A new film that will extend product shelf life due to high oxygen protection has been launched. ExxonMobil Chemical has designed the transparent bi-axially oriented polypropylene (OPP) film with high gas barrier properties for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), was unveiled earlier this year. The Bicor MB866 film has a polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) coating on one side and acrylic on the...
Nature’s One
Organic infant formula manufacturer Nature’s One is continuing to minimise and reduce the number of environmental contaminants in its products. The company’s “expanded purity initiative” – part of the firm’s zero tolerance arsenic goal – is trying to eliminate the contaminants such as arsenic, other heavy metals, pesticide residues and hidden chemicals that are known to be in the US...
Sodium Chloride
A new low-sodium hydrolysed vegetable protein (HVP) has been created to ‘solve a riddle’ of how to create a low-sodium HVP without relying on potassium chloride. Innova – a business division of Griffith Laboratories – claims to have developed a proprietary processing technique to make low-sodium HVP derived from soy, corn, wheat, or all three combined which requires no changes...
General Mills fined
Food company General Mills have been fined $850 for violating safety laws when a worker was killed last year. Gary Lawce, 53, died at a plant of the firm in Lodi in October 2011 after he was crushed whilst attempting to stop a moving railcar. According to the investigators of Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), General Mills had failed...
Sugar consumption and human memory
Consuming too much sugar-rich foods could slow learning and memory while taking omega-3 fatty acids could improve such problems, say researchers. According to a new study, a diet that is consistently high in fructose “slows” the brain and hinders memory and learning and that taking more omega-3 fatty acids can improve the former and latter. Professor Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, from the...
Charity-shop and children spending
UK parents are turning to charity shops in order to clothe their children as recession takes its toll on the country. According to the research from VoucherCodes.co.uk’s most recent Parent Poll, a quarter of parents shop from charity shops and an increasing number of people suffer from ‘post natal recession’ – cutting down on the amount they spend on their...
Black Tea improving heart conditions
Drinking three cups of black tea each day could improve health conditions of the heart, says a study. According to results from a clinical trial in a study, nine grams of the black tea infusate each day were associated with a 36% decrease in triglyceride levels and an improvement in the ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol of about 17%....
Food skin packs machine
A company has developed a machine specifically made for food skin packs. UK-based Proseal has designed the GT1VS machine with a servo-driven infeed conveyor and which also accepts randomly spaced trays in all types of materials at sealing speeds of up to 24 packs per minute depending on the product. The tray sealer included a vacuum packaging system that offered...
World’s largest poultry manufacturer sold
The world’s largest poultry processing machinery manufacturing company has been sold, says the private equity owner. After doubling in size and profits in seven years, Altor Equity Partners AB said it agreed to sell Meyn – based in Netherlands – to CTB for an undisclosed sum. With its HQ in the Dutch city of Oostzaan, Meyn develops manufactures, markets and...
Coca Cola apologises to China
Coca-Cola apologised to the Chinese authorities, media and public after a manufacturing mistake occurred leading to chlorine-contaminated drinks entering the market. The company’s apology comes after local media reported that nine batches of beverage products were tainted with chlorine due to an error that occurred during routine pipe maintenance work. The firm has confirmed that the contamination happened when employees...