< Previous20 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net SMART WAREHOUSING significant amounts of data on operations that can be acted upon. With IoT sensors and RFID tags around the warehouse and on goods, one is able to monitor the movement of products in and out of a warehouse. Constant real- time details on an item’s status and position are relayed with these sensors, allowing for improved visibility and stock accuracy, and they are capable of ordering stock when it is low. This tracking can also be utilised to discover patterns and demand trends, enabling warehouse users to be more proactive in regard to stock held in the future, and can help prevent incidents like overstocking. Linked to the supply chain, an IoT enabled warehouse allows companies to store and order what is needed. With companies placing precise product orders, food manufacturers can create only what is required, decreasing waste. Despite the potential benefits, connecting warehouse operations and equipment to the IoT has been prevented by concerns over security. Fortunately new technologies are in development to boost the safety of employing IoT sensors, for example Microchips that enable more efficient encryption. The usefulness of IoT in warehouses extends in enabling warehouse automation. Though the idea of fully automated warehouses is not yet feasible - with high costs, technology still developing and the need for a different type of workforce - many forms of automated and autonomous technology have entered the warehouse and are affecting warehouse design. Robot pickers for instance, in an IoT enabled warehouse, can receive orders, locate items and communicate with smart shelves to find exactly where an item is and retrieve it efficiently. Meanwhile Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS), such as cranes or shuttles navigating fixed tracks, can retrieve goods at heights potentially over 120ft safely and can automatically load pallets. Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and Automated Guided Carts (AGCs) transporting inventory can streamline replenishment, working in a variety of ways from following magnetic strips to using infrared and camera vision to manoeuvre semi-autonomously. Robot arms are another useful piece of automation technology, for de- palletising and palletising as well as picking and packing. Overall these robots enable quicker movement of goods and are able to process more items than humans. Shortening turnaround times, they also reduce human workload, redistributing efforts from time consuming repetitive tasks, and minimise chance of human injury and error. Drones are also flying into warehouses integrating automation for inventory and asset management as stock gets stored higher and higher to make full use of costly floor space. This rids the need to spend hours of labour using ladders and forklifts to reach barcodes for this task. Speeding up stock checking, scanner-carrying drones can read RFID tags. More advancements are needed, however, to allow for more drones to be used at once without colliding in tight spaces. Further instances of IoT technology making its way into the warehouse include wearables. Already well- established voice picking is being integrated with smart glasses that take advantage of Augmented Reality (AR). AR can be used to support picking by helping workers find picking points, indicating the best route to take and presenting a digital checklist of work orders. It has the potential to be used by pickers on foot and in for instance forklifts. AR can also help in sorting items on a pallet, indicating the best sorting order by fragility and weight to avoid damage and fully utilise pallet size, and help when loading trucks containing items of varying shapes to make full use of truck capacity. With smart glasses, workers can receive information while giving voice commands to scan barcodes or take photos. Connected to a WMS, real time object recognition and navigation assistance are also offered by this AR tech. Vision and voice picking wearables mean workers are not focusing on a screen, preventing accidents like trips, as they are more aware of their surroundings. Other wearables like smart gloves are being introduced too, with which one can scan barcodes, 18-21.qxp_Layout 1 03/03/2021 09:03 Page 3Food & Drink International 21 www.fdiforum.net SMART WAREHOUSING removing the need to use a clunky handheld scanner, allowing workers’ hands to be free. Wearables are developing rapidly, and the future could see exoskeletons wrapped around worker’s bodies to offer support, add to lifting capabilities, and reduce repetitive strain injuries. A further hot topic in warehousing and distribution is sustainability. Warehouse owners and users are looking to reduce energy consumption, waste and cut emissions. This is seeing lighting replaced with highly efficient LED alternatives that reduce power usage, while smart warehouses are using monitors and energy management systems to regulate power usage to become more energy efficient. Further, as operating a high-tech warehouse uses a lot of power, owners are asking for solar panels to assist in offsetting utility cost. Electric vehicles are also being implemented, such as electric forklifts, eliminating the requirement for oil and gas by using lithium-ion batteries. Not only better for the environment, these are prime for the food industry as