< PreviousNew Interceptor makes wavesin wet food inspection Fortress Technology has revealed an international breakthrough in food safetyinspection. Increasing stainless steel detection by 100 per cent compared to themost recent generations of metal detectors, the Interceptor accurately inspects wetand conductive products and helps to eliminate false rejects, making it one of thebiggest game-changers to hit the food processing sector in recent years.Specifically designed to tackle the challenge of high product rejects when using metal detectors,Fortress’s latest technology splits the frequency signals. This means that the machine can clearlydifferentiate between the signal generated by the product as a result of moisture or mineral contentand any metal contaminant, putting a stop to a potential stainless steel signal being ‘swamped’ byproduct effect. Although stainless steel contamination in products is a rare occurrence, the metal is prevalent inindustrial food preparation equipment. In contrast to recent metal detectors, the sensitivity of theInterceptor means it can pick up metal contaminants half the dimensional size previouslyidentifiable. The Interceptor can accurately inspect products with variations in density, from bulk cuts tominced meat, or grated, sliced and block cheeses.30 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netHEALTH, SAFETY & HYGIENEVikan UST wins SOFHT Awardfor Best New Product orServiceAt a ceremony inLondon in November,the Society of FoodHygiene andTechnology (SOFHT)named Vikan’s UltraSafe Technology (UST)brushes the winner ofits ‘Best New Product orService’ award. More than 400representatives from thefood industry attended2015’s SOFHT Awardsceremony, andcandidates for theprestigious ‘Best NewProduct’ award must benominated by twocompanies in the industry. The innovative new UST from Vikan reinvents the humble brushto provide the food industry with a cleaning product that helpsminimise the risk of cross-contamination and bristle loss. Fromtheir hygienic design and technologically advanced manufacture,to their global use within the food industry, UST products arehelping to improve food safety and quality worldwide. Developed in close co-operation with the food industry andcomprehensively tested, UST products aim to provide the foodindustry with the most secure, safe and hygienic brushware on themarket today.For more information, visit www.vikan.com, or emailsales@vikan.co.uk. New – SuperFast Thermapen®4 ThermometerThe SuperFastThermapen is theUK’s number oneselling foodthermometermeasuringtemperature overthe range of -49.9 to299.9 °C, and offersspeed, accuracyand convenience ofuse. ElectronicTemperature Instruments, the UK manufacturers of the thermometer have nowmade it even better.Advanced technology makes the new Thermapen 4 even more intuitive thanprevious models. The patented 360° self-rotating display automatically turns so theuser can read the thermometer in any position.It also knows when it’s dark and turns on the backlight, making it easy to read inpoorly lit areas or complete darkness. The motion-sensing sleep modeautomatically turns it on or off when the user picks it up or puts it down, maximisingbattery life. The plastic casing is washable, with an ergonomic rubber seal minimises the riskwater, dust or food. It is still ‘probably’ the fastest reading contact thermometer onthe market today. For more information, visit www.thermometer.co.uk.Show your BRC working outIn the past, the dreaded audit might have been seen within your business as a‘box ticking’ exercise. A series of procedures and forms passed from department todepartment in an effort to satisfy a minimum criterion.In Needlers’ experience, working with some of the UK’s biggest foodmanufacturers, it is no longer satisfactory to simply achieve the minimum standard.Auditing is about more than meeting regulatory requirements and protecting yourbusiness. An audit is an investment in your products, business continuity and yourpeople.That’s why Needlers has developed a range of added value services for itscustomers, providing them with valuable evidence come audit time.All Needlers products include a range of technical and food contact information,white papers and handy point-of-use resources. They’re available in one easy placeonline, and make supply chain traceability easier to manage.For the latest food industry updates and added value, follow the Needlers blog at www.needlers.co.uk/news/category/blog.26-30_Layout 1 17/12/2015 