< Previous© shutterstock/Ditty_about_summer30 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netLABELLING, CODING & MARKINGConsumers have become far moreconscious and scrutinising in the lastdecade, and labels have struggled tokeep up with the plethora ofinformation they demand, let alonewhat is required by law. As packaging attempts to movetowards more streamlined designs,often with as little space covered bylabels as possible, the problem is onlyexacerbated.Considering the large quantities offinished products that go through amanufacturing facility in any given day,there is also a necessity for a flawlessClear andconciseConsumer focus on health, ingredients andadditives has left the labelling industry with a lot ofinformation to fit into relatively small spaces. 30-33_Layout 1 27/03/2017 10:31 Page 1Food & Drink International 31www.fdiforum.netLABELLING, CODING & MARKINGRotech RF-Lite CartonCoder assists mochimissionLittle Moons, frozen ice cream mochi maker isreaching for the stars after making its codingoperation slicker and more efficient. Following itsinvestment in an economical RF-Lite off-line codingsystem, the London-based producer has the codingcapabilities to support strong retail growth and meetcustomer requests to code directly onto cartons. Siblings, Howard and Vivien Wong launched thebusiness making ice cream filled mochi - made bysteaming and pounding rice flour until it has a chewytexture and marrying it with a gelato filling. Theirproduct, Little Moons, caught the attention of chefsand made it onto the dessert menus of several highprofile restaurant chains.The company then branched out into retail andwith sales booming, it became apparent that thecompany needed a more efficient coding methodthan using date guns with stickers. Little Moons initiated discussions with Rotech, aHertfordshire specialist in coding, marking andfeeding systems. Rotech had just launched the RF-Lite - an entry-level carton and sleeve coding systemwhich fitted Little Moons’ brief perfectly. The RF-Lite takes flat cardboard sleeves or cartonsfrom a hopper, feeds them through a printer so theycan be coded, and stacks them again ready for use.The RF-Lite can handle pack shapes and sizesranging anywhere from 40x70mm to 300x200mmand can be easily adjusted to swap between sizes. The RF-Lite is located in the factory’s packingarea, allowing staff to code batches of cartons ondemand and then fill them. The RF-Lite uses thermalinkjet, a clean coding technology which is ideal for ahigh-end product such as Little Moons, as it createsclear, crisp codes. Little Moons is currently coding about 1,000 retailcartons per day using the RF-Lite but it has thecapacity to code twice or even three times as manycartons. For more information, visitwww.rotechmachines.com.and efficiency system that canwork with batches of well over10,000 individual products. All ofthis must be done with minimaldowntime, efficient energy usageand unparalleled accuracy. In terms of design and aesthetics,labelling has improved in recentyears, with many now tyingfunctionality and appearancetogether. The abundance ofproducts such as in the readymeals sector, for example, meanthat labelling must be applied in amanner which does not obfuscatethe product itself. In years past, thismight have been a problem, butnow companies turn towardslabelling on sleeves and cartonswith positive effect. As ever, thelabelling industry is tied inherentlywith packaging itself and mustadapt to the changes that happenwithin that sector. The difficulty, ofcourse, comes from maintaining anefficient and flexible system thatcan be changed at any time toaccount for variances in product. When it comes to the labelsthemselves, human error remainsone of the key points for mistakes,not only in terms of a personstamping or applying a label to aproduct, but also monitoring theinformation that goes on the labelsin the first place. Software systemsoften come as part and parcel ofthe system, and while these canoften accurately measure, weighand determine correct informationon labels, it is still important thatthese be checked and monitoredby operators on a day-by-daybasis. It is often best to look for asoftware system that can beintegrated with other checkingsystem at the same time as thelabelling one, allowing it to labelthe product accurately based onthe results it receives fromweighing machines or visiondetection systems. In that regardtalking to professional systemsspecialists is always preferred asthey might be able to save acompany investment by pointingout how they can combine andadapt packages to cover differentaspects at the same time. Labelling is often tied in withtraceability, something that hasbecome all but essential of late andseems to be