dairy servings a day apparently is enough to sustain enough continuous omega-3 to benefit heart health.”

If such a product catches on with consumers, Duncan said the next step for researchers is to follow groups of volunteers in an epidemiological study of whether the food improves health outcomes.

“Milk was first fortified with Vitamin D as a way to fight rickets - a disease that leads to soft or weak bones,” said Kerry E Kaylegian, a dairy foods research and extension associate with Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, who was not involved in the research. “It was a good approach to address a dietary deficiency disease, because so many people drink milk, which is already loaded with nutrients. This study describes fortification of milk with omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. We can’t say lack of those compounds definitively causes cardiac disease, but there is evidence that they protect us and contribute to heart and brain health. Milk would be a good delivery vehicle for those nutrients.” www.foodprocessing.com.au

Jan/Feb 2013

23

DAIRY

NEWS Tetra Pak acquires US membrane filtration technology leader

Not everyone likes fish, even though it is a natural source of omega-3 fatty acids. And while a growing number of omega-3 enriched foods may net health benefits for people who resist the lure of salmon or sashimi, milk remains the product that has gotten away in what has become a billion-dollar health industry.

But now, food science researchers at Virginia Tech may have reeled milk into the omega-3 delivery system, showing it is possible to incorporate fish oil into milk and dairy-based beverages in amounts sufficient to promote heart health without destroying the product’s taste or limiting its lifespan.

Even better, the milk passes the sniff test. Twenty-five volunteers evaluated 25 mL cups of standard 2% milk alongside samples of skim milk containing 78 parts butter oil to 22 parts fish oil in institutionally approved study conditions.

“We couldn’t find any aroma differences,” said Susan E Duncan, a professor of food science and technology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “We were concerned the fish oil would undergo oxidation, which would shorten the milk’s shelf life, or the milk would acquire a cardboard or paint flavour by reacting with the fish oil. It appears we have a product that is stable, with no chemical taste or smell issues.”

The study, featured in the November issue of the Journal of Dairy Science, tested four different ratios of butter oil to fish oil in the production of pasteurised, fatty acid-fortified beverages.

Is the welfare of the NZ and Aust dairy herds being neglected?

©iStockphoto.com/Grant Shimmin

DAIRY

Janette Woodhouse

Are New Zealand and Australian cows being treated more poorly than those in Russia where daylight saving has been abandonded to reduce stress on the herd?

D

aylight saving was scrapped in Russia last year.

The country moved its clocks forward to ‘summer time’ on 27 March 2011 and has stayed on summer time ever since. This means that when the rest of Europe returns to normal time for winter, Russia is four hours behind London rather than three. This is having a significant effect on the Russian stock market. Trades dropped 15% in the first 15 days after the rest of Europe returned to normal time at the end of October this year.

According to Rupert Neate’s article in The Guardian on 15 November, the Russian Prime Minister, Dmitry Medvedev, decided to scrap daylight saving because farmers complained that it upsets the rhythm of dairy cows.

Neate went on to refer to an earlier Guardian article by Tom Parfitt and James Meikle where Tatyana Rybalova, head of the research centre of Russia’s National Union of Milk Producers, said, “It’s true that cows are a lot more sensitive than humans to the changing of the clocks. I remember when daylight saving time was introduced in the Soviet times, there were protests by milkmaids in Novosibirsk and Omsk.

It seemed to particularly upset the cows in Siberia.”

The same article went on to quote Arkady Tishkov, a geography professor and member of the working group that advised cancelling twice-yearly time adjustments.

24

Jan/Feb 2013

“During the period of the clocks changing, the number of heart attacks increases by 50% and the number of suicides by 66%. Crime will also drop when the clocks are not put back in October because thieves are less active during daylight hours.” Tishkov added that the time adjustments provoke a litany of problems, including disruption of sleep patterns, aggravation of chronic diseases and increased traffic accidents.

Now, surely what is good for the Russian dairy herd should be good for the Australian and New Zealand herd?

In 1984, one Northland dairying community, Ararua, did stage a revolt and erected a signpost - ‘Welcome to Ararua time. Drive slowly - you’re an hour early anyway’ - but this revolt was short lived and now all New Zealand cows are forced to suffer the stress of time changes.

A bouquet should go to Queensland, which has steadfastly refused to adopt daylight saving and whose dairy herd should be considered superior because it is subjected to less stress. I wonder why they don’t use this in their marketing?

Apparently it is not only the Russian cows that don’t like time change, but the Novosibirsk and Omsk milkmaids. So now I am worrying about the Gippsland and Dairy Flat milkmaids.

I could worry some more but the sun is shining and the evening calling … I may go out and enjoy the extended daylight instead.

www.foodprocessing.com.au

Dairy NEWS

New method identifies milk source of premium dairy products

DAIRY

Premium dairy products, such as imported specialty cheeses labelled with a designation of origin, are the most vulnerable to adulteration, with unscrupulous manufacturers substituting cheaper ingredients for more costly ones or skimping on high-quality ingredients.

A new method described in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry is said to be able to determine whether specialty cheeses are true to label, such as mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP, which is traditionally made from water buffalo milk.

The method, authored by Barbara van Asch and colleagues, involved the development and laboratory testing of 96 dairy products commercially available in Europe, including cheeses, milks, yoghurts and butters. The researchers found that about 12% of the products did not contain the ingredients listed on the label, such as a product labelled as 100% sheep’s milk that contained milk from cows and goats.

Previous studies have shown that the problem of dairy products not being true to label is widespread, with mislabelled products appearing in Italy, Spain, China and India. Current methods of detecting fakes can’t simultaneously detect cow, goat, sheep and buffalo milks, which prompted the researchers to develop a more effective method.

Bring Clarity to your ProCess With sPX SPX Seital brand clarifiers and separators incorporate design features based on exacting customer requirements. You can depend on decades of experience and equipment dependability to ensure your toughest separation challenges are met with confidence. To learn more about how SPX can clarify your process, please visit www.spx.com or www.seital.com

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Jan/Feb 2013

25

Independent spray dryer an “amazing opportunity” for NZ manufacturers

DAIRY

New Zealand’s only independent spray dryer has been established at Hamilton’s Waikato Innovation Park. New Zealand Food Innovation (Waikato) Ltd and the New Zealand Government commissioned Tetra Pak to build the dryer, which can produce half a tonne of whole milk powder per hour.

The first commercial product was produced on 25 May 2012, with the customer signing the acceptance certificate in October.

“We believe this dryer facility is a key mechanism for moving the dairy industry from a focus on commodities to value-added production,” Derek Fairweather, then CEO of New Zealand Food Innovation (Waikato), said at commissioning.

“This should keep New Zealand powder manufacturing at the top of the technology game, with the spray dryer suitable for nutritional formula, specialty dairy powders and a range of non-dairy products.”

Tetra Pak was awarded the contract in April 2011, with installation commencing in December 2011. Tetra Pak attributes the speed of installation to the use of Waikato-based suppliers and its own proximity to the facility - the Tetra Pak office is located just 200 metres from the spray dryer.

“The commissioning process was one of the smoothest on record, which is a credit to the whole project team,” said Dave Shute, plant manager.

The facility includes an unload tanker bay, Tetra Magna TVR 2-effect Evaporator, Tetra Magner Dryer, CIP-able baghouse, powder transport and a fully integrated third-party powder packing line. The plant’s flexibility allows processing of products containing heat-sensitive proteins.

Operation of the dryer requires two people. It can operate for up to 21 hours a day, plus three hours for a nominal cleaning-in-place cycle.

“Spray drying offers an amazing opportunity for manufacturers to export highquality, value-added products to Asian markets,” said Phil Steeghs, key account manager with Tetra Pak. “This dryer is one of the world’s smallest, but with the functionality of a commercially sized powder drying plant. It is suitable for testing runs and for modelling drying parameters for future upscale for commercial production.”

Tetra Pak New Zealand Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S224

Inductive sensors The Turck Q42 is a long-range factor one inductive proximity sensor using FDA-rated materials for washdown applications that is available in a top-facing model and a front-facing model. The Q42 is designed to deliver optimal performance in applications that require frequent cleaning with chemicals found in food and beverage applications or where the sensor is exposed to wet environments, such as carwashes or outdoor applications.

The Q42 features an improved design with a durable stainless steel connector and PA12 thermoplastic housing that delivers resistance to chemicals and caustic cleaning agents, as well as shock from impact.

Additionally, the upgraded housing materials are food safe and meet FDA Regulation 21CFR 177, 1500(9) for the US and FDA/EGVO 1935/2004 for the EU. The Q42 features integrated predamping that gives the designer flexibility to partially recess the sensor into their design. The existing uprox+ washdown range of sensors from Turck comprises 12, 18 and 30 mm diameter barrels with sensing ranges between 4 and 30 mm. The Q42 offers a sensing range of 50 mm to all types of metals. This not only eliminates the need to change the position of the sensors for different metal applications, but also reduces the number of sensor types needed for plant operations. In addition to an extended sensing distance, the Q42 delivers reliable operation in temperatures ranging from -40 to 100°C. Turck Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R162

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Jan/Feb 2013

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Flexible packaging range Sherpac will showcase its range of flexible

Processed cheese formulation software

packaging products made from genuine food-

Caseus Pro formulation software enables

grade materials at Foodtech Packtech 2012.

cheese manufacturers to measure, rather than

The range includes zip bags, bags with

estimate, the functional protein content of their

spouts, block-bottomed bags, pocket pouches,

natural cheese ingredients. It can assist in improving quality

gusseted bags, standing pouches and tins.

control, allowing manufacturers to produce a consistent product.

The software has an intact casein calibration curve incorporated into its formulation software

food and beverage products such as cof-

that allows processed cheese makers to rapidly and accurately measure the functional protein

fee, confectionery, soup, condiments, baked

(intact casein) content of their natural cheese ingredients and adjust their formulations accordingly.

goods, nuts and dried fruits.

Combined with a FOSS FoodScan, Caseus Pro enables formulators to quickly and easily measure

Packaging is completely customised to suit

and control the intact casein in their processed cheese product. The FoodScan provides results

clients’ products. Sherpac has produced all

for composition and intact casein in 50 s. The results are then imported directly into Caseus

kinds of bags, from 25 g coffee sachets to 10

Pro’s formulation software, simplifying the process and removing the risk of human error involved

kg agricultural bags. The company produces

in manual data entry.

packaging from a range of materials, such

The software’s recipe library allows quick and easy solving of formulations, and all inventory

as foil, high-clarity films, high barrier plastics,

and recipes are fully searchable by keywords, name, etc. It uses an Internet Explorer or Firefox

environmental laminate Eco HB, kraft and

interface, allowing full access from any computer on the network, without download or install. It

cotton effect papers.

gives improved control of new product development and recipe changes, allowing users to reverse-

Sherpac Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q905

engineer recipes and track development history.

Gold Peg International Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R352

www.foodprocessing.com.au

Jan/Feb 2013

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DAIRY

The packaging is suitable for a range of

PROCESSING

Women in business: representatives for their gender or their industry?

An interview with Carolyn Creswell Alice Richard

It’s an unfortunate fact that women who are highly successful in their fields are often asked to comment on gender in their industry. While their male counterparts are questioned about the state of the industry and business decisions, female business owners and CEOs are quizzed about how they manage to juggle a career and children.

The backstory The story of Carman’s Fine Foods is a small business owner’s dream. In 1992, at the age of 18, Creswell paid $1000 for a half-share in a tiny business that supplied homemade muesli to Melbourne cafes and delis. Twenty years on, Carman’s supplies all major Australian supermarkets and exports to 32 countries around the world.

With no business qualifications, no business mentor and four children under the age of eight, Creswell’s career path has differed significantly from that of many of her peers. But that may just be the key to her success.

“I guess I’ve always challenged the status quo,” Creswell said.

Refusing to do things a particular way just because everyone else does has paid off for Creswell, as has her commitment to treating everyone with dignity and respect.

Whether it be avoiding the use of additives, using ingredients in their most natural form or being the first Australian company to use sulfite-free apricots, Creswell has stuck to her guns and stayed true to her original aim of producing good quality, nutritious food.

Small but significant allowances like flexible working hours and leave to attend children’s school activities - as well as a kids’ room with a bed and computer for sick days and holidays - have fostered a positive and supportive work environment with low staff turnover.

“It’s not like it’s rocket science, what we do here,” Creswell said. “I personally believe that if people are treated with respect and they’re empowered and given all the tools they need to do the best job they can, then they will give as much as they can back to the business.

“It actually pays for itself, the way we operate here,” Creswell said. “It’s not like we’re doing anything expensive or complicated - we certainly aren’t.”

The dreaded gender question WNIFT&M asked Creswell the obligatory gender questions, such as whether the gender balance has changed in Creswell’s 20 years in the industry. “Oh, absolutely,” Creswell said. “There are certainly more women in the industry, and certainly in the more senior positions, than there were 20 years ago.”