14:48 Page 5Food & Drink International 31www.fdiforum.netLABORATORY SHOWCASETCS Biosciences LtdSelectrol® is a convenient source of viable micro-organisms which can be usedfor a variety of quality control and testing applications, manufactured underlicence from Public Health England. Selectrol® discs are manufactured exclusivelyfrom NCTC® (National Collection of Type Cultures) and NCPF® (NationalCollection of Pathogenic Fungi) and are guaranteed first generation derivativesfrom the source strain. Selectrol® discs are freeze-dried for easy storage and, when reconstituted, willprovide cultures with characteristic reactions. The discs are also water soluble andcan, therefore, be inoculated directly onto solid or into liquid culture media. The strains are available in packs of 10 discs and certain strains are availablein 25 disc packs. The vials are sealed under vacuum, and contain self-indicating silica gel providing visible indication that the discs remain moisture-free.The discs are versatile and can be used for the quality control of culture media, staining reactions and biochemical reactions employed in theidentification of micro-organisms. Tel: +44 (0) 1296 714222 Email: sales@tcsgroup.co.uk Web: www.tcsbiosciences.co.ukAccurately controlling today’s sugar anddiet-based beveragesXylem’s Bellingham + Stanley and SI Analytics brands are often found at the heart of today’s’ beveragemanufacturing process; playing a key role in the final quality assurance of soft drinks as well as for dilutioncontrol within the factory.The most commonly used instrument in today’s beverage environment is undoubtedly a refractometer usedto control °Brix. Bellingham + Stanley’s globally recognized RFM340+ Peltier temperature controlled refractometer has nowbeen upgraded so that over 4000 results can be stored for review and general download to LIMS and a new high definition 4” colour backlit displayprovides high contrast visibility from a wide viewing angle in almost any lighting condition; facilitating measurement to ±0.01 °Brix.Like the RFM340+ refractometer, the Titroline® 6000 from SI Analytics features a METHODS system that makes diet beverage concentration and acidcontent analysis a very simple process. A precise dosing system and interchangeable burette provides for high precision results and rapid turnaround ofsamples in busy soft drinks plants, particularly where non-skilled operators are required to control bottling lines.Tel: +44 (0) 1892 500400 Email sales.bs.uk@xyleminc.com www.bellinghamandstanley.comQuality productsfrom SouthernGroup LaboratoryThere is very little room for error in food safetyand quality and that’s why SGL, a prepared media manufacturer with over twenty years’experience in all sectors conducting microbiology, is a safe choice for your microbiologicaltesting needs.SGL offer specialist products for the food industry that come with a deep understanding ofthe unique needs of laboratories concerned with food safety and quality assurance. They canprovide Prepared Culture Media to suit any application, in flexible formats and standard orcustom formulations.SGL has the expertise to provide the solutions you need. All activities are certified to ISO9001:2008 with quality control accredited to EN ISO 17025: 2011. Quality is their passion.Tel: 01536 403815www.sglab.co.ukPutting your reputation to the testBuilding your reputation is hard – losing it is easy. So, when it comes to foodhygiene, there can be no shortcuts. Food safety issues are never far from the headlines,increasing demand for food testing – and throughout thesector a host of laboratories and testing services to providepeace of mind for consumers, retailers and manufacturersalike.The reputation of a company is something which is difficultto build but incredibly easy to lose, particularly when it comesto matters of food hygiene or quality assurance. Laboratory testing is one such way to minimise risk in thisarea, and is a process every manufacturer will be familiar withto some degree. Here in our laboratory showcase section wehighlight some of the professionals and specialists within theindustry – and what they have to offer to this highly technicalmarket. 