generating even morefocus due to media attention onfood contamination and scandals.In many cases companies havetaken an almost laissez-faireapproach to traceability, trusting intheir labels to highlight where aproduct came from so that theycan track any issues. This approach32 Á30-33_Layout 1 27/03/2017 10:31 Page 232 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netLABELLING, CODING & MARKINGCrystal clear in-mould labelfilm Innovia Filmscontinues its focuson providing BrandManagers thefeatures theyrequire to maketheir productssucceed indemanding marketenvironments withthe launch ofRayoForm™ ICU.This new crystal clear In-Mould Label film is produced usingInnovia’s unique bubble process. The exceptional clarity ofRayoForm™ ICU is unprecedented, making it the clear leader toshowcase Brands and their products. Richard Southward, Global Product Manager, Labels, said: “Thereis a continued trend towards clear containers. Brand Managersfavour them because they allow consumers to see the nature,quality and colour of their products before purchase. Clearcontainers also allow brands to enhance their on-pack brandingand offer greater shelf impact.”RayoForm™ ICU has been specifically developed to maximisebrand impact by the use of clear containers. It also maximisesprinting and moulding performance and efficiencies. Print trialshave shown ICU can readily exceed industry standards for sheetsper hour. For more information, visit www.innoviafilms.com.Label PrintersBizerba GLP label printers can be used for product labelling with shipping and warehouse labels in the food processing industry, in the manufacturing industry and in logistics. In combination with Bizerba weighing technology it is the perfect entry in manual price labelling.Weigh Price Labelling System GLM-ImaxxBased on individual requirements the GLM-Imaxx flexibly adjusts to all kinds of requirements such as package sizes and label types. And thanks to numerous hardware and software components this system can be gradually expanded.Inspection SystemsIn the sense of the consumer protection only perfectly produced goods are allowed to reach the market. Our inspection systems meet this requirement. They accomplish highest safety in processes of the food industry.Ranging from metal detector via X-ray device to vision system: Our inspection systems fulfill all requirements on quality assurance, are user-friendly and work with a high throughput. Moreover they promote Overall Equipment Effectiveness.LogisticsAt Bizerba, long-term experience in industrial weighing and labelling technologies is combined with sound industry know-how. Accurate weighing and dimensioning, counting and dosing, product labelling according to regulations as well as processing of acquired data in higher ranking systems regardless of their origin - from Bizerba or other providers - are the basis of our daily work. Also, of course, in the Ex zone. We develop what is technically feasible into economically viable and profitable solutions.LabelsOriginal Bizerba quality labels have what it takes for legal requirements, consumer information and advertising effectiveness. They are perfectly coordinated with Bizerba labeling systems and are particularly economical and innovative. Flexible production according to customized design requirements. 01908 682740 info@bizerba.co.uk www.bizerba.comInspection SystemsIn the sense of the consumer protection only perfectly produced goods are allowed to reach the market. Our inspection systems meet this requirement. They accomplish highest safety in processes of the food industry.Ranging from metal detector via X-ray device to vision system: Our inspection systems fulfill all requirements on quality assurance, are user-friendly and work with a high throughput. Moreover they promote Overall Equipment Effectiveness.may suit for internal needs in the company but is almostcertain to fall short of what customers demand should aproduct recall occur on their shelves. In many cases thelargest and most powerful supermarkets will demandanswers within twenty-four hours, perhaps even less –which is going to necessitate a much more robust system.While it’s true that labelling and traceability will alwaysgo hand in hand, it is therefore important to rememberthat neither is a solution unto another and that investmentmay be necessary into additional safeguards. The issue oftraceability should be considered as its own matter, oftentied into additional systems such as vision, inspection andquality assurance. A centralised (or at least remotelyoperable) software system will likely also need to be inplace, particularly to isolate and identify where a faultoccurred and what products were delivered to where. Thiscan help prevent costly recalls