Gender relations have also improved since then, Creswell says. She recounted the story of an unsavoury packaging supplier in the early ‘90s shutting her in an office plastered with nudie calendars and asking her when she was going to start having an affair with him. “I was just horrified,” she said.

“Maybe now because I’m older and stronger it doesn’t happen so much,” Creswell said. “But it was shocking in the early days.”

She does, however, note an ever-present assumption that her children would prefer to have her at home full-time - and that she would rather be there. “I don’t aspire to be home all day, every day,” Creswell said. “I actually love going to work and my kids are so proud of me. And I think that’s great - it’s great to be a role model.”

Creswell makes no bones about the fact that she’s not the one who washes the floors at home but says she’s still very engaged with her children. “It’s not the number of hours that you’re with them, but the quality of time that you spend,” she concluded.

Export While Creswell’s views on women in industry and work-life balance are illuminating, so too are her business approaches.

WNIFT&M spoke with Creswell about exporting, food trends and ethical business.

Creswell says the move to supplying supermarkets was more difficult than the move to exporting due to the dramatic increase in volume the business had to generate. In contrast, Creswell says, “Export’s been a slow burner; we’ve been doing it for 10 years.”

But exporting has presented its own unique set of hurdles.

Currency fluctuations, quarantine procedures, changing restrictions and country-specific idiosyncrasies have all posed challenges.

Despite this, Creswell says exporting is “challenging but it is extremely exciting and rewarding”.

The Asian market is quite different to anything Creswell had previously experienced. “A lot of it’s building relationships and trust and mutual respect,” Creswell said. “It’s not just about whether your product’s any good and how much it costs.”

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I

t’s also an unfortunate fact that these women are well-placed to comment on gender balance in industry. Since women continue to be underrepresented in senior positions across a number of industries, being in the minority gender but at the top of their fields gives these women a unique perspective on gender balance.

Until women are fairly represented in a range of industries and senior positions, it may be the case that women will continue to be treated as representatives for their gender first and their company second.

Founder of Carman’s Fine Foods Carolyn Creswell is adamant that her gender ought not to affect the way she is perceived as a business owner and parent. “No one would challenge if I was a man that I could be a great parent and I could work,” Creswell said, speaking with WNIFT&M shortly after being announced as the Telstra Victorian Business Woman of the Year for 2012.

“In Australia we have this real feeling that a woman can’t work and be a good parent, and I challenge that you can,” Creswell said. “I’m a big advocate for saying that you can have a career and you can be a great mother.”

She makes a good point. The thing is, Creswell’s personal life is interesting - and may just have shaped the type of business operator she has become. WNIFT&M asked Creswell the standard questions about gender in the food industry but also gained some insight into the approach of a highly successful operator.

While technology may make exporting easier than it was 20 years ago, Creswell says the diversity of markets across the globe is still challenging. “When you’re dealing with 32 countries, you can’t have sound knowledge of each market,” Creswell said.

“So we operate entirely differently in America than, say, the UK and it’s about building up that model that’s going to work for the business.”

PROCESSING

Food trends “We try not to be too on-trend,” Creswell said. “We want to make sure there’s enough of a market. After all, we are a supermarket supplier, so we want to do something that’s going to be popular with the mainstream.”

Given the recent growth in gluten-free products, Carman’s has added several gluten-free options to its range. Creswell is insistent that any Carman’s product that caters to a specific food intolerance shouldn’t be a compromise. “If we’re going to do it, it’s still got to taste fantastic,” Creswell said. “I really challenge the idea that it has to be a compromise.

“Like with our gluten-free cereal - we know that more than half the people who buy it are not coeliacs. They just buy it because they like it. But that’s the aim of whatever we do.”

Ethical business The term “respect” crops up frequently in Creswell’s conversation; in fact, it seems to be a common thread through the entire Carman’s business. The company’s mission statement includes phrases like “having integrity in everything we do” and “working with pride, passion and optimism in a fun and respectful environment”.

Creswell supports the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation and Bowel Cancer Australia. While many companies are now very vocal about their social and environmental initiatives, Creswell is the kind of operator who acts rather than just talks.

She gives her time to the Kitchen Garden Foundation not because it’s fashionable or a convenient charitable organisation

Have a crystal clear vision of where you’re heading and refer to that every day. Know what and what you don’t do.

for a food processor to be linked with, but because she strongly believes in its philosophy. “I do it because I passionately believe in the program,” she said.

Carman’s donates money as well as time to the bowel cancer cause, and whenever she speaks in public Creswell works the topic into her speech to raise awareness. But she doesn’t draw attention to her work. “We just put that on our packaging and I talk about it,” she said simply.

“It’s more than just trying to tick off some social responsibility,” she said. “If you have a care in everything you do then you make decisions because you think that’s the right thing.

“I think it gives your brand integrity, but it’s hard to do that if you don’t genuinely believe in the cause.”

Advice for small business Asked what advice she’d offer to a small business looking to expand in the way Carman’s has, Creswell said, “Have a crystal clear vision of where you’re heading and refer to that every day.

Know what and what you don’t do.”

She also offers some practical advice: “Say you’ve got 200 customers and to have a good scale you need 1000. Well, that would mean every week you need to pick up 10 new customers.

That means you need to approach 50, because the conversion rate will take it down from 50 to 10. And then break it down from there. Every day you need to approach 10 new customers.”

Don’t worry so much about the long-term, she says, but ask instead where you want to be in the next few years and what you can do that’s within your power and financial means to set you on the path to the big picture. “And then just plug away at it, doing what you need to do every day.”

Photoelectric sensors Banner Engineering QM26 and QMH26 photoelectric sensors are designed for the food and beverage and pharmaceutical industries. They provide reliable per-

Adjustable air-flow switch

formance in manufacturing and packaging zones, including contact zones, splash

Dwyer Instruments has announced the release of its Model AAFS Adjustable Air Flow Switch.

The switch is capable of detecting a wide range of air velocities with minimal user calibration. The adjustable screw changes the set point at which the SPDT snap switch engages.

The unit field is adjustable from 1 to 9.2 m/s (200 to 1800 FPM). The switch includes a stainless steel vane, galvanised steel base and ABS enclosure.

Dwyer Instruments (Aust) Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S300

zones and non-contact zones.

The sensors can be used in areas where they may come into contact with food or materials, making them suitable for harsh washdown environments with high pressure, extreme temperatures and chemicals.

The QM26 is housed in a non-toxic 316 L stainless steel housing and can survive high pressure washdowns and temperature cycling, ranging from -30 to +60°C. The sensor is ECOLAB-certified for inexhaustible sensor life in chemically cleaned environments and is intended for splash zone areas. The QM26 has easy side mounting for quick setup and installation.

The QMH26 is similar to the QM26 but is designed with minimal grooves and crevices, reducing opportunities for bacteria to hide and multiply. It is self-draining for clean-in-place applications. The sensor’s hygienic mounting shape reduces contamination risk, making it suitable for use in contact zones.

Both models operate in retroflective, clear object and adjustable field background suppression mode. The QM26 also operates in opposed mode.

Micromax Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S493

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Package water and wastewater treatment solutions Package water and wastewater treatment solutions for potable water treatment and water recycling applications Ozone, UV, MF, RO and Pumps, etc. Cost effective, reliable and energy efficient treatment solutions covering the full water management cycle from transport of water to treatment and distribution. Your access to global water solutions expertise backed up with excellent local support from an extensive national branch network. Service and rental options are available.

Australia Tel: 13 19 14 www.xylemwatersolutions.com/au

New Zealand Tel: 0800 33 19 14 www.xylemwatersolutions.com/nz

Adelaide • Auckland • Brisbane • Christchurch • Darwin • Devonport • Kalgoorlie • Karratha • Mackay • Melbourne • Mt Isa • Newcastle • Orange • Perth • Sydney • Townsville

PROCESSING

Vacuum-cooling process for baked goods Aston Foods has developed the Continua, a vacuum-cooling process for medium-sized food manufacturers and large-scale bakeries.

The fully automatic system for the continuous process combines the benefits of vacuum cooling with industry-specific features. Using optical identification, the baked goods are directly and automatically conveyed from the tunnel or shelf oven to the correct chamber. Bread baked in loaf pans is depanned and sliced after a short time, meaning hours of cooling are no longer required. The vacuum-cooling unit can be loaded on one side and unloaded simultaneously from the opposite side, meaning the system’s capacity can be fully utilised at all times to ensure efficiency.

The cooling process for baked goods can be reduced to about three minutes by using the vacuum-cooling process. In addition to reducing the time and staff required, vacuum cooling also requires significantly less energy than traditional methods, according to Aston Foods.

The company claims that the baked goods gain volume while shelf life and taste are also improved.

In-air colour sorter with four cameras The Tegra 7755E in-air colour sorter has twice the number of cameras as other Tegra sorters with the same width, increasing detection and removal of foreign material (FM) and defects.

Distributors Key Technology claim the sorter removes about 20% more defects in the 1 to 2 mm size range, depending on application.

Aston Foods AG www.astonfoods.com wmb-602 quarter page artwork_Layout 1 10/01/2013 13:20 Page 1

The sorter has four cameras, each scanning the full width of the belt so the product zone is viewed from four sides. The metal-mesh catenary C-Belt allows the Tegra to view the product, top and bottom, while in-air to remove FM and defects.

The sorter is suitable for a range of sliced, diced and whole fruits and vegetables, as well as potato products, snack foods, candies and nuts. Key can equip the Tegra with RBG, Vis/IR and UV colour cameras and can program the sorter to operate at a scan rate of 4000 or 8000.

Users with installed half-wide Tegra sorters can upgrade to the 7755E in the field.

Tegra is equipped with KeyWare Application Software. Defects and FM are categorised on the user interface in terms common to each product. KeyWare is claimed to reduce the

Join the no-valve metering revolution

skill level required to operate at minimum performance.

The sorter has a smooth unibody design and no horizontal surfaces, which can aid

• No valves, no ancillaries, no vapour lock

sanitation. Reduced scatter, which results from

• Accurate, linear and repeatable flows

the predictable in-air product trajectory, and a

• Up to 5000:1 flow control to 500ml/min at 7 bar

series of air management devices, which help

• ReNu pumphead technology: fully sealed for safe, tool-free maintenance

guide product flow, also improve sanitation.

Automated clean-in-place systems also aid hygiene practices.

qdospumps.com.au Tel: 1300 WMBPUMPS

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Key Technology Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q465

Dosing system test rig gives accurate, user-specific testing

PROCESSING

Grundfos Pumps recently installed a new state-of-the-art dosing system test rig, providing increased testing capabilities, in its facilities at Ormeau, Queensland.

Since opening in October 2010, the Ormeau facilities have served as the hub for water treatment engineering and assembly activities throughout Australia. The addition of a new test rig allows for two complete dosing skids to be tested simultaneously, as well as having the ability to perform fully functional testing on any polymer system.

The increased ability to run multiple water dilution lines at the same time allows for two duty pumps and two dilution lines to be tested together, saving time.

Diaphragm valves on the discharge return lines means the new test rig is better able to simulate on-site conditions and requirements. This feature allows for more accurate, user-specific testing.

The test rig has a flow capacity 10,000 L/h - a significant increase from 5800 L/h. The rig utilises recycled water and to cope with the increased flow capacity, the test water tank has also increased in capacity from 2000 to 5000 L. Calibrated ifm Efector meters have been installed in the discharge manifolds, with accuracy to 0.3%. This reduces the need for time-consuming, drawdown calibration tests, further increasing efficiency. Increased electrical flexibility and added safety measures, including emergency stopping, have created a safer working environment for Grundfos staff in Queensland. Grundfos’ Production Manager in Ormeau, Graeme Weir, said, “Whilst the new test rig has been installed, our old test rig is still fully operational, meaning we have the ability to test three dosing skids during times of high workloads. This will help to ensure timely delivery to customers.”

Grundfos Pumps Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S500

Processing Manufacturer of the Year

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www.foodprocessing.com.au

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Jan/Feb 2013

Control panel

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©iStockphoto.com/Javi Julio Sierra

PROCESSING

The carrot or the stick?

Finding a win-win solution to health and profitability In this increasingly litigious country, we’re rather used to blaming someone else when things go wrong.

But have we taken things too far when we’ve reached a point that food processors are constantly under pressure to modify their products to improve public health?

Alice Richard

T

he Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) recently launched the Healthier Australia Commitment, which it says “will take measurable action to help reduce the incidence of chronic preventable diseases in Australia”. The commitment involves a number of large food companies voluntarily agreeing to reach a number of reduction targets by 2015: • Reduce saturated fat in products by 25% - equivalent to over 3 million kilograms of saturated fat removed from the food supply.