they can reduce contamination. Lithium-ion doesn’t have acid that could spill and has no fumes, which also makes them safer for staff. The batteries are also useful as they don’t require high levels of maintenance - with no cleaning, watering or equalising needed. © Shutterstock /panuwat phimpha 18-21.qxp_Layout 1 03/03/2021 09:03 Page 422 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net SOFTWARE SPOTLIGHT software New software is vital for enhancing food production and the survival of businesses, especially as they look to respond to the pandemic. Getting smart with 22-25.qxp_Layout 1 03/03/2021 09:06 Page 1Food & Drink International 23 www.fdiforum.net SOFTWARE SPOTLIGHT © Shutterstock /metamorworks The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have pushed those in the food and drink industry to re-evaluate supply chains and operations. Facing supply chain disruption, changing consumer demand, social distancing, remote working, outbreaks and widespread uncertainty, technology has been turned to to ensure resilience, continued quality and efficiency. The need for digitalisation, new software and hardware is certain, reemphasising an already established requirement for those in the food industry to keep on top of novel solutions that will guarantee production processes and distribution run smoothly, and to constantly work to heighten quality and efficiency, which is of key importance in retaining and gaining contracts. Following the coronavirus outbreak it is clear that food firms must be resilient and agile, not reactive. They must also continue to strive for greater levels of efficiency, transparency, and safety. In doing all this, food and drink manufacturers, warehouses, and distribution firms need to adopt the latest software, and keep those that are standard in our industry updated. The use of cloud platforms - which enable agility, connectivity, scalability - is rising while the tech makes digital transformation simpler. Well established in the food industry, ERP solutions are being shifted to the cloud as opposed to being on-premise as a more cost- effective option, not requiring the purchase of servers and networking equipment, and removing maintenance costs. Utilising cloud-based ERPs also offers easy scaling up and down as necessary as a business expands, facilitates collaboration across departments, streamlines business structure and enables access from multiple locations. In addition the use of cloud-based software ensures the newest software is always in play, with automatic updates removing the need for IT teams to remember to update 24 Á 22-25.qxp_Layout 1 03/03/2021 09:06 Page 224 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net SOFTWARE SPOTLIGHT systems. Alongside cloud comes the gradual adoption of Industry 4.0, Internet of Things (IoT) technology, and smart factory software which are capable of boosting productivity, visibility, and the usefulness of data. With smart sensors on equipment and products, and connected devices capturing performance and productivity data in real time and sending it to the cloud (making the handling of large data sets easier), the industry is poised to make data actionable with analytics software powered by artificial intelligence. This tech also allows continuous improvement monitoring to occur, patterns to be identified, and recommendations made to bolster efficiency. Businesses have long been sitting on mountains of data, thus more food processors are set to alter how they collect and utilise it in order to fine tune processes, optimise decision making, as well as address issues such as sustainability and waste. Connecting IoT devices like smart sensors, which gather data, and integrating a software solution that can make use of said data, actionable insights for products, machinery and processes can be gained. Reports can be generated to save resources, energy, minimise waste, and improve inventory management and maintenance programmes. The use of AI software is gathering pace here, transforming processes by unlocking new insights. Using real time monitoring one does not have to wait until the end of a batch to assess quality of output, instead anomalies can be identified as they occur. This can also be used to enhance maintenance, to establish preventative and prescriptive maintenance, with smart sensors and AI analysis identifying equipment anomalies, anticipating potential failures, sending alerts to engineers when maintenance should be performed, and preventing downtime, and AI is going further to recommend actions. The impact of AI-based software is far reaching and creating cost savings alongside better business management, especially when the AI technique machine learning is considered, penetrating a variety of aspects of food and drink production from supply chain and waste management to NPD. More accurate demand forecasts can be made for example. Probabilistic forecasting is easier, with large amounts of data assessable from internal and external sources: news, events and weather as well as sales data, inventory, amongst other sources to predict demand more confidently, allow for better inventory control, prevent the costs of overstock and becoming out of stock, and produce what if models for different scenarios. AI is further being employed in quality control, in processes like sorting, where the software can distinguish the quality of and best use for an ingredient, for instance which potatoes should be used for wedges and crisps. There are also projects implementing AI-based software to optimise hygiene and cleaning which have never been more critical in the food industry. 