< Previous30www.fdiforum.netSLICING, DICING AND CUTTINGWhen it comes to slicing, dicing andcutting, the trend towards more naturalingredients in recent years seems to havebeen at odds with the move towardsmore automation in the productionprocess. However the new breed ofslicing and cutting equipment cancertainly cope with some of the mostdelicate and intricate processes possible,ensuring unique textures remain.With automation now introducedacross the production process, safety andhygiene is now vastly improved, whilepick-and-place robotics are opening upnew possibilities in terms of sorting anddesigning portions and feeding them intopacks. These reduce the need to handlethe products and therefore decrease thepotential for contamination. The newbreed of slicing machines offer a host ofinnovations such as speed loading, whichoffers efficient and automatic infeeding ofportions.The slicing and cutting process haspreviously involved a large number offlashpoints whereby contamination canoccur – for example, during the loadingof the slicer, during periods when theyneed to correct the weight and positionof the product and during in-feeding intothe packaging tray. This is often nolonger the case as these processes arenow almost completely automated so theamount of manual handling has beenreduced to virtually nothing. The newWeber Pick Robot, for example, canrotate the product through 90° so that apackaging machine which has a packorientation that differs to that of theslicer can still be loaded – which is acommon occurrence when slicing meat.Some companies have looked towardsother options to ensure a cleaner, moreaccurate and more efficient cut.Developments in acoustic technologyhave introduced ultrasound in the slicingprocess. This concept is based aroundhigh frequency vibrations ensuringcontinued acceleration and decelerationof the blade that allows for a muchcleaner cut in particularly sticky products– so jam, cream and caramel is slicedstraight through in one go without muchof it remaining on the knife. As well asneater and more uniform cuts, the otherobvious advantage here is the decrease incleaning time required.Waterjet cutting is also becoming morecommon as hygienic concepts become atop priority. This is proving particularlyimportant in the frozen sector where it’snot always possible to cut productsautomatically using conventionalmethods. Instead, intensive pumpsystems are used to power high pressurewater cutters. Metronics’ WaterCut LCmachine is one example, with a jet ofwater less than 0.2mm wide passingthrough the cake at two and a half timesthe speed of sound – a highly effectiveinnovation.The drive towards health and safety inrecent years has concentrated minds inthe production sector and the new breedof slicing, dicing and cutting machinerymixes speed with safety and security.Using automated cutting machines, such as those from Prima FoodProcessing Solutions, ensures improved safety and prevents product wastageA move towards natural ingredients has had an impact on theexpected quality of slicingPHOTO: ARLA FOODS INGREDIENTSSpeed,securityand styleSlicing, dicing and cutting machinery cannow deal with the most delicate ofingredientsPHOTO: PRIMA30:Layout 1 20/7/12 11:53 Page 1SUSTAINABLE PACKAGINGwww.fdiforum.net31Sustainable packaging is a difficultterm to deal with, and a difficult goal toexplain. From green campaigner, toconsumer, to manufacturer, the goals anddefinitions of the term change. As such itis difficult to truly determine just how farthe food and drink industry has come inmoving towards these various goals. Many companies first pursuesustainable packaging as a PR ormarketing tool, in order to improve thebranding and company image, and there’snothing wrong with this strategy. Arecent study into the consumer beliefs onobtaining a sustainable environment,undertaken by IPSOS MORI, showedthat consumers rated the recycling ofbottles, cans and other materials to betwice as important to the environmentthan every single person in the UKwalking or cycling to work. Whether thisfigure is correct or incorrect in terms ofthe Co2 released into the environment ismoot, because the consumer’s perceptionwill be what determines sales. The failures or difficulties being facedby the market still obtain high levels ofmedia coverage across the globe, while itseems that the successes and innovationsbeing made do not garner the sameattention. Meanwhile manufacturers arebeing squeezed by the differentstakeholders in packaging issues,including FMCG manufacturers andretailers, Governmental bodies,consumers and media. Again, each of themajor stakeholders have different criteriain mind, and identifying which of these acompany needs to prioritise is becoming akey issue. FMCGs are focused more heavily onthe demands of consumers, and powertrends within the industry. Consumerstudies show that the environmentalimpact of a product has a similar level ofconsumer importance to the perceivedhealth benefits of a food product.Therefore, retailers like the varioussupermarket giants are more commonlydemanding high levels of sustainabilityacross the board. Of course, they don’twant the product to lose any of itsintegrity or aesthetic appeal, nor do theywant the price to increase in any way. Governments, on the other hand, arefocused on the total environmentalimpact in measurable terms thatPET bottles are becominga much more commonsight in the drinks industryThe whole packageBe it praised, criticised, redesigned or minimised, food packaging is always in the headlines andsustainability is top of the agenda 33 31-34:Layout 1 20/7/12 11:54 Page 1Sales EnquiriesConstar International U.K. LimitedMoor Lane Trading Estate,Sherburn-in-ElmetNorth Yorkshire, LS25 6ESTel: 01977 882000Email: enquiries@constar.netWebsite: www.constar.net31-34:Layout 1 20/7/12 11:54 Page 2SUSTAINABLE PACKAGINGwww.fdiforum.net33companies contribute to their nation.They most commonly seek to quantifythis and regulate it, either through theuse of legislation, or even financialpenalties. Thankfully, there is nosuggestion that new laws or regulationsare in the pipeline for the packagingindustry. This does not mean that suchlegislation will not appear, but it givesbreathing time to manufacturers to takethe matter into their own hands earlier. In many ways, the very termsustainable packaging can be misleading,as the environmental impact made by aparticular item affects more than just theplastic used in the packaging. There arevarious other logistical and supply chainfactors that need to be incorporated intothe figure, including the amount of Co2expended in the logistics chain andwasted material in the manufacturingprocess. Consumers are likely to onlyappreciate the minimising of packagingvisible on the product itself, butincreasingly FMCGs and retailers aredemanding full audits of where theingredients were sourced from, and howit was transported to them, so it’simportant to cover all the bases.Though the various needs anddemands made by the stakeholders mayseem restrictive or unreasonable to some,particularly considering that they willoften not accept significant priceincreases, there is still great potential forthose companies who can meet them. Atthe very least, there should be anacceptable compromise. Food manufacturers who are able tolower their environmental impact in allthe different aspects of themanufacturing chain will soon have aconcrete competitive advantage over theirrivals, even if their rival has a longerhistory or stronger brand. As such, theterm sustainable packaging must extendto cover all of these different aspects asone. There’s no shortage of companiesseeking to make the most of thesustainable packaging movement either,with it becoming a core strategy to manyindividuals and corporations. To many,the improvements and changes havecome with economic benefits as well asenvironmental. In cases where packagingwaste can be reduced by using lesspackaging, or re-working the way theproduct is stored, the reduction in plasticor other materials used has translatedinto financial savings. One of the largest indicators ofsustainable packaging itself is the abilityto recycle the material itself into otheruses. Leading the way in this industry isPET packaging. The advantages of PETover other mediums is that in addition toits generally robust nature and cleartransparency, PET can be recycled into awide variety of new products, from T-shirts to fabrics and even into new PETpackaging! Maintaining a complete circleof use without any wasted material beinglost ensures that nothing else is takenfrom the environment. One company who have been makingthe most of the PET industry areConstar, who focus heavily on theircommitment to the environment and thePET industry. They specialise in theproduction of lightweight yet robust PETthat has a much lower packaging contentthan many more commonly seen forms ofpackaging. It’s also becoming a muchmore attractive prospect for drinkspackaging than glass, being shatterproofand fully recyclable. To support their commitment tomaking themselves a greener company,Constar developed an in hour supplychain monitoring system they term34 Even labels can be eco-friendly,like these from Ravenwoodwhich don’t carry wastecreating backing paperPHOTO: RAVENWOOD PACKAGING31-34:Layout 1 20/7/12 11:54 Page 334www.fdiforum.netSUSTAINABLE PACKAGINGConvert It. This tool measures andquantifies the carbon footprint of asupply chain to conform with the ISO14040 series of lifecycle assessmentstandards. Using this, Constar and theircustomers can specify various differentcontainer scenarios and compare them onthe basis of lifecycle greenhouse gassesemitted. Not only does this allow them toidentify areas of possible improvementboth within their own supply chain, andthat of their customers. It also allowsthem to fully validate and supply proof toretailers and FMCGs to substantiate theirsustainable packaging claims. It is avaluable tool to reduce the potentialoverhead costs of documenting theenvironmental impact and opportunitycosts of every individual aspect of amanufactured product. Other companies are choosing toapproach the issue from a different angle,offering solutions that can help reduce amanufacturing company’s waste withoutdirectly contributing to their displaypackaging itself. Lindum Packaging, forexample, focus on food packaging both inthe traditional sense but also in thesupply chain and transit chain. In theirown efforts to move towards fullsustainability, Lindum have developedthe Alaska brand freezer tape, whichtakes a simple and functional idea, andextends it to have a big impact on theenvironment. Alaska is a solvent-free freezer grademachine tape, which still retains a stronglevel of adhesion, thanks to its uniqueformula. It’s not just in the absence ofsolvents that it has an impact onsustainability, however. Alaska tape ismore than twice the size of the averageroll of freezer tape. This means fewerpackaging is needed in the distribution ofit, less cores are discarded when the rollis finished, while at the same time therolls need to be changed half as manytimes. In large manufacturing companies,making such a simple change will have ahuge impact on the savings of wastepackaging material, while also cuttingdowntime of machinery as rolls arechanged. This is proof that greendecisions need not be expensive. As can be seen from these cases, bothcan have drastic impacts on thesustainability of a manufacturer’sproduct, yet both in widely differentapplications. This is mirroring thetrends shown in the sustainablepackaging industry, as