• Reduce sodium in products by 25% - equivalent to over 270,000 kilograms of sodium removed from the food supply.

• Reduce energy, with a focus on energy-dense, nutrientpoor products by 12.5% - equivalent to over 100 billion kilojoules removed by the food supply.

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Jan/Feb 2013

Salt reduction Bruce Neal of the George Institute for Global Health recently spoke on Radio National’s Health Report about the impact of salt reduction targets in Australia.

“What we found, slightly depressingly, is that average sodium levels in processed foods in Australia have actually gone up over the period 2008-2001 by about 9%,” Neal said.

“And that’s despite ourselves, the federal government and even the food industry taking substantial efforts to try and reduce them.”

Neal estimated a national salt reduction program would cost about $10 to $20 million a year. In comparison with the estimated $1 billion a year spent on pharmaceutical hypertension intervention, Neal says a $20 million salt reduction target is “an economic no-brainer” - but who should foot the bill for this?

www.foodprocessing.com.au

As WNIFT&M reported in March, consumer acceptance is a major issue when reducing salt content.

A Deakin University study found that consumers perceived food labelled as “reduced salt” as less tasty than unlabelled food with presumably the same amount of salt.

Food and packaging sensors The Wenglor InoxSens System has been designed for the strict hygiene requirements of the food, chemicals, packaging, pharmaceutical and similar industries.

Rather than punishing, why not develop a system

The sensor comes as a modular system, providing

that positively rewards consumers for making healthy

solutions for a range of applications. Installation and

choices? Why not the carrot instead of the stick?

maintenance are quick and easy.

Self-draining, gap-free surfaces eliminate edges that can attract contamination, making CIP cleaning easy. On the outside, the system is constructed only

A win-win for everyone Recent calls for a ‘fat tax’ and plain packaging for junk food put the responsibility for public health back on food processors and penalise consumers and processors alike. Setting reformulation targets disempowers consumers by implying they can’t make healthy food choices for themselves.

Rather than punishing, why not develop a system that positively rewards consumers for making healthy choices? Why not the carrot instead of the stick?

Researchers at Cornell University claim to have found a way to encourage consumers to make healthy choices while helping food companies remain profitable. Cornell’s Brian Wansink collaborated with Pierre Chandon of the INSEAD Business School in France to examine food marketing. The pair presented their research at the Association for Consumer Research Conference in Vancouver.

Wansink and Chandon suggest food processors make changes like reducing package sizes of less healthy foods to reduce consumption and making healthy foods more convenient by, for instance, offering fruit salads instead of whole fruit. They also suggest “re-branding” healthy foods to focus on non-health-related benefits as consumers still frequently perceive healthy food as less tasty than unhealthy food.

“People generally want food that tastes good while being affordable, varied, convenient and healthy - roughly in that order,” said Wansink. “Our research suggests that consumption of healthy and unhealthy food responds to the same marketing tactics, particularly price reduction.

“In this study we present food marketers with a ‘win-win’ situation in which they can turn the tables, compel consumers to eat healthier foods and maintain profitability,” said Wansink. “For example, marketers can steer consumers away from high-calorie sugary drinks by offering meal discounts if a person buys a diet drink - or by offering a healthy habit loyalty card when consumers opt for milk, juice or water instead of sugary drinks.”

Wansink concludes, “When all sides win, no one resists.” Definitely food for thought for Australia.

of food-safe, FDA-approved materials.

The InoxSens system is made of corrosion-free V4A stainless steel. With its IP68 and IP69K rating it is waterproof, allowing for cleaning with high-pressure water. It has inspectable seals in accordance with European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group (EHEDG) directives.

Treotham Automation Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R572

Magnetic safety sensor The Schmersal BNS 40S is a robust, coded magnetic safety sensor made from precision cast high-grade stainless steel. It has been specifically designed for the food and beverage industry.

It comprises a food-safe connecting cable, IP69K housing, LED indication and a variety of contact configurations to allow easy integration to monitoring devices.

The BNS 40S series has been designed for hygiene. The laser-marked housing with rounded shape, complemented in a fine-polished surface, eliminates food-traps and ensures easy cleaning.

The BNS 40S can be mounted using through holes, or concealed mounting is possible using threaded holes from the rear.

Within the food and beverage industry, aggressive cleaning agents are frequently used. The BNS 40S was tested by Ecolab to ensure long life in relation to the cleaning systems which are used in this industry.

Control Logic Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S287

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PROCESSING

If drawing attention to reformulations doesn’t appear to encourage consumers to make healthier choices and the current salt-reduction initiatives aren’t making a difference, then what will work? And where should the food industry’s responsibility for public health begin and end?

PROCESSING

Brewery commits to best in production and environmental protection Founded in 1634, Paulaner has a long history of producing quality Weissbier. But the traditional brewery is also playing a leading role in environmental protection.

Along with ensuring only the best ingredients and the best method of production are used, Paulaner also has a commitment to social responsibility and environmental awareness. The company has addressed water use, carbon emissions and heating in recent years.

Since 1990, Paulaner has reduced its water consumption by more than half. Previously, around eight hectolitres of water were used to produce one hectolitre of beer. Today, the company uses only 3.63 hectolitres and is aiming to reduce this figure even further.

In 2011, the brewery’s annual emissions were 7727 tonnes - around 1500 tonnes lower than the amount the company was legally allowed to emit under the EU emissions trading scheme. Compared to 1990, CO2 emissions from the furnaces have been reduced by 70% - for the same amount of beer produced. Paulaner operates its own sewage treatment plant capable of treating the amount of sewage a town of 15,000 would produce every day. In 2011, the decomposition of the pollution load produced 737,749 m3 of biogas. The biogas is used to produce about 15% of the company’s heat demand. The company aims to increase this to 20%. The boiler furnace heating the beer wort also produces flue gases, which retain some of the heat. This heat is used to

warm the installation and administration buildings, saving 590,200 m3 of natural gas each year. This same amount of gas could supply heat and hot water to 168 single-family homes in Germany for a year.

The brewery’s self-imposed eco-management system has been recognised with official state certification DIN ISO 14001.

Given that Paulaner produces more than 2.2 million hectolitres in a year, its energy and water savings amount to a significant contribution to environmental protection.

Paulaner www.paulaner.com

Oil-free, self-lubricating, carbon-graphite material for food contact applications

Product guide for air nozzles and safety air guns

Metallized Carbon Corporation has announced that

the appropriate air nozzle and safety air gun for

its Metcar Grade M-58, an oil-free, self-lubricating,

the application.

Exair’s updated Blowoff Guide helps users select

carbon-graphite material, has received approval from

The 24-page guide contains colour photos,

the FDA for use in food contact applications. The

comparison guides, performance data and OSHA

M-58 is suitable for use in dry running food mixer

safety information. Exair produces a line of CE-

seals and is claimed to provide lower seal friction

compliant air nozzles and safety air guns that are

and longer seal wear life.

engineered for efficient and safe use during drying,

Metcar Grade M-58 is an electro-graphite-based

cleaning and cooling operations. The company

material that contains an additive to reduce friction and improve the dry running wear

says the guide will help users avoid the dangers

rate. Available fully machined to the customer’s drawing specifications, Metcar Grade M-58

of unsafe compressed air practices.

primary seal rings can be used in temperatures between -34 and 246°C. The material is also suitable for use in other machine part applications where an FDAapproved, self-lubricating material with low friction and long wear life is required.

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S191

www.metcar.com Jan/Feb 2013

Air Australia’s website at www.caasafety.com.au.

Compressed Air Australia Pty Ltd

Metallized Carbon Corporation

36

The guide is available to download from the Air Nozzles and Jets product section of Compressed

www.foodprocessing.com.au

Chlorine dioxide sensors

Compact Coriolis mass flowmeter

Sensorex’s CLD500 Chlo-

Yokogawa Electric Corporation has released the Ro-

rine Dioxide Sensors use

tamass LR Coriolis mass flowmeter. Designed

advanced amperometric

to measure both liquids and gases, the

measurement technology

effective turndown of the flowmeter is no

to provide highly accurate

less than 2000:1 for liquids and 5000:1

monitoring of chlorine dioxide in disinfection

for gases and the mass flow measurement

applications. With two models covering the

range spans from 1.5 g/h to 40 kg/h, achieving a

0-2 ppm and 0-10 ppm full scale ranges, the

measurement accuracy of ±0.15% for liquids and

sensors can be used in new installations or as a field replacement for existing sensors in

The flowmeter’s dual bent tube optimally decouples the core measuring element from process vibration that can

chlorine dioxide generators, pools and other water-treatment systems.

cause fluctuating zero stability and decrease measurement

The sensors’ advanced sensing membrane

accuracy. When fluid density changes, a single-tube Coriolis flowmeter can become unbal-

keeps cross sensitivity interference from free

anced and start to behave like an emitter. The Rotamass LR remains balanced due to the

chlorine to a minimum. The sensor offers

equal mass change in both tubes and the absence of interference from the process piping.

improved sensor stability over the entire

By design, it is insensitive to fluctuations in the ambient temperature and achieves good zero stability under changing process conditions. The two tubes are made from C-22 alloy, which is less susceptible to thermal expansion than conventional stainless steel.

operating temperature range.

An integral 2-wire loop-powered transmitter with 4-20 mA output delivers readings to

Normally it is more difficult to measure temperature with Coriolis flowmeters that have

process control systems such as a PLC or

tubes with a smaller surface area. The Rotamass LR uses an inline temperature sensor,

DCS. The CLD502 covers the 0-2 ppm range,

ensuring precise and fast measurements in process temperatures ranging from -50 to

while the CLD510 model covers the 0-10ppm.

+150°C. The flowmeter has a gas-tight, all-stainless-steel secondary containment that can

A large electrolyte reservoir with an easily

handle pressures up to 65 bar. It can be used in high-pressure applications up to 400 bar.

replaced membrane cap and solution may

The flowmeter does not use gaskets, minimising the risk of leaks.

reduce maintenance and improve sensor life.

Insulation and a heat jacket are available as options.

Envirosensors Pty Ltd

Yokogawa Australia Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S346

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R281

www.foodprocessing.com.au

Jan/Feb 2013

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PROCESSING

±0.5% for gases.

Clamp-on process meter for 4-20 mA current loops Yokogawa’s CL420 Clamp-On Process Meter is designed to make checks on DC mA lines without breaking the circuit. This compact instrument is an effective troubleshooting tool for 4-20 mA current loops on flowmeters, field instrument transmitters, signal conditioners, distributors, valve positioners and meters, saving users time on site.

The CL420’s clamp has a relatively large hole that allows proper clamping around conductors up to 6 mm in diameter and ensures stable readings with an accuracy of 0.2% up to 20 mA. The backlit dual display provides both current value and percentage of range information along with battery condition.

PROCESSING

Suitable for low-light situations, the meter incorporates an LED torchlight and illuminated panel keys. The unit has two input ranges, 0-20 mA and 0-100 mA, plus an analog DC mV output for use with a DMM, recorder or data logger. Other functionality includes an auto power-off feature and data hold. The product comes with a soft carrying case plus batteries. Output cables with either banana plug or screw terminals are optionally available.

Yokogawa Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R530

Dough divider range Baker Perkins has launched an upgraded and extended range of Accurist dough dividers. Now known as the Accurist2.1, the range is a development of the Accurist2.

The Intelligent Dough Weight Control System reduces the average dough-piece scaling weight by adjusting the divider in real time to compensate for changes in dough density. The system reacts to the gradual changes that occur over the life of a batch as well as the sudden changes that occur when a new mix is dropped into the divider.

Working in conjunction with feedback from the checkweigher, the system maintains dough-piece weights within tighter limits, which is claimed to reduce giveaway and enable the target weight to be lowered. The system’s oiling system has been improved. An upgraded filtration system keeps the circulating oil clean while a pumping and dosing arrangement delivers it accurately and consistently. Improved oil pathways in the ram provide reliable distribution, enabling the divider to run for extended periods.

Output has been increased by the introduction of a high-capacity model featuring a wider, six-pocket division box and strengthened internal components. External dimensions remain unchanged. For typical 900 g dough pieces the maximum output is raised from 9000 to 10,800 pieces per hour. Improvements introduced during the life of the previous machine have been carried over. These include a lightweight die which may reduce running costs by extending the cleaning interval, reducing oil consumption and extending machine life.

SPX Flow Technology Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q390

Now working with the

Industry Capability Network to maximise Australian content in major projects To find out more, or to register to use the Australian Made logo, visit www.australianmade.com.au or phone 1800 350 520 5809AM

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NEWS

©iStockphoto.com/Dieter Spears/ Inhaus Creative

Packaging

Two quick facts: the volume of oil used every year in the production of plastics equates to approximately 5% of the world’s total oil consumption, and approximately 40% of all plastics are used in packaging.