22-25.qxp_Layout 1 03/03/2021 09:06 Page 3Food & Drink International 25 www.fdiforum.net SOFTWARE SPOTLIGHT Martech of Whitwell and the University of Nottingham are developing a self- optimising Clean in Place system in which an AI powered multi-sensor system detects remnants of food and microbial debris on equipment to establish optimal cleaning time. It is claimed that the system could save £100 million a year for the UK food industry alone. Complementing all of these pieces of tech are the latest enterprise resource planning solutions which allow one to harness the power of IoT and data analytics, integrating data into one system for a complete view of the food production process. In the wake of the pandemic many have been rushing to catch up and implement software solutions as they undergo significant transformation and face challenges. New software and technology are essential for the survival of businesses, with the right investments able to drive down costs and bolster production. © Shutterstock /New Africa © Shutterstock /Scharfsinn YOUR EXPERTS IN CLEANING IN PLACE DISINFECTION SOLUTIONS Excellence in fluid technology As a worldwide leader in dosing technology, sera ProDos is a system provider of high quality products and services for the dosing and feeding of chemicals and fluids. Indeed, with 75 years of experience, sera ProDos is renowned for its excellent customer service and leading German engineering, offering some of the most robust pumps available on the market to customers involved in the chemical industry, food and beverage, pharma, and water and wastewater treatment. • Saves cost • Meets the highest requirements on hygiene • Increases safety and quality • Used in breweries and food & beverage industries Contact: 01283 753400 sales.uk@sera-web.com www.sera-web.com 22-25.qxp_Layout 1 03/03/2021 09:06 Page 426 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net LABELLING, CODING AND MARKING The release of any new food or drink product means conforming with any given territory’s laws and regulations. In the UK, packaging is legally required to list a myriad of information from lot number, special storage conditions, the name and address of the manufacturer, necessary warnings, net quality information, ingredients and so on and so on. As of 2011, packaged food and beverage products sold in the UK have also had to comply with European law and list country of origin as part of their labelling. This is applicable for a range of meat products – such as beef, lamb, goat and poultry – as well as fish and shellfish. Also included is honey and olive oil and fruit and vegetables imported from outside the EU. Of course, now that the UK has officially left the European Union, there have been some changes where origin labelling is concerned. Specifically, food from the UK and sold in the EU can no longer be labelled as ‘origin EU’, and must rather be labelled as ‘Made in the UK’, while food from and sold in the UK can be labelled as ‘origin EU’ until 30 September 2022 (a transitional period to allow for labelling changes). Products sold on the UK cannot only have the European Union CE symbol. This has been replaced with the new UKCA logo, and UKNI logo for goods that are being sold in Northern Ireland, to indicate conformity to standards. As well as creating more transparency in the supply chain, it allows consumers to see, at a glance, where their products have come from allowing them to make more informed and, often, environmentally focussed purchasing decisions. Yet there are areas where labelling legislation is being ignored which can not only land manufacturers (and entire territories) in hot water but can negatively impact consumers especially Keeping up with labelling laws Brexit has changed food labelling laws and heightened the importance for food makers to have robust, attractive and compliant labelling on their products. Food and Drink International investigates. 26-29.qxp_Layout 1 03/03/2021 09:11 Page 1Food & Drink International 27 www.fdiforum.net LABELLING, CODING AND MARKING when it comes to nutritional labelling. For the last ten years, consumer organisations have been calling on the EU Commission to publish nutrient profiles on food and drink products. Far from a health crusade alone, there was a legal precedent for these demands. Back in 2006, the EU adopted legalisation providing for these profiles, meaning the Commission was required by law to publish them in 2009. In 2020, however, the Commission initiated an evaluation of the Claims Regulation which will examine whether the profiles are still needed. The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) argues that nutrient profiles would prevent the food industry from making unhealthy foods and drinks appear healthier than they are. It would, they say, restrict the use of potentially misleading claims such as “source of calcium” or “boosts the immune system” on foods which are high in sugar and/or fat. In 2019, BEUC and eleven of its member organisations identified numerous examples of unhealthy foods being marketed as healthy across the EU. “Consumers have been misled by countless claims which disguise unhealthy foods