that might cover multiplecustomers, useful when it might only be one or two whoactually run the risk of contaminated food products. Traceability systems can be a daunting prospect for© shutterstock/rtem30-33_Layout 1 27/03/2017 10:31 Page 3Food & Drink International 33www.fdiforum.netLABELLING, CODING & MARKING“We can help you label every stepof the way, manually, semi andfully automatically”Proudly supplying British madepackaging equipment and labellingmachines for over 50 yearssince 1964Norpak Ltd, 3 Mitre Court, Cutler Heights Lane, Bradford, W. Yorks, BD4 9JYTel: 01274 681022 Enquiries to info@norpakltd.comwww.norpakltd.commany, often treated like insurance or breakdowncover in our normal lives in that the benefit is notseen until something goes wrong. The world hasbecome increasingly litigious of late, however, andthe media has been quick to pounce on negativestories and food scares, so a fast response from anefficient system can help to minimise branddamage. Sometimes this can be through quickidentification and recall, others by finding out thatthe issue took place in another facility and mightnot have been the fault of the manufacturer at all.Consumer attention can be short, however, sofailing to provide a satisfactory answer quickly canmean people only remember the initial storm ofnegative publicity.Automating the process is preferred whereverpossible however, even when dealing with relativelylow levels of throughput in a factory. Automationnot only increases speed in terms of unitsprocessed, but also offers reliability in terms ofwhere and how the label is applied, how correct theinformation is, and how quickly a labelling systemcan be changes to account for a different productline. But as said, that might not be an option forsome companies – especially those who have justexperienced an increase in demand but might nothave the capital to throw at a fully automatedproduction line. This is a problem faced by many,particularly in the artisan sector if they suddenlygain a contract from a major distributor and seetheir demand increased tenfold in just a fewmonths. For companies like this, an offline systemmight be more applicable, in which products aretaken to a labelling machine that is not part of anautomated system. These can still label products atrates comparable to larger machines, and muchfaster than anyone could by hand, but are also agood middle ground between the cost andefficiency of a larger production line.30-33_Layout 1 27/03/2017 10:31 Page 4SORTING & WEIGHINGA consumer might argue that apacket of crisps or their favouriteconfectionery has gotten smaller sincethey were small. Although in somecases products have indeed decreasedin size, nostalgia can colour the presentwith a shade of rose out of sorts withreality. A quick comparison on productweight would determine how truthfulthe claim in this example is. For foodmanufacturers, precision is foremostwhen it comes to weighing.Underestimating the weight and make-up of products can have problematiclong-term consequences. Not only canthis lead to companies being out ofpocket, but labelling regulationsmeans there are consequences ifthe product isn’t as described onthe packaging. Indeed, there havebeen a number of food recalls inthe last few years alone wherethe product inside hasn’tcorresponded to the weightlisted on the label. The importance of effectiveweighing can be seen right acrossthe production process, startingfrom the arrival of bulk ingredients.Each and every manufacturingoperation is essentially a conversionprocess, in that a company takes rawmaterials and transforms them into afinished product. What many oftendon’t realise is that there are really onlythree variables a company can controlduring this process: time and labourutilisation – or how you best use theworkforce; energy utilisation – in termsof how energy efficient a site is andPrecisionwhere itcountsAdvances in weighing technology mean that foodcompanies are safe in the knowledge that they’re notput out of pocket or vulnerable to regulatoryintervention. 