These two facts mean that the packaging industry feels extra pressure to reduce dependence on oil even as it moves towards completely bio-based products. However, the transition to a bio-based economy requires products that are not only ecologically sustainable but also competitive in terms of quality.

The VTT Technical Research Centre in Finland has developed a technique that enables the production of the PGA monomer glycolic acid from bio-based materials more efficiently than before.

“Bio-based plastics are a tangible step closer to a bio-based economy. This new generation of plastic packaging not only reduces our dependence on oil but also offers superior quality compared to traditional plastic packaging,” said Research Professor Ali Harlin from VTT. Bio-based PGA plastic has excellent barrier properties. Adding PGA into the structure of traditional plastic packaging significantly improves its quality. In addition to strength and heat-resistance, plastic packaging also needs to be airtight, vapour-proof and greaseresistant.

Bio-based PGA plastic is between 20 and 30% stronger than PLA - the most popular biodegradable plastic on the market - and able to withstand temperatures 20°C higher. It also breaks down more quickly than PLA but its biodegradability can be regulated if necessary.

Presently, bio-based plastic accounts for only 1% of global plastic production, but ethical consumption principles and legislative changes are steering the packaging industry towards sustainable development. VTT predicts that bio-based plastic is opening up new business opportunities for the forest industry, particularly as rapidly growing markets like China and India drive the growth of the packaging industry.

AIP to run Flexible Packaging and Bioplastics course in 2013

PACKAGING

Finns develop efficient bio-based plastic production technique

The Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) will run its half-day Flexible Packaging and Bioplastics training course again in 2013.

The course aims to give attendees an introduction to flexibles, an ability to understand flexible film applications and to more confidently define or select flexible packaging. Attendees will also gain an understanding of new emerging polymers and their potential application in flexible packaging.

The AIP says the course will provide attendees with a precise understanding of compostable and degradable films and how to consider packaging options in terms of responsible or sustainable packaging.

Topics to be covered include: • Polymers used in flexible packaging • Flexible packaging manufacturing processes • Films and their properties • Market applications for flexible packaging - structures, properties and pack formats • Emerging materials for flexible packaging • Compostable and degradable flexible films • Sustainable packaging - opportunities for flexible packaging The course will be held on 8 March 2013 at the Mt Ommaney Hotel in Brisbane. To register for the course, email info@aipack.com.au for a booking form or visit www.aipack.com.au.

PAC.NZ releases Code of Practice Version 2 PAC.NZ, the Packaging Council of New Zealand, has released Version 2 of its Code of Practice for Packaging Design, Education and Procurement.

“The Code is written in a way to ensure it isn’t too technical to understand by non-experts, but detailed enough for packaging decision makers. The updated version builds on those attributes, but now includes performance indicators from the Consumer Goods Forum’s new Global Packaging Protocol, the draft ISO standards for packaging and the environment and a selection of appropriate indicators from the Global Reporting Initiative.

More information on the Code of Practice is available from the PAC.NZ website: www.packaging.org.nz.

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The global active, intelligent and smart food and drink packaging market is set to reach US$12.6 billion in 2012, according to a new report from Visiongain.

Increasing demand for consumer convenience, health awareness, rising food safety concerns and manufacturer concerns for longer shelf life are driving the market, the report says, with a significant growth potential predicted over the forecast period.

Cheaper bioplastics from waste oil

©iStockphoto.com/Brooke Elizabeth Becker

“The active, intelligent and smart food and drink packaging is a strong growth market,” said the Visiongain report, which is entitled The Global Active, Intelligent & Smart Food & Drink Packaging Market 2012-2022.

“Having been perceived as a niche market so far, there is significant potential for profitable growth in the active, intelligent and smart food and drink packaging market over the next 10 years which was largely driven by consumers’ and retailers’ preference for longer shelf life and healthy lifestyles worldwide.”

Packaging NEWS

The trend towards seeing waste as an underutilised resource is benefiting the packaging sector, with University of Wolverhampton researchers finding a way to use waste oil from deep-fried food to create environmentally friendly plastic cheaply.

A research team from the School of Applied Sciences at the university has found that using waste cooking oil in the creation of bioplastics could reduce the cost of production while reducing environmental contamination caused by waste oil disposal.

Traditionally, the PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) family of polyesters is synthesised by a variety of bacteria, using glucose as a starting material. This produces non-toxic, biodegradable biopolymer used in a range of agricultural, marine and medical applications. However, producing bioplastics this way is expensive because glucose is used.

But the University of Wolverhampton researchers have found that using waste oil as a starting material reduces production costs.

“Our bioplastic-producing bacterium, Ralstonia eutropha H16, grew much better in oil over 48 hours and consequently produced three times more PHB than when it was grown in glucose,” said researcher Victor Irorere.

Poly 3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) is the most commonly produced polymer in the PHA family.

“Electrospinning experiments, performed in collaboration with researchers from the University of Birmingham, showed that nanofibres of the plastic produced from oils were also less crystalline, which means the plastic is more suited to medical applications.”

Using glucose as a starting material has seriously hampered efforts to commercialise bioplastic production, said Dr Iza Radecka, who led the research. “Using waste cooking oil is a double benefit for the environment as it enables the production of bioplastics but also reduces environmental contamination caused by disposal of waste oil.”

The research group now aims to conduct experiments to enable the manufacture of bioplastics on an industrial level.

Plantic announces exclusive distributor agreement with LINPAC Plantic Technologies has struck an exclusive distributor agreement with LINPAC Packaging, which will see Plantic expand its product offering with the addition of LINPAC’s range of high-barrier films.

The LINPAC range of lidding films and top webs complements Plantic’s eco Plastic ultrahigh-barrier sustainable bottom webs and trays.

“We are pleased to be able to add LINPAC Packaging films to our portfolio,” said Brendan Morris, Managing Director and CEO of Plantic. “This allows Plantic to offer our customers in Australia and the Americas with the most advanced and complete packaging solutions available.

“Working with LINPAC Packaging will enable Plantic to leverage their wide of range of products and customer applications from Europe into the Australian and American markets.”

Marketed under the Plantic Clear Seal trade name, LINPAC’s range of films will offer high barrier at reduced gauges. Plantic says the range has been designed with excellent optics, controlled shrink and superior antifog properties.

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©iStockphoto.com/Joe Gough

PACKAGING

Innovative packaging market to reach US$12.6 billion in 2012

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Sydney, May 7-10 2013

Packaging

PACKAGING ©iStockphoto.com/ariwasabi

NEWS

Consumers prefer clamshells to cardboard

The old saying of “don’t judge a book by its cover” doesn’t seem to apply when it comes to food packaging.

Recent research has shown that consumers have a strong preference for clear plastic clamshell packaging over printed cardboard boxes, with 402% more purchases recorded for clamshells.

Klöckner Pentaplast recently conducted eye-tracking research through Clemson University’s CUShop to evaluate how different packaging styles influence consumers’ point-of-sale behaviour.

Eye-movement metrics results revealed that consumers looked at clamshells faster, more often and for longer periods of time.

The research made several interesting findings: • Research participants fixated on clear plastic clamshell packages for 343% longer than paperboard packages • Clear plastic clamshell packages received 675% more fixations that paperboard packages • Clear plastic clamshell packages were found 40% faster than paperboard packages • Clamshell packages were purchased 402% more than paperboard packages, with some products seeing as much as 500% more sales in the clamshell package over the paperboard package Conducted in a re-creation of a shopping environment, the study examined differences in how consumers shop for products when they have the option of a clear plastic clamshell package or a printed paperboard box. Sixty-eight consumers participated in the research, aged from 18 to 65, with diverse income distribution. Of these 68 participants, 76.5% claimed to be the primary shopper for their household.

The participants were given one of five random shopping lists and instructed to find a men’s razor, an electric toothbrush and an air freshener. There was only one type of each of these products available, but it was available in both a clear plastic clamshell and a paperboard box form. These were positioned side by side.

The experiment was carried out over two days, with the order of the packages reversed on the second day to eliminate any bias based on positioning.

All participants wore Tobii mobile eye-tracking glasses which recorded their eye movements of 30 times per second. The eye movements were recorded onto an SD card and used to corroborate the results and provide insights into why participants purchased particular items.

Resealable matrix for flexible packaging The Zip-Pak Vector resealable matrix closes securely, without exact alignment of opposing segments, to provide an airtight seal.

The Vector matrix has been designed for integration into existing flexible packaging lines with only minor modifications to machinery required.

The matrix is suitable for a range of applications, from shredded and sliced cheese, deli meats, snacks, cereal, confectionery and vegetables to pet foods.

By eliminating the need for consumers to transfer contents into a separate, unbranded container, the resealable matrix keeps marketing messages in front of the consumer to the last use of the package.

The company says Vector’s ability to mate to itself will aid other packaging concepts that require a self-sealing closure, including the Pour & Lok and Zip360.

Quicklabel Systems’ Kiaro! inkjet colour label printer was developed for manufacturers and processors wanting professionalquality labels at high speeds. It can produce up to 7200 labels per hour for 4 x 3″ sized labels.

The printer allows businesses to digitally print labels in short-run batches as needed instead of storing pre-printed labels.

The Kiaro! prints at speeds that keep up with production lines, from 50 to 200 mm/s. With the additional ability to print one label and tear it off, the printer also operates at a speed suitable for manual application of labels.

The rich colours, 1200 dpi high resolution and tight registration of Kiaro!-printed labels is claimed to match the print quality of flexographic label printing presses.

The printer includes: Custom Quicklabel Omni Software for label creation and print management; Windows Printer Driver to print via any Window compatible software; one set of Kiaro!

105 mL starter ink cartridges; and one starter roll of labels.

ITW Zip-Pak Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S088 44

Inkjet colour label printer

Jan/Feb 2013

Metromatics Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R038 www.foodprocessing.com.au

Reflex muscles in on supplement market with shrink sleeve design

Chadwicks Sleeves www.chadwicks-sleeves.com/

DFC Packaging shrink sleeves provide full tamper evidence and 360 degree printable area using latest Gravure printing technology Our range of shrink sleeve application machinery will save you time and money

DFC Packaging Vic. 20 Summit Rd Noble Park , 3174 03 9701 2000 sales@dfc.com.au www.dfc.com.au

DFC Packaging NSW. 21/197 Power St Glendenning, 2761 02 9625 0266 sales@dfc.com.au www.dfc.com.au

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PACKAGING

Chadwicks Sleeves has worked with sports and health supplement manufacturer Reflex Nutrition to create primary branding shrink sleeves for its range of readyto-drink products.

The 10 variants of the shrink sleeves were produced using special inks to create a black and silver metallic finish for pre-workout, energy and diet drinks across the Reflex Nutrition range.

Chadwicks Sleeves worked closely with Reflex Nutrition during the product development stage to ensure brand consistency and high impact shelf appeal to give visibility within the increasingly competitive marketplace.

“This project highlights Chadwick’s ability to provide solutions to a multitude of products and niche market sectors. The metallic finish on a sleeve product like this is not straightforward and it shows the level of technical expertise we have at Chadwicks,” said Chadwicks Sleeves Business Development Manager Richard Cutworth.

“This range is an important development for us and the product finish was crucial. Chadwicks provided the right consultation and technical expertise to help ensure we achieved the required look for the brand,” said Julian Wright, Marketing Manager at Reflex nutrition.

Chadwicks has more than 50 years of experience in the flexible packaging industry and is a world leader in pre-cut lid manufacture and a supplier of choice in shrink sleeve production.

Part of the Flexible Packaging Division of the Clondalkin Group, Chadwicks works with its sister company Nyco, a shrink sleeve manufacturer based in Switzerland, to provide a joint service to multisite European buyers. This means Chadwicks, together with Nyco, can provide a wider range of print processes, including UV flexo, gravure and offset litho.

Ink jet printers Videojet Technologies has introduced two next-generation printers to its 1000 line - the 1550 and 1650 ink jet printers. Designed to improve productivity, the printers provide metrics and tools to measure and improve uptime and overall equipment effective-

mistakes; and when it’s time for planned maintenance, the 1550

Founded in 1824, Brauerei C. & A. Veltins is undergoing a thoroughly modern-day energy turnaround. Investing in three parallel Steinecker brewing lines featuring an EquiTherm energy storage system has paid dividends for the company, saving 35% thermal energy in the brewhouse and a further 20% electricity.

Previously, energy-intensive live steam was used; in future, the tuns will be heated using warm water from the energy storage system, improving overall efficiency as existing waste heat can be used.

The investment has enabled Veltins to install sophisticated brewing technology while achieving substantial progress in terms of energy efficiency.

EquiTherm comprises a wort cooler, energy storage tank with a stratified charging pipe and a ShakesBeer EcoPlus mash tun. The wort cooler removes heat from the hot wort in the first stage and places it in the energy storage tank.