as healthy options,” said Monique Goyens, Director General of BEUC. “The Commission could have stopped the tricks 10 years ago, had it fulfilled its duties This delay is all the more unacceptable as weight issues are soaring in Europe. More than half of Europeans are overweight and run higher risks to develop diseases such as diabetes. “Because appealing messages can strongly influence consumers when they buy foods or drinks, only healthy products deserve a claim. Nutrient profiles need to be adopted urgently to enable consumers to make healthier choices. Consumer 28 Á © Shutterstock /Sergey Ryzhov 26-29.qxp_Layout 1 03/03/2021 09:11 Page 228 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net LABELLING, CODING AND MARKING organisations are waiting for the EU Commission to publish a report on this issue before it leaves office at the time of the European elections.” As well as complying with legislation, labelling is becoming of greater importance to consumers. Research has found that consumers are becoming more attracted to country of origin labelling or increasingly transparent ingredients lists as consumers look to discover hidden sugars in their diet or boycott certain ingredients such as palm oil. But food and drink labels are still complicated for consumers who can often find the information dense and difficult to decipher. Suffice it to say, manufacturers need precise legible labelling that also fits within their packaging profile and complies with legislation. To accomplish this, they require printers which can produce clear and precise labels at a high rate of output. For manufactures, there’s a variety of different printing options at their disposal depending on the requirements. Continuous inkjet (CIJ), for example, can be used to print most materials regardless of porosity, size, shape and texture, making it an ideal all-rounder. Typically, CIJ is used for dates, times, batch codes, product names and logos and is particularly useful for printing traceability data and complying with strict industry legislation. © Shutterstock /Brian A Jackson LX610e Pro – desktop inkjet label printer with integrated die-cutting The LX610e Pro Color Label Printer is the only full-colour, desktop label printer/plotter in the world that delivers photo-quality labels in any size and shape without the need for custom dies. It features full-colour inkjet label printing, a built-in digital die-cutting knife blade for cutting labels into custom shapes and also a built-in “pizza-wheel” style cutter for horizontal cutting of labels. LX610e Pro includes an easy-to-use software, called PTCreate Pro, for laying out print and cut files. That allows the fast production of custom labels of virtually any size or shape all in one process. Dye-based ink for brilliant, eye- popping colours or pigment ink for maximum durability against water and UV light can be used alternately. Small businesses can print their own short runs of hundreds or a few thousand custom labels, without incurring delays and die costs, providing them flexibility and independence. To find out more, visit https://dtm-print.eu/ 26-29.qxp_Layout 1 03/03/2021 10:42 Page 3Food & Drink International 29 www.fdiforum.net LABELLING, CODING AND MARKING © Shutterstock /Gorodenkoff Thermal inkjet (TIJ), on the other hand, is primarily used for coding product identification onto porous substrates, making it perfect for shelf- ready packaging which are seen up and down supermarket shelves. Despite offering indelible codes and a high product speed, thermal inkjet is often overlooked in favour of CIJ and thermal transfer. But with its lower associated Self-adhesive labels and food packaging correction solutions Self-adhesive labels are a cost-efficient way to provide key information such as ingredients and allergy advice. They can also be used to display and amend best before and use by dates, prices, promotional offers, bar codes, and health mark/site codes. If you have a food packaging error that needs correcting, we also offer an overlabelling service. With over 30 years’ experience, Croft Printing is able to print self-adhesive labels in a variety of shapes and sizes for all kinds of food products and food packaging including plastic pouches and trays, and cardboard sleeves, boxes or cartons. The company can also provide tamper proof seals and hygienic resealable labels to help ensure product safety. As a BRC Certificated printing company, Croft Printing can offer the surety that food manufacturers and food packaging companies require regarding hygiene and health and safety. To find out more, visit www.croftprinting.co.uk. © Shutterstock /Brian A Jackson costs and high production quality, speed and flexibility – as well as offering no smudges or scratches – TIJ is definitely worth considering. Another printing solution open to food manufacturers and packaging specialists is laser coding. This offers a fast non-contact solution for permanent food packaging applications as well as large character coding onto secondary packaging such as cardboard cartons, boxes and crates. There’s by no means a ‘one size fits all’ printing solution that will meet a manufacturers labelling, coding and marking needs. Often, it’s a combination of two or more in order to retain a high- quality packaging aesthetic, comply with legislation and resonate with the consumers. 26-29.qxp_Layout 1 03/03/2021 10:42 Page 4Next >