34 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.net© shutterstock/Kondor8334-37_Layout 1 27/03/2017 09:00 Page 1Food & Drink International 35SORTING & WEIGHINGhow it is allocated; and the third,sorting and weighing, or as it mightalso be known, materials utilisation. The food industry is vulnerable topoor materials utilisation because of thethin profit margins which they so oftenoperate within, where ‘wrong first time’or a percentage or two of material orgiveaway can sometimes be thedifference between profit and loss.Measurement of weight and volumeis important at every stage of themanufacturing process to ensure thatthe yield at each is optimised. The onlyway that this can really be doneeffectively is by highlighting, in realtime, when wastage from any particularoperation has exceeded the targets setfor it, leading to a data drill down todetermine and fix the root cause. Somedegree of variation, especially seasonal,may be inevitable, but in order to makethat judgement, greater awareness andreal time visibility of performance isessential.The biggest concern about overfill is36 Á© shutterstock/Dmitry Lityaginwww.fdiforum.net© shutterstock/n_defender34-37_Layout 1 27/03/2017 09:01 Page 236 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netSORTING & WEIGHINGthat, although some of the overfillpercentages might be quite small - insome cases a fraction of a per cent -the overfilled product at this stage ofthe manufacturing operation oftencarries maximum ‘value added’. It’s nolonger about giving away the cost ofraw materials, but giving away materialsplus all of the value added during themanufacturing operations. Hence evensmall amounts in high volume packingoperations can have a very significanteffect on the bottom line. What’s oftennot taken fully into account is thenatural process variation whicheffectively determines where processadjustments can be safely made.Effective sorting and weighing canmake savings that might seem minimalon an individual level, but that over thecourse of tens of thousands ofproducts, not to mention months oryears of operation, can result inincredible reductions in cost. Ascompliance and regulation continues tobecome cumbersome, this also protectsand prevents against any negativepublicity or fines that might comeabout as a result of mislabelled weightsor content. When many talk of efficiency there isa tendency to believe that this refers tocost, speed and quantity - and thatimproving any of these will have theimpact on the bottom line. It seemsthat many seem to forget the efficiencybenefits of accuracy, which may notimprove profits via generating moresales - but will improve profits byreducing losses across the entiremanufacturing process. That is wheresorting and weighing has its greatestadvantage, in the accurate online oroffline measurement and control ofproduce, from bulk ingredients tofinished goods about to be packaged. Owing to the impracticality of wiredconnections between load cells andtheir respective weight indicators forcertain weighing applications, wirelesssetups can offer users a more viablealternative. In addition to improvedflexibility, wireless systems negate theneed to locate and replace cables ininstances where they have becomedamaged. Such occurrences can betime consuming and costly, with systemdowntime providing a further burden.Applied Weighing, the UK-basedmanufacturer and supplier of processweighing equipment and load cells,offers a wireless solution to problemsassociated with standard cabled setups.Whilst this technology has beenprimarily utilised by the company foroverhead weighing applications, it alsolends itself to other applications wherecable runs would be an issue.A transceiver module within the loadcell transmits information between theload cell and a hand held weightindicator, enabling the user to manageas many as 12 load cells from a singlehand held display. The wireless© shutterstock/PHB.cz (Richard Semik)transmission of information betweenthe devices is possible up to 120 metresand, for both the hand held display andload cell with transceiver module,battery life is typically 5 months basedon 6 hours a day usage. The hand held display remotely‘wakes’ and ‘sleeps’ the transceivermodule in the load cell to conservebattery life. Crucially, the wirelessconnection between devices is possiblewith all Applied Weighing load cells,Ishida Europe demonstratesseafood weighing solutions At Seafood Processing Global in Belgium, Ishida Europe will demonstrate itscomprehensive range of weighing, packing and quality control equipment for the fishindustry. Highlights will include the company’s recently-introduced X-ray inspection system,revolutionary Airscan leak detector, advanced grading system and unique screwfeederweigher. The 8 station Flexgrader uses Ishida’s proven high performance weighing system to providea high speed operation with excellent accuracy that is able to grade product to a variety ofdifferent specifications. Grading can be carried out to specified weights, minimum weight ornumber per pack, perfect for seafood applications. It can also deliver target batching withtolerances and priorities. Developed specifically for sticky products such as fish which are traditionally difficult to moveefficiently through an automated weighing system, the 14 head Ishida screw feeder weigherincorporates unique rotating corkscrews to provide a powerful, controlled and fully automatic productfeed to the pool and weigh hoppers. 