In the second stage, the wort is cooled down to pitching temperature and produces warm mash liquor as usual. The energy storage tank can be used jointly for heating both the mash and the lautered wort.

Recycling thermal energy from the brewing process for mashing produces numerous advantages in actual operation. Superfluous vapour energy with total evaporation rates of more than 4% can be fed into the energy storage circuit and thus be used effectively.

Any excess of warm water can be completely eliminated, which also significantly reduces the amount of wastewater involved. The EquiTherm system can be retrofitted quite easily into existing installations and helps achieves significant savings in both infusion and decoction.

“We have made a once-in-a-decade investment decision, so it’s indubitably sensible to incorporate the entire spectrum of what’s technologically possible,” said Peter Peschmann, Head of Production and Plant Engineering at the Veltins brewery.

“The ingenious thing about EquiTherm is the double energy recirculation system. You have to wonder in hindsight why no one had ever thought of this before.”

and 1650 modular core systems are easily replaceable.

JL Lennard Pty Ltd

Tronics Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S512

ness (OEE).

Simple to operate, the printers include Code Assurance to help reduce coding errors and ensure the right code is printed on the right products. The printers reduce unplanned downtime with features like the patented CleanFlow printhead and Dynamic

PACKAGING

Worts and all: Veltins undergoes energy turnaround

Calibration ink flow system.

Designed to resist ink build-up that can lead to a shutdown, both the 1550 and 1650 possess an auto-cleaning function, meaning there are less frequent printhead cleanings and positive flow of filtered air for more reliable, clear and consistent codes, even at the end of long production runs.

The printhead design and long-lasting core minimises planned downtime due to long intervals (up to 14,000 h) between planned routine maintenance cycles.

The printers also help users measure uptime by providing OEE Availability metrics. The Availability measure is also configurable to more closely reflect how customers operate production lines and measure Availability across their plant.

Operators can access all common operations in five touches or fewer on a large, bright touch-screen interface.

The printers help provide improved control of job parameters and efficient, productive line management. In addition, the Videojet Smart Cartridge fluid system helps eliminate waste, mess and

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S505

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Tamper-evident and decorative shrink sleeves DFC Packaging (Sleeves) offers tamper-evident and decorative shrink sleeves for a range of applications with up to 10-colour gravure printing. The company offers complete coverage and 360° printing, allowing product promotion on every part and type of a container.

The company works with clients to develop tamper seals, printed shrink sleeves or twin pack (pocket pack) to suit each

PACKAGING

application.

DFC Packaging also has automatic shrink sleeve applicators, radiant-heat tunnels and steam-heat tunnels to suit a variety of applications and product throughput requirements.

For trial marketing, the company can organise the product to be contract packed.

DFC Packaging Group Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S498

1D and 2D coder range Sick’s Lector620 series of 1D and 2D code readers provide reliable reading performance, rapid integration in a variety of packaging machine IT environments and extensive analysis and diagnostic possibilities.

The Lector620 eco offers basic functions for reading and assessing codes.

The Standard version meets the reading and automation requirements of the most varied of applications in packaging machines.

The readers record codes at a frequency of 60 Hz and use all images for evaluation. For continuous packaging processes, the readers can also autonomously adjust reading parameters such as brightness or contrast settings. The device automatically adapts to varying code qualities so that there are no non-identifiable packaging units.

Laser points in the centre of the image support alignment of the code readers on the area of the packaging in which the codes are located. A variety of modes, from Standard to Expert, then offer an appropriate amount of configuration possibilities. Parameterisation by means of software is possible and is supported by the live picture displayed in the user interface and by dialogue-guided enquiries.

AutoSetup - the automatic teach-in process - can be started by pressing a single button. LEDs on the device provide information on the focal distance and reading quality of the taught-in codes.

Housing slots and slot nuts with variable hole distances on the compact and robust metal housings, as well as the rotating M12 plug unit, ensure flexible, reliable and rapid mounting in the packaging equipment.

Up to 100,000 pictures on the code reader’s microSD card and stored evaluations of code quality allow users to understand and solve problems on packaging equipment.

Sick Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S059 www.foodprocessing.com.au

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PACKAGING

A solution to bottle shop angst Many’s the time I’ve wished for a wine bottle with a label like those on cheap perfumes at the chemist.

You know the ones: “If you like Chanel No. 5, you’ll love [insert slightly suggestive name here].” Except in the instance of wine, the label might say, “If you like Dom Perignon, you’ll love this $20 bottle of plonk.”

It would save time and plenty of bottle shop angst.

W

ell, the good folk from the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) have come up with an even better solution. The PinotG Style Spectrum gives pinot gris and pinot grigio wines a spectrum rating from “crisp” to “luscious” that gives consumers a handle on what’s inside the bottle.

Grigio/gris: a rose by any other name Pinot gris and pinot grigio wines come from the same grape; the difference in nomenclature refers only to the different styles of wine produced. Pinot gris is traditionally produced in Alsace, where the style is luscious and rich. Italian-produced pinot grigio, by contrast, tends to be crisp and zesty.

To confuse matters further, the line between the two styles has become blurred in recent years, with many pinot grigio wines becoming richer and some pinot gris wines being made in a slightly more restrained style. Even Italian wine producers have changed what they’re making in recent years, says Peter Godden, Industry Applications Group Manager at the AWRI, with some grigios moving from crisp towards luscious in style.

Godden suggests we call the whole lot “PinotG” to cover all expressions of the grape.

This is where the Spectrum comes in handy. “To explain the whole concept of the PinotG Spectrum in one go is too much for most consumers,” Godden explained. “There’s a problem; there’s at least two names for the same variety, and lots of different wine styles. It’s confusing, isn’t it?” The PinotG Spectrum cuts through all the confusion with a scale that gives consumers a clear visual indication of what’s inside the bottle.

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Alice Richard While the PinotG moniker is yet to be taken up in the Australian wine industry, Godden thinks it’s just a matter of time.

“If someone does it and it’s successful, there’ll be a lot of people wanting to be a close second in the market. But until someone does it for real, no one else seems game.”

From fine Burgundy to cask chardy The PinotG Style Spectrum isn’t new; it was launched in 2010.

What is new, however, is that the AWRI has been developing an equivalent Spectrum for chardonnay. While the PinotG Spectrum uses “crisp” and “luscious” as its ‘anchor words’, during the development of the Chardonnay Spectrum, the wines have been classified on a spectrum from “fine” to “full”. “The terms used on the labelling device will be decided after extensive industry consultation,” Godden said.

The AWRI is currently seeking industry support to fully develop and refine the Chardonnay Spectrum for use on labels, as well as a precommitment to use the Spectrum once it is fully developed.

While the PinotG Spectrum works for wines from the crispest pinot grigio through to the most luscious pinot gris, the Chardonnay Spectrum will rate wines from cheap quaffing chardonnay through to 300-bucks-a-pop white Burgundy, Godden says. Importantly, however, it works well for bottle shop wine: the $15 to $25 chardonnays that make up most retail sales.

How it works The PinotG Spectrum relies on ‘fingerprinting’: using a spectrophotometer to analyse the wine, which is then cross-referenced with data from the AWRI’s sensory panel. “We’ve built a calibration

www.foodprocessing.com.au

“So fingerprinting’s looking at everything in one go. It gives us insights into what is important in determining the differences, but in terms of rating the wines on the Spectrum, [the chemistry is] irrelevant.”

The Spectrum sounds like just the thing to assuage my bottle shop angst. So why am I yet to see it on the shelves? “The major issue is that no one’s got a cent to spend,” Godden said.

“Most companies have had - at least for the last two years - a blanket stop on any new spends on anything. I think if we launched it five years earlier, it would’ve had huge uptake.”

There are logistical reasons, too, Godden says. While the AWRI anticipated that winemakers would add the PinotG Spectrum as a separate label on their wine bottles, it’s not quite as simple as that. Godden says the feedback he’s received is that a separate label is too expensive, but that most companies aren’t in a position to spend money on major revamps of their labels.

There are other costs involved in using the PinotG Spectrum.

“There’s a one-off cost of testing the wine, and then there’s a 2 cents per bottle licensing fee,” said Godden. “It doesn’t sound like a lot, and we think it adds more than 2 cents per bottle value. And one of the major users says this quite categorically: it adds much more value than 2 cents per bottle.”

Despite the wine industry’s sluggishness, the PinotG Spectrum following is definitely growing, Godden says. Wineries are slowly coming on board and a number have indicated they will use the Spectrum when they revamp their labels.

Surprising discoveries of a spectral scan against experienced tasters rating the PinotG style from crisp to luscious.

“The technology behind it is a world first - there’s no question,” Godden said. “We are measuring wine style. It’s an amazing concept. It has a huge applicability throughout winemaking and grape growing, not just for labelling wine.”

While wine buffs might turn their collective noses up at the notion of a machine describing something as complex and difficult to define as wine style, Godden says there’s more to it than just chemistry.

“When we taste as experienced tasters, or professionally, we taste analytically, and we start to talk about individual components,” Godden said. “But when we drink wine, we don’t talk and think about those things. We take in the whole experience.”

To analyse the wine for individual chemical measures would not give data that is necessarily useful in describing a wine stylistically, Godden says. “Fingerprinting is looking at everything in the wine in one go. And the clever statistics that are used in the background of this give weightings to various parts of the Spectrum that relate to alcohol, or sugar, or phenolics, or to many other components.

“The Spectrum tells us the things that distinguish between the wines, and match best to sensory tasters’ ratings of those wines; things at particular parts of the Spectrum at particular wavelengths. But to do that, you don’t need to know what these things are. It’s analogous to drinking the wine and not just tasting it analytically.

Many important discoveries have been made while researchers were looking for something else entirely. That’s been the case in the development of the PinotG Spectrum. “What we found is that glycerol is not important at all in defining the difference between crisp grigio and luscious gris,” Godden said. “You can double the amount of glycerol in wine and experienced tasters can’t tell the difference.”

Rather than glycerol, the AWRI found that phenolics are what most affect mouthfeel. “As you know, you’ve got tannins in red wine,” Godden said. “You’ve also got tannins in white wine - different tannins, maybe, or different quantities.

But it’s the phenolics at different points on the Spectrum that really affect mouthfeel.”

This discovery has fed into other AWRI research projects; namely, the white wine phenolics project.

“We know relatively little about what changes or affects the mouthfeel and texture of wine,” Godden said. “When you think about the difference between a truly great wine that might sell for thousands of dollars a bottle and a $10 bottle, in terms of percentage of what’s actually in the bottle, 97 or 98% of it’s going to be exactly the same.

“A very small percentage of things that are different make a difference in price and quality perception, which is what makes wine such a fascinating product. I don’t think there’s any other product that can claim that.” Indeed. I’ll drink to that.

Australian Wine Research Inst Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/

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PACKAGING

©iStockphoto.com/ Vasileios Economou

Slow uptake

KM Packaging keeps a lid on Clever Cooks gourmet range

PACKAGING

When international food manufacturer Australian Wholefoods decided to launch its Clever Cooks range of gourmet lasagnes, the company sought the services of a lidding specialist.

Although a local lidding supplier was available, Australian Wholefoods chose UK company KM Packaging Services for its expertise in lidding film technology and its global reputation for providing hands-on service regardless of where its clients are located.

Shortly after Australian Wholefoods made an initial inquiry, KM Packaging visited the company’s manufacturing facility in Adelaide to conduct a full site review, which allowed the lidding specialist to fully understand the scope of the project and the lidding specifications.

Due to the products’ acidic sauces, varying cooking methods and storage environments, the lidding solution needed to be suitable for both lacquered and non-lacquered smooth aluminium foil trays.

KM Packaging conducted intensive product trials at its UK facility. The products were tested against the exact trays used in Australia, which ensured the chosen films and foil trays worked together. The first trial reels were delivered to Australian Wholefoods within a few days, which reassured the company that despatch and delivery would not be an issue despite stock being received from overseas. In addition, KM Packaging provided an allencompassing technical backup service at each trial stage to ensure that the films and trays remained compatible throughout the entire process, taking into consideration varying pressures, temperatures and dwell times.

“Not only has KM Packaging provided us with lidding solutions that are dual ovenable and deliver reliable seal integrity; the company has exceeded our expectations in terms of quality of service,” said Australian Wholefoods Director Michael Demetriou.

“KM Packaging’s technical support is second to none and we have been incredibly impressed with the speed of delivery and quick response time to any queries - it is as if the company was based only a few miles away.

“The personal service and follow-through that we have received from KM Packaging means that I would have no hesitation in recommending the company to anyone here or abroad. We are currently investing in our manufacturing facilities and KM Packaging will play a significant role in ensuring that we have adopted the most cost efficient processes and that our overall packaging solutions remain effective,” Demetriou said.

“Longer term, we also want to reduce the amount of packaging material that we use and hope that KM Packaging will be able to help us achieve this.”