highlighted byPwC’s new Sustainable PackagingReport. In this report they found thatthe term sustainable packaging mightnot in itself be relevant in the industryanymore, as there is too much ambiguityas to which specific part of themanufacturing chain it refers to. Theyconcluded that it should be replacedwith a balancing act between efficientpackaging, and environmentalpackaging, which encompasses both thedirect packaging itself, the supply chain,transit and the method upon which thepackaging is sold on shelf - effectively,the entire supply chain frommanufacturer to consumer. In efforts to attain fullsustainability, PET technologyis being applied tocomponents such as kegs, aswell as just end of linepackaging PHOTO: PETAINER31-34:Layout 1 20/7/12 11:54 Page 435:Layout 1 20/7/12 11:55 Page 136:Layout 1 20/7/12 11:55 Page 1WATER TREATMENTwww.fdiforum.net37Treating water, whether before orafter use in the food and drinkmanufacturing process isbecoming more common for companiesto address onsite. One area in which the treatment ofwastewater is becoming common is todecrease the amount of unusable wasteand sludge which comes as an offshoot ofthe manufacturing process. Withlegislation over the discharge contentfrom production plants becoming tighter,it is wise to treat wastewater to reducethe burden on this effluent on both yourcosts and the environment in general. Ofthe many methods available, it seemschemical dosing of water being treated isone of the most effective. Differentauthorities, particularly in the UK,demand that water discharged from suchplants is addressed in planningapplications. To ensure that even ifproduction increases, companies arethinking about treatment before theyeven start production. An example of this is the recentplanning of a multi-million poundabattoir in Suffolk, which needed to meetplanning conditions. The implementationof feed pumps, sludge pumps and38 Ensuringa cleanrecordInstallation of UV technology is often seamlesswithin most food and drink manufacturing facilities PHOTO: ATG UV TECHNOLOGYUse of properly-disinfected waterin production means safetyconcerns are met head-onWater treatment is vital for food and drink producerslooking to cut their bottom line and ensure safety withthe use of innovative technology and new methods. So,how are companies benefitting?Ensuringa cleanrecord37-39:Layout 1 20/7/12 11:56 Page 138www.fdiforum.netWATER TREATMENTchemical dosing systems meantthat the plant could treat 50m3ofeffluent per day. This met withplanning conditions and meant thedischarge to sewer limits were met.Abattoirs in particular are a foodproduction sector that can benefitfrom water treatment technologymore than most, with the amountof waste products making its wayinto the water processed.When wastewater is being usedto produce biogas or funnelled toanaerobic digestion facilities, thisis where pumping technology canhelp, particularly with the heavyloads produced by abattoirs. Theamount of blood, fat and other by-products need to be effectivelytransferred, so the latest pumpingtechnology means these elementsstay ‘in suspension’ throughout the process. A lighter approachDisinfection and purification of liquid prior to the productionprocess is equally fraught for companies. Attempt to use wateror liquid that is untreated and you could end up with a productthat boasts not only potentially unsafe elements, but alsocontaminated taste and a potentially-affected shelf life. UV lightprocessing is a solution many companies use to address this kindof problem. With methods used meaning that water treated in this way iscleared of bacteria easily. UV light effectively kills around 99.7%of micro-organisms and is an established technology across thebusiness already, passing through the liquid with no residue andbeing a chemical-free method. However, a recent problem wasdiscovered in a facility using sugar water. As sugar water is ofhigh viscosity and not ideal for use with UV light fordisinfection, companies have had to come up with an effectivesolution. Using high-intensity lamps with medium pressuremeans liquid sugar can be treated. Where most companies offersystems for sugar applications, this is a unique system designedfor liquid sugar. This not only takes another element out of the productionprocess but, because the UV treatment is installed in-line afterthe storage tank discharge point, the syrup is treated prior todilution into products. This is also done prior to the addition ofadditives, flavourings or colourings, all of which reduce UVtransmission. Innovations regarding UV disinfection also mean that controlscan be mounted on lines, with no need for separate controls.Operatives require little to notraining to keep track of thepurification and disinfection of waterpassing through UV technologyPHOTO: HANOVIA37-39:Layout 1 20/7/12 11:56 Page 2WATER TREATMENTwww.fdiforum.net39Electronic displays showing thedisinfection effectiveness are availableand, as a result, UV disinfection isbecoming easier to integrate on lines notonly in the food production sector, but forwater-heavy industries such as breweriesand drinks manufacturers, where safetytakes on a heightened importance. Usingwater that isn’t free from bacteria in thefirst place can ruin a whole batch ofbrewing, wasting more time than if itwere to go awry in a simpler, quickerprocess such as soft drink production.The onus is undoubtedly on quality ofproduct in food and drink manufacturingand it is no small wonder that innovationcontinues within the treatment sector. Astechnology moves on so to do standards,meaning that at the moment, legislation isbeing met head-on by those who invest.PHOTO: ATG UV TECHNOLOGYLiquid sugar can even betreated before it enters theproduction process37-39:Layout 1 20/7/12 11:56 Page 3Next >