31_Layout 1 17/12/2015 12:41 Page 132 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netMIXING AND BLENDINGMixing and blending is vital for foodprocessing but protecting product integrityin the mixing process is the key to productquality and harnessing the latesttechnology can improve the mixingprocesses, delivering ever faster and moreefficient processing. This same technologyalso plays a major role in protectingproduct integrity, which is vital for colour,flavour, texture and aroma.Food and drink producers rely on highquality powdered ingredients to addcolour, flavour, texture and aroma toproducts such as candy and confectionaryproducts, soups, sauces, syrups, juices anddressings. By blending powdered ingredients andthickening agents, this creates a base forprocessed food and drinks, after whichsolid pieces of food or fruit pulp can thenbe added to improve the flavour and itsappearance. By knowing, understandingand tailoring mixing technologies to yourspecific needs, it is possible to save time,energy, manpower and raw materials. That said, billions of pounds annuallyacross the process industries by companieswho buy equipment without propertesting. Perhaps the result of a companywanting to speedily scale up a processfrom the lab to full scale productionwithout fully appreciating the complexitiesinvolved. Try telling your Vice presidentthat you need to look into tip speeds,agitation, batch turnover crates and so onand you can visibly see their eyes glazeover. Once all the parameters have beenlooked into, you will then want toperform scalable tests on batch sizes of nosmaller than 10 per cent of the targetedproduction. This will help determineFood manufacturers havewitnessed tremendous growth inthe processed food industry inrecent years and this hasconsiderably affected the foodblenders & mixers industry withnew technologies drivinginnovation, but effective mixing isno simple task.Gettingthe mixright32-36_Layout 1 17/12/2015 16:03 Page 1POWDERSGRANULESPASTESBATCHCONTINUOUSMIXING SOLUTIONS WORLDWIDE OptimumMixingfromJohn R. BooneThe Complete Rangefrom 2 to 25,000 litresVersatile Mixing MachinesT: +44 (0)1260 272894www.jrboone.come: sales@jrboone.comJ.R.BOONE Ltd., 18 Silk Street, Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 4DH, EnglandDelta Blade (plough): Cookie Mix to FlavoursHelical Blade (ribbon): Sugar Paste to Herbs and SpicesRotary Drum : Tea to MuesliComplete mixing plant design to commissioningTest mixers available for production developmentProduction scale machines for short or long term hirePPMA 27-29th SeptNEC Hall 5 Stand A11J.R.BOONE Ltd., 18 Silk Street, Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 4DH, United KingdomFood & Drink International 33www.fdiforum.netMIXING AND BLENDINGactual flow rates at set speeds, power consumption, heatgeneration, particle size reduction and highlight anyproblems. Another area to avoid is that of over (or under)processing, the ideal is to blend ingredients in the shortesttime possible with the minimum number of passes.Likewise choosing the wrong horsepower for a machinecould result in under mixing or overworking the machine.Any over or under processing costs time and money. It canalso have an adverse effect on not only the productintegrity but so too the machinery components. Carefulmixer selection and prior testing of equipment will reveal35 ÁNestlé UK & Ireland becomes firstconfectionery company to source100% sustainable cocoa Nestlé UK & Ireland has reached itstarget to source 100 per cent certifiedsustainable cocoa for its chocolateconfectionary and biscuit range,becoming the first major confectionarycompany in the UK and Ireland to doso. From 1 January 2016, the entirerange of Nestlé confectionary andbiscuits sold in the UK and Ireland willbe produced using certified sustainablecocoa, sourced through the NestléCocoa Plan.Andrew MacIver, managing director,confectionary, Nestlé UK & Ireland, said: “The Nestlé Cocoa Plan is helping farmers torun profitable farms, support the elimination of child labour and ensure a sustainablesupply of cocoa. Consumers here in the UK can enjoy their favourite products with theconfidence that they are made with cocoa that comes from 100 per cent certifiedsustainable sources.”Nestlé UK & Ireland works with both UTZ Certified and the Fairtrade Foundation forindependent certification that the cocoa is sourced and produced sustainably on farmswith safe working conditions. The UTZ program is designed to improved producers’lives and offer a flexible and cost efficient sustainability program to the industry. PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/KARTINKIN77PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/IPRACHENKO32-36_Layout 1 17/12/2015 16:03 Page 234 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netmixingis