Screw cap for aseptic packaging The Tetra Brik Aseptic 1000 Mid LightCap 24 is Tetra Pak’s lowest cost screw cap. It uses a combination of pre-laminated hole (PLH) and Direct Injection Moulding Concept (DIMC) technologies, which gives users good pouring functionality while using the minimal amount of raw materials.

The package has a two-step opening with barrier protection for a wide range of products including oxygen-sensitive drinks such as value-added milk, juices and nectars, still drinks and wine, ensuring the product is safe, secure and fresher for longer. In addition, the carton package has a pull ring, which gives consumers security as it clearly shows whether the carton has been previously opened.

As the package takes up less space for transportation, it enables more efficient distribution, with six layers to a pallet rather than five, as with the previous package.

The Tetra Brik Aseptic 10000 Mid LightCap 24 runs on the Tetra Pak A/3Flex 0400V filling machine.

According to the company, this allows users to increase the number of packages produced per hour to 8000 from 6000 Tetra Brik Aseptic 1000 Base packages

KM Packaging Services Ltd

with perforation on the TBA/8 fill-

www.kmpack.co.uk

ing machine.

Tetra Pak Marketing Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R363

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Formulation software Mettler Toledo’s networked software solution, FormWeigh.Net, puts users in control of the formulation process through the elimination of human errors, cost optimisation, compliance, and an increase in quality, consistency and efficiency.

The software ensures the formulation process delivers stable product quality. Tailored to match operations, it can automate, streamline and simplify complex formulation routines. According to the company, it can also boost productivity and profitability, while helping to reduce raw material waste and labour inefficiencies.

PACKAGING

With the software, bad batches are eliminated through the use of systematic quality checks. The software ensures expired or quarantined materials are not used by accident in the weigh and dispense process, and operators are guided through accurate weighing with easy to understand dialogues and colour displays. Security features such as barcode verification scans help ensure full compliance and traceability is achieved automatically. All information, including recipe details, order data and executed work steps, are stored in a centralised database and can be retrieved at any time for monitoring and reporting.

FormWeigh.Net is flexible and scalable to a user’s needs. It operates on standard PCs as well as rugged industrial scale terminals which are suitable for washdown or hygienic manufacturing areas. Built on standard network architectures, the system allows benefits to be achieved immediately in critical areas while providing a means for easy expansion as needed.

When used in regulated industries such as pharmaceutical or nutraceutical production, the software can be enhanced with additional functionality to achieve full regulatory compliance. Complete validation documentation developed according to GAMP5 guidelines is also available. If needed, the software can also be linked to ERP systems for automatic and error-free exchange of order and stock data.

Mettler Toledo Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R880

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PACKAGING

What makes better drinks: wet-aseptic or dry sterilisation and irradiation?

Hotfill or aseptic - that is the question facing companies when it comes to investing in filling technology for sensitive beverages.

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ore and more, the decision falls in favour of cold aseptic filling. The market for products filled in this way is growing; consumers like fresh, natural beverages. And retailers are also happy because these beverages have a long shelf life and there’s no need to keep them chilled.

Aseptic filling is making it possible to bring innovations onto the market - even in highly sensitive products - in a short space of time. The various aseptic filling techniques are proving to be very gentle on the product and its ingredients and no preservatives are needed. The vitamins are also retained. And that fits in very well with the major market trends towards more natural products, health benefits and a pleasant aroma.

Trend towards reducing cleaning and sterilising media For Holger Kahlert, Vice President Filling Technology at Krones AG, Neutraubling, the general trend in aseptic filling is towards a significant reduction in cleaning and sterilisation media: “The plant operators want to move away from the classic wet-aseptic with peracetic acid or dry sterilisation with hydrogen peroxide towards chemical-free systems, for example using irradiation. ‘No water, no life’: if the isolator always remains dry and no chemicals are used, then microorganisms have no nutrient to feed on, and no contamination can arise.” The background to this trend is on the one hand the positive effect it has on overall operating costs (total cost of ownership) and on the other, the dry isolator improves hygiene levels on the machine as a whole.

Block concept preferred More and more fillers are opting for a mechanical/electronic block concept with the blow moulders integrated into the aseptic system. Potential cost and space savings are the biggest attraction here, because there is no need for an air conveyor.

In addition, by doing away with this ‘contamination stretch’, it’s possible to achieve greater microbiological safety. Integrating the blow moulder with the filling system into a single block is achieved through intelligent control systems, which in the event of a machine fault can compensate for the missing buffer stretch between the two machines.

Aseptic filling for products with ‘added extras’ Also ever more interesting for the sector is aseptic filling for products that have added ‘bits’ in them. Until now, juices that contain pieces of fruit were generally hot-filled, either as a whole product or separately as the juice and the fruit pieces.

The fruit juice fillers, however, are now demanding even more gentle treatment of the product through aseptic techniques.

Interest is high in the fruit juice industry. The separate processing of fruit pieces in fruit juices is currently gaining ground mainly in the Asian region.

Cheaper alternative: ‘enhanced hygienic filling’ A (cheaper) alternative to aseptic filling is ‘enhanced hygienic filling’ or EHF, which is being recommended by various manufacturers for both mildly and strongly acidic beverages.

Holger Kahlert: “Combined with an integrated block of blow moulder and aseptic system, this method disinfects the PET preform and not the container.” That saves both on compo-

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Aseptic filling is making it possible to bring innovations onto the market - even in highly sensitive products - in

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a short space of time.

nents as well as sterilisation media and caters to the wish to move the sterilisation process as far downstream of bottle disinfection as possible.

Preform sterilisation gives beverage filling under ultraclean conditions further opportunities for reducing costs and increasing eco-compatibility.

Aseptic systems for smaller outputs Another trend in aseptic is being seen in the production of smaller batches. There is a demand here for aseptic systems for smaller outputs which can give much greater flexibility of use for different products and which enable SMEs in the filling business to play a part in this market. As a rule with aseptic systems, too, the emphasis is on availability. This implies short changeover times and shorter cleaning times.

The industry is also aiming to reduce the area taken up by the clean zone by limiting it to core areas in which the containers are sterilised and where the filling takes place.

The full spectrum of ‘state of the art’ at drinktec drinktec is the ‘world’s leading trade fair for the beverage and

liquid food industry’. Manufacturers and suppliers from all over the world - global companies and SMEs alike - meet up here with all sizes of producers and retailers of beverages and liquid food products. Within the sector, drinktec is regarded as the number one platform for launching new products on the world market. At this event manufacturers present the latest technology for processing, filling, packaging and marketing all kinds of beverages and liquid food - raw materials and logistics solutions included. The themes of beverages marketing and packaging design round off the portfolio. drinktec 2013, which takes place at the Messe München exhibition centre in Munich, from 16 to 20 September 2013, is expected to attract around 1500 exhibitors from over 70 countries and approximately 60,000 visitors from more than 170 countries.

Holger Kahlert regards drinktec as the most important and largest trade fair for the sector: “The nice thing about drinktec is that all the suppliers converge here. It is not only the most important trade show for Krones, it’s also the top one for our competitors, too. That means that at drinktec you really do see the full spectrum of all that is ‘state of the art’ and get a glimpse of what’s coming in the future. So anyone who wants to know what’s going to happen in the beverages sector over the coming years just has to be at drinktec.”

Riggs serves up efficiency for organic food manufacturer Increasing product demand led UK organic food manufacturer Rod & Ben’s to consider automating its filling line. As an organic food company, it was imperative that any automatic depositing machinery be highly accurate, damage free and able to provide superior weight control. Riggs Autopack supplied a model 1000 vertical transfer pump which was connected to an existing steam cooker. Hot soup is fed directly from the cooker to the hopper of the lower level twin head depositor, which includes a damage-free paddle agitation system.

A lid press unit designed especially for tamper-evident lids was also supplied.

The new machinery fills a range of soups in 300 g single-portion plastic pots, as well as particulate soup into 600 g plastic pots, 1 L bottles and 5 L buckets.

“Riggs understood our production needs and has now provided us with a cost-effective and highly versatile machine solution,” said Rod Hall, owner of Rod & Ben’s.

“The equipment is easy to use with impressive changeover times, ideal for coping with our level of production. The depositing accuracy is excellent and we have been thoroughly impressed with the level of service received from their staff.”

HBM Packaging Technologies Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S128

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Easy-to-open, portion-controlled design Homegrown packaging innovator Snapsil, showcased its latest range of easy-to-open, portion-controlled packaging designs and manufacturing technology at the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) National Conference, held on

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the Gold Coast from 14-15 June.

Easy-to-open, accessible packaging is quickly becoming a high-profile, major issue for a wide range of companies.

An AIP conference session was dedicated to openability and accessibility of packaging, with presenters from Arthritis Australia, NSW Health and Nestlé Australia highlighting the increasing importance and relevance of this issue.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, one in three Australians is over the age of 50. By 2050 it is estimated that at least 44% of the population, or over 14 million people, will be aged 50-plus and that 7 million of these people will suffer from a form of arthritis.

Data from the Arthritis Australia website indicates that 3.85 million Australians are living with arthritis and 6.4 million are living with arthritis and/or a disability. Aside from other lifestyle limitations these 3.85 million Australians may experience, this can also make certain forms of packaging frustrating, difficult and, in some instances, impossible to use.

It is not just those with arthritis that experience frustration, nearly 80% of respondents “expressed anger, frustration or outright rage” with plastic packaging according to a 2008 Cox School of Business, USA, survey.

Snapsil’s packaging innovation was driven by this increasing market demand for convenient, easy-opening portion control. The unique design can be easily opened with a simple one-handed action. Its ease of opening has been tested and validated at the Georgia Tech Research Institute, a leading authority on accessible packaging.

The company has recently introduced thermoform barrier technology in addition to its existing injection-moulded products. This breakthrough has extended Snapsil’s application to products requiring oxygen barrier. Production using validated form-fill and seal technology is now available.

The packaging item is claimed to use less material than many other forms of rigid packaging, and the manufacturing technology footprint is small compared to other packaging machines, reducing space and energy requirements.

Snapsil Corporation Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/Q370

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©iStockphoto.com/Jim Jurica

PACKAGING

‘Organic’ doesn’t always transform into sales Labelling food as ‘organic’ may not always lead to a positive impression and outcome.

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recent Cornell University study, published in the journal Appetite, flips the notion of a ‘halo’ effect for ethical food labels. A halo effect refers to a phenomenon where a label leads consumers to have a positive opinion - and in the case of an organic label, a healthful impression - of those foods.

This research finds that such positive impressions are partly based on the personal values of a consumer.

The two-part study found that some conditions can produce a negative impression of organic labels among consumers, due to the consumer’s values.

In the first part, Jonathon Schuldt, Cornell assistant professor of communication, and Mary Hannahan, a student at the University of Michigan, asked 215 students whether they thought organic food was healthier and tastier than conventional food. While most agreed that organics were a healthy choice compared with conventional food, fewer expected organic food to taste good by comparison. This latter finding was especially true for participants who had low concern for the environment.

“The personal values of the rater mattered,” said Schuldt.

“Our data suggest when organic practices do not appeal to a consumer’s values, they expect organic food to taste worse.”

In part two of the study, the researchers explored whether there were contexts in which people who were pro-environ56

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ment might have a negative impression of organic labels.

Here, 156 participants read one of two versions of a fake news article that discussed the development of “a highly engineered drink product designed to relieve the symptoms of African children suffering from severe malnutrition”, according to the study. To convey the artificial, engineered aspect of the beverage, the article described the drink named Relief drink 1.1 - as a “formula” that resulted from a collaboration between “scientists and the food industry”.

In one version of the news article, the engineered drink was described as organic every time the drink was mentioned.

The other version never mentioned the word organic. Participants were randomly assigned one version of the news story or the other.

The results showed that participants who were highly pro-environment judged the organic version of the drink to be less effective compared with the non-organic version.

“It’s a reminder that the halo effect hinges on the values of the perceiver,” said Schuldt. “It’s not the case that you can label a food organic and expect that everyone will perceive it more positively. Under certain circumstances, ethical labels could have an unintended backfire effect.”

Future research may involve taste tests of organic and conventional foods to see if personal values influence a taster’s perceptions when actually eating a food, Schuldt added.

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CHEP rises to the challenge for Lesaffre Australia Pacific Lesaffre Australia Pacific is an Australian manufacturer of bakers’ yeast and bread improvers, and a supplier of an extensive range of bakery ingredients. With branches in four states and a network of distributors across the country, Lesaffre aims to service clients in Australia and the Pacific in the most efficient and cost-effective way.

A CHEP customer for more than 10 years, Lesaffre was using the CHEPBox, a CHEP intermediate bulk container (IBC) designed specifically for food-industry applications, to transport up to 57,000 litres of liquid yeast each week from its Melbourne manufacturing site to its Perth distribution site.