34-37_Layout 1 27/03/2017 09:01 Page 3Food & Drink International 37www.fdiforum.netT: +44 (0) 118 946 1900 E: sales@appliedweighing.co.ukwww.appliedweighing.co.ukFOR GENERAL, PROCESS, PHARMACEUTICAL & FOOD WEIGHING APPLICATIONSLoad CellsSilo, Tank & Vessel SystemsWeight Indicators & Control SystemsPlatform ScalesDrum FillingSystemsDynamic CheckWeighersThe UK’s leading load cell & process weighing systemmanufacturer. When you use any product fromApplied Weighing you will have absolute accuracyand total peace of mind. ComprehensiveNational ServiceOrganisationAccurate weighing - whatever your industryMANUFACTURED IN THE UKthereby offering users wireless solutions to ahost of applications. This includes use inhazardous areas, with a range of ATEXcertified load cells on offer.The information available on a label tells thestory of that product, and weight is a key partin that story. Even being out by minusculeamounts is enough to incur disciplinary actionat worse, and be put out of pocket at best.Fortunately, the technology available to foodcompanies allows for precise and user-friendlymeasurement, ensuring that products arealways labelled correctly. 34-37_Layout 1 27/03/2017 09:01 Page 438 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netWATER TREATMENTTreating wastewater not only servesto ease global water shortages andprotect the environment, but it is alsofacilitating new product innovationsfor the food and beverage industries. © shutterstock/kubaisH2Onus38-41_Layout 1 27/03/2017 09:04 Page 1Food & Drink International 39www.fdiforum.netWATER TREATMENTThe explosion in global populationhas thrown crisis on the world’s finitefood resources. In a little as threedecades, there’ll be some 9 billionmouths to feed, and governments andmajor industry players are rightly takingthe initiative now to circumvent aworldwide catastrophe. Insect proteinand lab grown meat are both examplesof forward thinking and scalable meansof solving the problem of feeding theplanet. But food isn’t the only valuableresource, with water shortages andsevere droughts forecast for the comingyears as global warming continues towreak havoc, and more water is neededto grow, produce and process the foodfor our swelling numbers. From an industry point of view, thispresents a unique challenge. In what isby its very nature a water intensivesupply chain, the food industry bearsmuch of the reasonability on itsshoulders. From growing the food torear and raise livestock, through tomanufacturing and supply to stockists,massive amounts of water are used atevery conceivable step. What goes inmust come out, and these agriculturaland industrial processes result in a hugeamount of wastewater. Treating wastewater is by no means anew concern for the food and beveragesector, with heavy industries the worldover preoccupied with safe andhygienic disposal for decades. In manycases, water is simply outsourced to aprocessing plant or treatment facility.The issue lately lies not in how best todispose of this torrent, but rather howto put it to use. Reclamation is aninherently different process to disposal.In order to close the loop and feedwastewater back into manufacturing,agricultural or commercial entities, ithas to first undergo a vigorous andthorough process (often a number ofprocesses) to purify, filter anddecontaminate it.Having been used in any number ofmanufacturing processes, wastewaterwill likely contain untold contaminantsfrom heavy metals and pathogens tofaecal and other biological matter fromagriculture; none of which are ideal, andare downright dangerous to humanhealth. To combat these contaminates,manufacturers and food businesseshave a variety of options at theirdisposal. Some of the key technologiesinclude filtration, distillation, absorption,electrolysis and reverse osmosis –among others. Yet of all thesetechnologies, it’s filtration that is mostcommonly used due to its cost-effectiveand reliable nature. Reverse osmosis,however, is gaining popularity andmarket traction due to its high levels ofeffectiveness. Yet there’s another keytechnology which boasts longevity,efficiency and affordability. Treating and purifying water withultraviolet (UV) light is a versatile andreliable method. In cities where ageinginfrastructure is a concern,contaminates can enter the watersource and put the public at risk. Evenat a domestic level, a UV waterpurification system can destroy 99.9 percent of waterborne microorganisms in asingle pass. Unlike some of the othertechnologies and solutions available, UVis an environmentally friendly alternativeand results in no disinfection by-products. Moreover, its electrical needsare low, meaning it is able to run40 Á38-41_Layout 1 27/03/2017 09:04 Page 2Next >