our businessCreamsandOintmentsPaintsandResinsGelsSoupsandSaucesSalsaandDressingsEcoFuelsHigh Shear Mixersand Agitators32-36_Layout 1 17/12/2015 16:03 Page 3Food & Drink International 35www.fdiforum.netMIXING AND BLENDINGany problems.Then there’s the problem of the more challengingpowders which clump up if added too quickly and/or needadding at a speed which allows them to hydrate. This oftenresults in solution defects such as grainy texture or reducedviscosity, which is where powder injection systems come tothe fore, preventing agglomerates from forming by applyingintense shear at the crucial point of the powder entering theliquid stream and in doing so shortening mixing times. Last but by no means least is reducing the entrapment ofair – while reducing agitator speed used to be the answerthis only exacerbates any potential for clumping or contactbetween the different components of the mix. It is far better36 ÁFonterra to invest $141 millionin state-of-the-art cheese plant Fonterra Australia will invest NZ$141 million in building a state-of-the-artcheese plant at its Stanhope factory. The new facility will replace the hardcheese plant, which was destroyed by fire in December 2014, with a larger,modern facility that will produce cheese for Australian consumers,foodservice and export markets. Fonterra Oceania managing director Judith Swales said: “We arefocussing on areas where we can win in a highly competitive market, andthat means optimising our product mix and investing in higher value addproducts that will deliver the best returns for our farmer shareholders.Rebuilding and expanding our Stanhope cheese plant is key to this.”She added: “Importantly, the new plant will require significant growth ofthe local milk pool by 2020, and demonstrates Fonterra’s commitment togrowing the industry long term. It means out local farmers can be assuredof the future of dairy in northern Victoria.”The new plan will be able to produce 45,000MT of chesses each year,an increase of 15,000MT from the previous plant. Construction will begin 2016, and is expected to be completed by 2017.PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/SU JUSTEN32-36_Layout 1 17/12/2015 16:03 Page 436 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netMIXING AND BLENDINGtherefore to process undervacuum and maintain theagitator speed. This also reducesany costly de-aeration stepsneeded afterwards and speeds upthe whole process. Companies with sufficientfunds for investment intechnology are certainlybenefitting from the above andusing acquisition as strategies tomove into new and untappedmarkets, building a new customer base for long-term clientrelationships, and acquiring local players of the industry. Butit’s not just the corporate players that are benefitting - SME’shave also been able to expand their geographical reach, andreinforce their market position, gaining a larger share in termsof revenue and product portfolios and enabling them toincrease their technical expertise through intensive R&D.MOJU launch juice barquality range in the UK MOJU are currently launching nationwide with their three super-nourishing, cold-pressed juices that use more nutrient-rich veg thansugary fruit. With the aim of bringing juice bar quality juices to the country,MOJU steer clear of corner-cutting purees, pulps and additives. MOJU cold-press their juice, maximizing the health-givingproperties of fresh ingredients; this process is the closest you can getto fresh fruit and veg, extracting up to five times more nutrients thantraditional methods. MOJU never heat pasteurise or ‘cook’ their juiceas it destroys vitamins, minerals and enzymes; instead, they usepressure (HPP) to protect the nutrients and flavour packed withintheir perfectly balanced recipes.MOJU’s Green, Purple and Orange Juices are 100 per centnatural, unadulterated and free from any additives or GMOs; at leastfour portions of fruit and veg are pressed into each bottle. Launched into Harrods, As Nature Intended and a raft of deli andhealth foods stores across the South East, MOJU is currently liningup a host of national stockists and will soon be available on line foroffice and home delivery.Companieswith sufficientfunds forinvestment intechnology arecertainlybenefittingSilverson Machinesopen purpose-builttraining school SilversonMachines is theworld leader inthe design andmanufacture ofHigh ShearMixers, usedthroughout thefood industry.They recentlyopened a new,purpose-builtTraining Schoolto six youngstersembarking