CHEP approached Lesaffre with an opportunity to increase efficiencies with the new addition to the CHEP IBC range - the CHEP Intercon.

Peter Gaddes, CHEP Senior Business Relationship Manager, says while the CHEPBoxes moved well for Lesaffre, CHEP believed the new Intercon would add further efficiencies to Lesaffre’s supply chain.

“When you’re a CHEP customer, we continue to work with you to evaluate ways we can improve supply-chain efficiencies and business process and decrease costs,” Gaddes said.

Made from food-grade polypropylene, the next-generation Intercon is designed specifically for the food manufacturing sector and can be used for liquid and dry food applications anything from juices, edible oil, meat and vinegar, to liquid yeast.

The move to the Intercon has provided multiple efficiencies for Lesaffre; the biggest improvement is the increased handling capacity of the Intercon.

Although the Intercon is more than 60 kg lighter than the CHEPBox, it can accommodate 50 litres more liquid yeast.

This means Lesaffre can shift more product with fewer boxes.

Russell Cotterell, National Logistics and Purchasing Manager for Lesaffre Australia Pacific, said, “The reduction in the weight of our freight, combined with the ability to move more product has cut our annual freight component. The reduction from 144 trips to 140 trips a year is a huge benefit, as the Melbourne to Perth trip is logistically one of the most expensive channels in the country.”

Quality products that meet HACCP and ISO standards are also a priority for Lesaffre, and the CHEP Intercon features a number of innovations to meet the high standards of the food industry.

“A drop door on the side of the unit enables easy access to the base for manual filling and placement of liner bags, so

our staff can reach further down inside the Intercon without having to bend,” Cotterell said.

“The strong, lightweight construction also means the Intercon is easy to manoeuvre within our plant during filling, while the unit’s four-way design allows forklifts access from all four sides, providing improved OH&S standards and greater handling efficiencies across the plant.

“The smooth finish on the walls of the Intercon has also improved our OH&S standards as they are not only quick and easy to clean, but ensure there are fewer catchment areas for the liquid yeast to get caught.”

Cotterell says feedback from staff was also glowing.

“Our people on the manufacturing floor, the forklift drivers, truck drivers and those in the Perth distribution site have all contacted me to say how happy they are with the efficiency of the Intercons,” Cotterell said.

Cotterell says that Lesaffre changed to CHEP 10 years ago to streamline its pooling model and, since then, the company has continued to impress.

“CHEP’s recommendation to change to the Intercon has improved business processes across the board for us. In the past 12 months we’ve reduced our freight task, freight cost and improved our OH&S standards.”

CHEP Australia Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S580

Trans-Tasman pallet rental service Loscam has launched a trans-Tasman pallet rental service between New Zealand and Australia. The service allows Loscam customers in New Zealand and Australia to transfer and dehire pallets after an export shipment, enabling savings and benefits.

The use of one-way pallets or pallets specially imported from Australia can be costly and environmentally unsustainable. Loscam’s trans-Tasman service saves money on loading and unloading times, reduces product damage and ensures the Australian standard pallets are re-used in Loscam’s pool, saving waste.

Loscam Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R256 58

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©iStockphoto.com/pepj

Take the pressure down Manufacturers will feel the pressure in 2013 The ‘free-from’ movement Free-from claims are becoming increasingly prevalent, Innova says. Gluten-free fanatics need no longer shop at health food stores; gluten-free products are now readily available in supermarkets. Innova predicts lactose-free products will experience a similar surge as awareness of problems associated with nutrient intolerance rises and technological advances improve the quality and availability of lactose-free products.

Free-from products will also encompass meat-free lines, as well as fat-, sugar- and salt-free alternatives.

The mindful shopper Ethical shoppers are increasingly influencing the market, supported by mounting pressure from lobby groups, NGOs and celebrities who are calling for transparency, credibility and accountability from the food industry. Campaigns driven by social media also make companies more susceptible to negative publicity, Innova says.

Products marketed from an ethical platform have surged recently, Innova said, accounting for over 14% of global launches tracked in each half-year period since the second half of 2010.

Innovation stagnation The December 2012 deadline for the removal of EU nonapproved claims from packaging labels has led to a lack of innovation in the functional food sector, Innova says. Many companies are changing marketing methods that rely on approved claims, with a greater emphasis on the inherent benefits of certain foods and ingredients and a longer-term investment in future personalised nutrition products.

The (healthy) grey army Our increasingly ageing population will hold considerable clout in the market, particularly as consumer understanding of the role of a healthy diet in extending the active years improves. Innova predicts this will be reflected in cleverly marketed anti-ageing products, with medical brands moving into mainstream aisles and inherent nutrients being promoted on an ageing well platform.

‘Natural’ processed foods After years of solid growth for products marketed on a natural platform, Innova says lawsuits and regulatory pressure are increasing as concerns are raised about whether highly processed food can be called ‘natural’. As a result, some companies are switching to additive- and preservative-free claims. GM-free claims are also on the increase.

And the rest The other five trends identified by Innova Market Insights includes: • Protein overdrive • Beating the sugar demon • Sensory experience

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• More with less • Interest at the extremes

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ou may not want to hear this, but 2013 will be a year of increasing pressure, according to Innova Market Insights. The food industry should expect a year of increasing pressure on manufacturers to be accountable to consumers and suppliers and increasing regulatory pressure around definitions of what a ‘natural’ product is.

Innova has identified 10 key emerging trends likely to impact the food and drinks market in 2013. The market research company presented the top trends at Health Ingredients Europe last week.

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Dematic delivers at Tesco’s fourth Dotcom store Tesco’s fourth ‘Dotcom store’ went live in January 2012.

Located in Enfield, the 11,148 m2 grocery fulfilment centre is effectively a warehouse dedicated to delivering orders placed online to customers’ homes.

The Dotcom stores replace Tesco’s previous operations in some particularly busy areas where employees pick online orders straight from the shelves of its retail stores. Tesco has transferred picking and delivery of online orders from several of its normal stores into the Enfield Dotcom store.

Dematic has provided Tesco with an automated materials picking and handling system for the Enfield site. The company will deliver a fifth Tesco Dotcom facility in early 2013 in Crawley. Building of a sixth facility has commenced and will incorporate further automation technologies from Dematic.

The Enfield integrated installation features zone routing picking for ambient and chilled goods and separate ambient and chilled Dematic Multishuttle tote order consolidation buffers. Dematic’s zone picking system auto-launches customer order totes directly to numerous pick zones as required within the ambient area, and separate totes across zones in the chilled area.

Tesco staff pick grocery, produce and bakery goods into the order totes according to instructions received via wristmounted radio data terminals. Once scanned, totes are sent to the next relevant zone via conveyor. Complete totes are then routed to the Multishuttle consolidation buffers.

Two separate Dematic Multishuttle Consolidation Buffer units hold completed customer order totes for both ambient and chilled home delivery orders. Once a full van has been consolidated, the totes are sent in order sequence to one of the centre’s van loading bays for operators to load.

All of the integrated system’s operations are controlled by the Dematic Warehouse Management System and Dematic also carry out the order slotting for all of the products in all of the zones.

“With each of our stores we aim to move forward the model in terms of accuracy and quality for the customers as well as productivity for Tesco,” said Tesco’s operations development manager, David Burroughs.

“Having gone out to tender for mechanisation suppliers, we picked Dematic because we felt their system would enable us to achieve our objectives of faster picking and greater accuracy and reliability, enabling us to give our customers excellent standards of service whilst still providing a profitable model for Tesco. “This system will help us reduce our running costs and offer more delivery slots to customers from earlier

in the day. We wanted to ensure we could get customers’ orders picked, vans loaded and out on time with the freshest possible produce. The system also gives the accuracy we need to ensure the highest possible service levels.”

Burroughs says Tesco was particularly keen on Dematic’s Multishuttle.

“Dematic’s Multishuttle offers a number of advantages over similar systems, particularly its speed for loading our vans and its ability to swap individual shuttles, which gives us a tremendous advantage in avoiding downtime. Furthermore, the height of the Multishuttle enables us to make good use of space that would otherwise be dead air space in the warehouse, to minimise its footprint.”

Dematic’s complete system enables Tesco to pick and deliver within the concentrated floor space of the single Enfield Dotcom store, which removes dotcom pickers in many of the surrounding Tesco stores.

“This is an advantage in areas where rents are high,” said Shane Faulkner, Dematic’s Sales Project Manager. “Also by automating its online order picking process, Tesco can increase volumes while at the same time maintaining the high service levels that are essential with home delivery.”

Dematic Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S564

V-belts for aggressive environments Gates Predator V-belts are claimed to have equal or greater horsepower capacity than standard V-belts, but with half the width and weight. Using thinner Predator belts may allow for narrower pulleys, which can minimise overhung load, extend bearing life and reduce downtime and maintenance costs.

Predator belts are designed for aggressive applications and environments. The belts are said to have very high power density and stretch less than standard construction belts.

They are suitable for use on problem drives requiring high-impact strength and load-carrying power in agriculture, forestry, mining, construction and manufacturing applications. The belts are claimed to be maintenance free and to be able to handle 1.4 to 2.2 times more horsepower than the equivalent-size standard V-belt.

Gates Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S335 60

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Lightweight stackable plastic pallet The 1-PAL pallet has been designed to provide companies with warehousing, freight, environmental, safety and cost benefits. The Australian-designed and manufactured plastic pallet is stackable, nestable and rackable.

The pallet has slots in its top surface that allow the solid legs of the nesting pallet to nest inside when rotated 90°, in a similar way to traditional pallets, allowing easy forklift access.

The solid leg design gives it the ability to safely rack 1000 kg in temperatures as high as 60°C and as low as -30°C. Notches in the pallet’s legs allow it to safely locate in standard beam racking.

The 1-PAL pallet is made from long-grain glass fibre polymer that gives the pallet a good strength-to-weight ratio, high-impact strength designed to absorb recurring forklift tyne collision and ensures it maintains integrity under extreme environmental conditions.

Weighing less than 13 kg, the pallet is a third of the weight of a traditional hardwood pallet. This is said to be a weight saving of 3200 kg per 100 pallets transported when compared with hardwood pallets. It is also OH&S approved to be lifted by a single person.

1-PAL can also be fully recycled at the end of its life, cleaned at high temperatures and has drainage holes that prevent water collection, making it suitable for food and beverage industries.

Customised colours, logo printing, barcoding and RFID chip options are available.

1-PAL Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S513

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which gives the pallet a 3:1 height ratio when nested compared to standard pallets. The pallet can also be stacked

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Loscam stacks up the clients with IBC 16 Loscam’s first foray into the bulk containers business, the Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC), is receiving positive feedback from its first clients.

The IBC 16 is reportedly the lightest on the market, offering manual handling and transport efficiency.

With its unique integrated lid, the IBC assists customers in the handling and tracking of rented units.

The IBC 16 was developed with consideration of customers’ ideas and feedback.

Dairy company Bulla transfers industrial volumes of cream and yoghurt between its manufacturing sites and to external customers. “We provided feedback and when the final product was shown to us it met all our expectations,” said David Mahoney, Bulla’s procurement manager. “We couldn’t be happier with this container and it’s nice to have had input and helped create a design that has changed the marketplace.”

West Australian company Brownes Foods has been operating since 1886. Today, it uses over 130 million litres of milk in its dairy products. Having used Loscam’s wooden and plastic pallets for many years, Brownes was keen to trial and take delivery of its first load of IBCs. “The IBC is simpler to use and is creating cost savings for the company,” said assistant warehouse manager Baden Radford.

Greek yoghurt specialist Chobani is using the IBCs to store its sweet yoghurt products in Victoria. “We’ve used Loscam’s wooden pallets for a long time and saw the safety benefits of the new Loscam IBC,” said Joris Dorsman, General Manager of Supply Chain at Chobani. “The pallecons we used previously didn’t stack very easily.

“The IBCs are interlocking; you can stack them on top of each other and we can safely stack four high now, which we couldn’t do with the competing product, so we have better space utilisation,” Dorsman continued. “It is a well-engineered and well-designed IBC and we also like the fact that it is Australian made.”

Hygienic bag dump for 25 kg bags Responding to customer enquiries about improving the hygiene and safety of 25 kg bag tipping, Tetra Pak has launched a 25 kg bag tipping solution. The Hygienic Bag Dump - 25 kg bags is a solution to a number of typical problems associated with powder dumping.

The design prevents powder contamination due to eliminating hand knives and non-hygienic outer paper bags from the ‘red line’ environment, alongside providing for environmentally-friendly recycling, ergonomics and safety. Other benefits include the option of using the hygienic powder dumping prior to blending or mixing in order to reduce the need for heat treatment of the end product, as well as improving taste and cutting process costs.