on atraditional fiveyear engineering apprenticeship. Former Cabinet Minister Michael Portillo was there for the officialopening of the facility which also includes a fully equipped CustomerTest Centre - where customers can try their ingredients andformulations on a full range of mixing equipment, and discuss theirapplications with Silverson’s technical staff. Having toured new facilities at Silverson, Mr. Portillo said: “Sovery much that I’ve encountered today has been counterintuitive - thenormal story about British engineering is that it doesn’t exist; thatwe’re not very good at exporting... those stories are absolutely negatedby what we’ve seen here today; a highly successful precisionengineering company, by far the greater part of whose output is forexport.” Regarding Silverson’s award-winning Apprentice Training scheme,he added: “The other thing that we often hear is that apprenticeshipsare dead – how wonderful then to come here and find thatapprenticeships are alive and in a sense they have been resurrected,reinvented.”Silverson set up their Training Shcool to overcome the challengesmany UK companies experience in recruiting skilled engineering staff.They have co-located it with their new Customer Test Centre toshowcase the technology and professionalism visible in theirproduction facilities and the people who work there, reinforcing thecompany’s position as a quality manufacturer and market leader.For more information, visit www.silverson.co.uk orcall 01494 786331, altyernatly you can emailSales@silverson.co.uk.32-36_Layout 1 17/12/2015 16:03 Page 5Food & Drink International 37www.fdiforum.netSNACK FOODSThis month we look at some of thelatest snack food products on the market,and explore the latest ingredient solutionsand machines that are being used tofacilitate new production processes. With a market overflowing with newproducts, it has never been moreimportant for snack food producers todiversify. Fortunately, many have steppedup to the plate in fine style.Several companies are taking advantageof the blossoming trend for internationalfoods, with delicacies such as Mexicanchurros and Indian rotis now beingproduced in bite-sized snack form. Crispand tortilla chip manufacturers have alsobeen expanding their flavour ranges inorder to satiate more exotic tastes.Whereas once choice was limited to oldstandards such as salt & vinegar andready salted, we are currently seeing aproliferation of exciting crisp flavourssuch as Thai green curry, tomato, basil &mozzarella, chorizo, Guinness and pulledpork. Pub staples such as crispy potato skinsPHOTO: RADU BERCAN / SHUTTERSTOCK.COMSnack foods -a growth phenomenonConsumer tastes have becomeincreasingly diverse in recentyears, and the snack foodsmarket has matured immensely,with a wide variety of productsnow available on the shelves.Today, manufacturers face thechallenge of catering for anincreasingly sophisticatedconsumer base whilst alsoaddressing the contemporarytrend for healthier products.38 Á37-39_Layout 1 17/12/2015 12:43 Page 138 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netSNACK FOODSare now being sold as a pre-packagedsnack item, and some producers are takingthe humble pretzel – a long-establishedfeature of the snack world – andreshaping it, in one case to resemble anItalian breadstick, so as to appeal tobroader constituencies of consumers.But how are snack food producersmeeting the demand for healthier foods?The confectionary industry, which hastraditionally had something of a PRproblem as far as healthy eating isconcerned, is set to be transformed byhealthier plant-based ingredients. Onegroup of ingredients that could have amajor impact on the snack food sector arecocoa flavanols, which are naturallyextracted from cocoa extracts. Morecommonly used in health supplements,cocoa flavanols are proven to help withblood flow and are generally better forone’s health than the standard cocoaextracts traditionally used in chocolateproduction. The commercial potential ofhealthier – yet just as tasty – chocolatesnacks is abundantly clear.Trends affecting the wider foodindustry have also had a significant impacton snack foods. For example, plant-basedprotein alternatives are becomingincreasingly popular with manufacturers,and some companies are sourcing named-variety ingredients – fruit pieces fromparticular regions, and so on – to satisfyconsumers who take a keen interest in theprovenance of their food. Another important development in thesector is the increasing popularity ofsnack-sized portions of fresh fruit andvegetables that are often sold as part of athree-item meal deal. In many respectsthis is an ingenious move. Rather thanhaving to invest in new, healthieringredients to fulfil the demand forhealthy snack products, companies aresimply selling raw, largely unprocessedPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/NIKI LOVECalbee UK announcesagreement with Tesco to stocktheir first product Calbee UK, the first European subsidiary of Calbee Inc, the £1.2 billionJapanese savoury snack supplier, has announced an agreement with Tesco thatwill see its first product, Yushoi Snapea rice sticks, feature in all flavours acrossa portfolio of more than 650 stores nationwide from the end of November 2015.This builds on recent successes, having achieved listings with Morrisons, TheCo-Operative, Whole Foods Market, WH Smith and Selfridges. The snack, which is made predominately using green peas and rice, willprovide consumers with a healthier alternative to fried crisps, as retailers look toincrease space in store for snacking options that are better for you. Sales controller for Calbee UK, Louise Monk, said: “We know that Tescowants to help customers to make healthier choices, building on the removal of sweets, chocolates and fizzy sugary drinks from the tills and in-queueareas. Replacing these products that are better for you in supermarkets and convenience stores make it easier for customers to choose options that arebetter for them.”37-39_Layout 1 17/12/2015 12:43 Page 2Food & Drink International 39www.fdiforum.netSNACK FOODSfoodstuffs that are far cheaper to prepare.A decade ago, the notion that carrotsticks, edamame beans and the like couldbe sold as an alternative to fatty andsugary snacks would have seemed fanciful,but today they are a major source of profitfor the industry.Packaging needs are also drivingchanges in the sector, and this hasinfluenced the kinds of machinery snackfood producers are using to create theirproducts. Automated extruders, creamfeeders and cutters are helping to speedup production and save money, and theyare facilitating quicker and easier productpackaging as well. The degree ofuniformity these programmable machinesare able to achievemeans that packaging –often carried out byother integratedmachines – is becomingless of an onerous task,with fewer spillages andinconsistencies ofvolume occurring.Printing technologies are also importantto snack food producers, as individualitems need to be coded and markedaccordingly. Inaccuracies can lead to costlyproduct recalls and worse, so the adventof powerful inkjet technologies and laser-based machine vision systems has been aboon for the industry. It is now possibleto date-code items rapidly and withconfidence; once printed, lasertechnology may be employed to ensurethat each item carries the correctinformation. The snack food industry is booming.As product portfolios widen, profitscontinue to increase, and consumers aremore reassured than ever before that theproducts they are buying are healthy.With a welter of fresh and exciting newproducts on offer, both producers and thepublic can snack happy.Greencore reports growthdriven by food-to-goConvenience food manufacturer Greencore Group, which hasplants in the US and UK, has posted a 10.6 per cent rise in groupoperating profits to £91.7 million for the year ended 25 September2015.Revenue was up 5.4 per cent on a like-for-like basis, while LFLrevenue in the UK Convenience Foods division rose 4.7 per cent.The results statement also revealed that the first phase of theextension of the group’s new Northampton facility had beencompleted, while the second was well underway. Greencore Group chief executive Patrick Coveney said:“Greencore has had another strong year and out clear food-to-go-led strategy has continued to drive growth in both the UK and USmarkets. We delivered 6 per cent like-for-like revenue inConvenience Foods, 11 per cent group operating profit growth andour fifth consecutive year of double-digit growth adjusted EPS.“We increased our investment in major capacity improvementprojects during the year, in each case underpinned by long-termcustomer relationships. Our strategy, momentum and pipeline ofopportunities leave us well-placed to deliver further progress inFY16 and beyond.”Plant-based protein alternatives are becomingincreasingly popular with manufacturers, and somecompanies are sourcing named-variety ingredients37-39_Layout 1 17/12/2015 12:43 Page 3Next >