The solution is suitable for vacuum- or positive-pressure powder transport and complies with sanitary standards and dust explosion regulations. It can be operated by one or two people and processes about 3 bags/min. Dust emission is minimal as the system is equipped with integrated dust extraction.

The whole system is modular, allowing the installation of any station as a standalone unit with the opportunity to upgrade or expand with other modules at a later stage. The entire system can be supplied as fully automated by introducing robotic de-palletising and waste

Loscam Ltd

evacuation modules.

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S132

Tetra Pak New Zealand Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R617

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©iStockphoto.com/Miguel Malo

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Lowdown on cleaning up How cleaning processes have changed over the last 10 years for the food manufacturing industry Just like other sectors where cross contamination and infection control is of high importance, the food manufacturing industry follows rigorous hygiene and cleanliness methods. Unlike other industrial sectors, the risks of contamination, bacteria build-up and disease are strong if the appropriate cleaning processes are not implemented.

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Murray McDonald*

odern cleaning processes and technology for the food manufacturing sector have increased productivity and hygiene, as well as reducing the resources needed to adhere to food health and safety guidelines.

Today, there is no need to use outdated and ineffective cleaning methods. For sophisticated and safety-conscious food factories, using traditional tools such as rags, scrubbing brushes and hoses are no longer an ideal fit.

The following are key ways cleaning processes for the food manufacturing industry have changed over the last 10 years to ensure a consistent and high standard of hygiene.

Dry steam has also helped manufacturers comply with workplace safety practices as the dry component does not allow residue to build up and floors do not become moist, which can lead to slips and falls by both staff and equipment.

Streamlined cleaning technology, such as inline cleaning systems, allows for conveyor belts to be steamed, vacuumed and any waste removed in one process, without the need to stop and swap equipment or tools. This greatly reduces the risk of contamination further down the production line as surfaces are receiving a deep clean rather than a wipe down.

New technology

Cleaning can now be done at all intervals of the day so ‘break cleaning’ can now be a part of a factory’s everyday cleaning process. Ten years ago, cleaning could only be done either before production or after. If it occurred during production hours, machines would need to be turned off for the cleaning to occur.

Automatic systems allow for cleaning to run whilst production is running, which allows for less interference with production schedules and downtime. Having regular cleaning sessions throughout the course of production also decreases the risk of contamination.

Traditional cleaning methods include hosing down chemical and elbow grease; these methods don’t agitate the surface, which is fundamental to get into the pores of a surface. Today’s technology provides the process of washing, scrubbing and removing food scraps, dirt and grime, therefore mechanically agitating the surface.Using dry steam as part of large cleaning jobs has become a key cleaning method in the manufacturing industry, as well as hospitality and healthcare. When heated to 180°C, dry steam kills bacteria and breaks down stubborn manufacturing grime such as grease and oils.

Cleaning intervals

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Reduction in resources Modern cleaning processes, technology and machines eliminate the use of more than just manual labour. One modern steam machine or battery-powered vacuum can reduce energy and water use, time and other replacement costs by up to 70%.

As machines can complete a job in considerably less time than that required for manual cleaning, both power and water use is minimised. With processes such as using dry steam or microfibre clothes, time is also saved due to the elimination downtime caused by wet floors.Â

Stricter infection control procedures In the last five years, ultraviolet (UV) light technology has become an infection control method that is used as an adjunct to steam. UV light can be used to disinfect critical surfaces and maintain cleaning processes that have already been implemented throughout the day.

If a surface has been contaminated during production, there are 12 or more hours for microbes to grow while the

factory is closed or in non-production status. This increase in microbial load can result in the contamination of food once production resumes.

The combination of dry steam cleaning and UV disinfection can be a powerful tool that food manufacturers can use to control contamination risks in their food plants.

Duplex Cleaning Machines Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S491

*Murray McDonald has over 20 years’ experience in the distribution of industrial cleaning equipment and is Director of Duplex Cleaning Machines. Duplex is an expert in the distribution of cleaning machine products in Australia and New Zealand and has solved cleaning issues and improved cleaning standards in thousands of industrial facilities.

Heat sealers for bulk bags or bins Bulkpak Heat Sealers from Tetra Pak are designed for all bulk bags or bins with a barrier liner suitable for heat sealing. The sealers are said to give a perfect seal regardless of the film thickness variations. This is achieved through the airbag action securing even pressure across the width of the bag.

The heat sealers can be used with a wide range of plastic liner materials due to the flexibility of setting heat-sealing parameters, such as heat sealing and cooling temperature, sealing time and pressure.

The bag plastic liner is placed between the heat-sealer jaws. Once the operator presses the two-hand start button, pressure and a heat impulse are applied to the sealed surfaces for a preset time, providing an even seal across the full width of the bag. The sealer jaws open automatically once the seal tip surface cools down to a safe temperature.

A ceramic coated seal bar provides long-lasting electrical insulation between the aluminium seal tip and the heating element. A high-quality uniform seal is achieved by maintaining the preset seal temperature during the heat sealing cycle. A temperature controller monitors and performs necessary temperature adjustments with a frequency of 50 Hz. The heat sealers’ design is compliant with operator safety and with explosion prevention and protection regulations. Easy operation solutions allow work to be carried out by all personnel. Maintenance of the heat sealers is simple, with only a few minutes required to replace the seal bar.

The Bulkpak Standard Heat Sealer uses a pair of parallel-wired heating elements located on the front bar, with heating of the plastic liner surfaces from one side only. The two identical seals, approximately 6 mm wide, are produced simultaneously.

The Bulkpak Dual Heat Sealer uses heating elements that are located in both seal bars.

This heats both plastic liner surfaces at the same time and is recommended for relatively thick or uneven plastic liners. It produces a single seal that is approximately 6 mm wide.

Tetra Pak New Zealand Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R867

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Entry-level pallet wrapper with scales Australian Warehouse Solutions (AWS) is offering entry-level pallet wrappers with built-in scales.

Wireless headset for distribution centres and warehouses

Companies are often finding their transport providers are requesting gross weights of each pallet, which

Vocollect has released the SRX2 wireless headset for Australian distribu-

has led to an increased demand for a pallet wrapper

is claimed to enhance workers’ operational efficiency.

separate machines where the pallet is wrapped by

The headset uses Vocollect’s SoundSense technology that continu-

the machine, then moved with a forklift or trolley jack

ously listens to and blocks environmental sounds in the DC or ware-

onto a weigh machine for an accurate weight.

house and is claimed to provide a 50% reduction in ambient noise in

The combination of a pallet wrapping machine

comparison with similar headsets. According to the company, workers

and scales is more efficient as pallet wrap-

achieve higher accuracy, fewer errors and improved productivity as a

ping and weighing can be completed

result of better recognition with the headset.

on one machine.

The rugged yet compact wireless headset is designed to operate

AWS offers scales as

in a range of environments including coolers, high-noise and fast-

an added option on

moving piece-picking environments. It provides optimal recognition and

all its machines, from

response in freezer environments with temperatures as low as -30°C.

entry level to top-of-

The SRX2’s batteries are designed to last two shifts in dry environ-

the-line machines.

ments and one full shift in freezer environments; increased intelligent

Australian Warehouse Solutions Pty Ltd

battery management also predicts battery shift life in advance.

Intermec Technologies Aust Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S129

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R875

Individually configurable RFID handheld readers for HF and UHF applications Turck is expanding its range of RFID handheld devices that can be tailored to the requirements of the individual user. In addition to the handheld device, the solution includes a customised user interface, RFID tags and stationary read/ write heads if required.

Write and read commands can be executed via the touch screen or keypad.

The read information can be shown on the display according to user requirements.

The handheld readers are available for both HF and UHF systems and can also read barcodes or data matrix codes as well as RFID tags.

The handhelds can communicate with mobile devices, PCs or other systems via Bluetooth, WLAN or a standard USB cable. The recorded data can be fed into an ERP system, for example, and linked with the data of an existing database. Alternatively, users can develop their own software solutions using the software developer kit.

Turck Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S507 www.foodprocessing.com.au

Jan/Feb 2013

65

BULK

tion centres (DCs) and warehouses. Its voice-recognition performance

combined with scales. Some businesses have two

©iStockphoto.com/Elena Schweitzer

BULK

A.B.N. 22 152 305 336 www.westwick-farrow.com.au Head Office Cnr. Fox Valley Road & Kiogle Street, (Locked Bag 1289) Wahroonga NSW 2076 Ph: +61 2 9487 2700 Fax: +61 2 9489 1265 Chief Editor: Janette Woodhouse wnift@westwick-farrrow.com.au Publisher: Geoff Hird Art Director/Production Manager: Julie Wright Art/Production: Tanya Scarselletti, Colleen Sam, Jeanette Teuma

Diet and sperm quality Two recent studies examined the relationship between diet and semen quality so be careful with full-fat dairy and carbs if you want to optimise your fertility.

U

sing data from the Rochester Young Men’s study, the first paper looked at the impact of dairy intake on sperm. This paper found that as dairy intake increased, semen quality declined. The relationship was even stronger as more full-fat dairy products were consumed. Increased consumption of full-fat dairy products was associated with lower sperm motility and concentration. Another study used the same database to examine the relationship of carbohydrate consumption and semen quality. Here they found that increased glycemic load, an index which summarised amount and quality of carbohydrates in the diet, was associated with a decline in sperm concentration in young men.

Two studies took a look at nutrition and its impact on patients undergoing IVF. In the first, patients were asked to do a dietary log and the data was analysed for nutritional content. They found that patients eating more proteins and fewer carbohydrates had higher rates of fertilised eggs developing to the blastocyst stage and higher pregnancy rates. In the second study, the same team took patients who had undergone IVF but had poor development of the fertilised eggs to the blastocyst stage and asked them to do a three-day nutrition log. They were then counselled on how to increase their protein intake and decrease their carbohydrate intake for 2 months before attempting another IVF cycle. In their next cycle, following the nutrition change, the blastocyst formation increased from 19% to 45% and the pregnancy rate went from 17% to 83%.

“These studies are most intriguing and demonstrate how little we know about the effects of micronutrients in our diets on various aspects of reproduction.

They demonstrate a field wide open for future research and beg questions such as whether, for example, it is carbohydrates in general or the inflammatory effects of gluten in grain carbohydrates that are deleterious to IVF outcomes,” said Richard Reindollar, MD, Vice-President of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

The research was presented at the 68th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

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Packaging Section Editor: Alice Richard Assistant Editor: Alice Richard Circulation Manager: Sue Lavery circulation@westwick-farrow.com.au Copy Control: Mitchie Mullins copy@westwick-farrow.com.au Advertising Sales NSW, QLD - Kerrie Robinson Ph: 0400 886 311 krobinson@westwick-farrow.com.au VIC, SA, WA - Sandra Romanin Ph: 0414 558 464 sromanin@westwick-farrow.com.au NZ - Gemma Burr Ph: 0800 44 2529 Fax: +61 2 9489 1265 gburr@westwick-farrow.com.au USA - Huson International Media East Coast Ph: +1 212 268 3344 West Coast Ph: +1 408 879 6666 ralph.lockwood@husonmedia.com UK - Huson International Media Ph: +44 1932 56 4999 gerryb@husonmedia.com Germany, Austria, Switzerland - Eisenacher Medien Ph: +49 228 249860 info@eisenacher-medien.de Asia - Lachlan Rainey Ph: +61 (0) 402 157 167 lrainey@westwick-farrow.com.au If you have any queries regarding our privacy policy please email privacy@westwick-farrow.com.au

Subscriptions for unregistered readers - price on application

September 2012 total CAB audited circulation (Aust + NZ): 5889 readers (90% personally requested) Printed and bound by Webstar +61 2 9748 0020 Print Post Approved PP247345/00010 ISSN No. 1039-8414 NOTICE: All material published in this magazine is published in good faith and every care is taken to accurately relay information provided to us. Readers are advised by the publishers to ensure that all necessary safety devices and precautions are installed and safe working procedures adopted before the use of any equipment found or purchased through the information we provide. Further, all performance criteria was provided by the representative company concerned and any dispute should be referred to them. Information indicating that products are made in Australia or New Zealand is supplied by the source company. Westwick-Farrow Pty Ltd does not quantify the amount of local content or the accuracy of the statement made by the source.

List (A) Job Function 1 Management - Corporate/General 2 Management - Manufacturing/ Engineering/Specialist 3 Engineer - Electrical 4 Engineer - Electronics 5 Engineer - Process 6 Engineer - Project 7 Purchasing/Procurement 8 Technician - Maintenance/Service 9 Technician - IT 10 Technical Officer 11 Scientific Officer - R&D 12 Scientific Officer - QA 13 Consultant 14 Contractor/Tradesperson 15 OHS/EHS 16 Education/Training 17 Student-Undergraduate/Apprentice 18 Analyst 19 Sales/Marketing

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