< Previous30 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net PACKAGING MATERIALS AND DESIGN CHILLED PACKAGING SOLUTIONS kitepackaging.co.ukpowered by employee share-ownership 02476 420065 Corrugated Insulated Box Liners Water Ice Packs, Gel Packs & Ice Sheets Temperature Controlled Pouches Recyclable & biodegradable KƉĞƌĂƟŶŐƚĞŵƉĞƌĂƚƵƌĞ ͲϮϬȚƚŽͲϯϬȚ ŽŶƚĂŝŶƐϯϬйƌĞĐLJĐůĞĚĐŽŶƚĞŶƚ &^ĞƌƟĮĞĚ ϭϬϬй Keeps content chilled for ϯϭŚŽƵƌƐ ks, Gel heets ƚƵƌĞ beverage quality. Metals are known for being durable, but only certain types - like stainless steel, tinplate and aluminium - are considered food safe. Choosing metal packaging that is safe for food contact has the added benefits of making a container that’s heat resistant and widely recycled. However, acidic foods can react with metal causing corrosion, and a potential reduction in food quality and shelf life. Glass and metal are high-cost materials, increasing the price point of the end product. By comparison, paper and card are much cheaper as well as being lightweight and easy to transport, recyclable and compostable. The one downside of these materials is their barrier integrity, which is already fragile. Paper is easily punctured or torn but becomes more so when exposed to moisture or humidity. By far the best material for a balance of cost effectiveness, strength and food safety is food grade plastic, such as PET. It has a good barrier to protect food from potential contaminants and prevent spoilage or quality reduction. Although single-use plastics are an environmental risk, especially as an ocean contaminant, this consideration may be balanced with plastic’s prevention of food waste, and the fact it is lightweight, meaning lower energy consumption for 32 Á © stock.adobe.com/ Татьяна Креминская 28-33.qxp_Layout 1 31/08/2022 09:53 Page 3tnd the planneanoplesafe andd kindd to peo FHHUWƪPXOWLFLHGƪHG nn winawardng zeplaero pststic natural anda circuarula The sustainable barrier board for cups and food packaging Plastic free Compostable PFAS free C E R T IF I E D C E R T I F I E D C E R T IF I E D Recyclable Biodegradable C E R T IF I E D C E R T I F I E D C E R T I F I E D Carbon Balanced www.denmaur.com seervingu g sustainanability or today and tomfommoorrow 28-33.qxp_Layout 1 31/08/2022 09:53 Page 432 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net PACKAGING MATERIALS AND DESIGN transport. Further developments into eco- friendly food packaging have led to greater choice for those who would rather avoid plastic. Compostable packaging breaks down into its original components over time, meaning it can often be disposed of with food waste in a compost bin, and doesn’t have to be washed beforehand. But this type of packaging doesn’t have the same barrier strength or contaminant protection as plastic, metal or glass, as it cannot be vacuum sealed for freshness and shelf- life. Biodegradable packaging is also available but be aware that biodegradable plastics break down into microplastics, which not only contaminate animal habitats and the ocean, but also find their way into the human digestive system through water and air contamination. If you want to see the latest in packaging machinery, then make sure to visit the PPMA Show in September. If you’re attending the event, drop by the Food and Drink International stand (B123). Design Packaging correctly is half the battle when it comes to design. The look and brand image to be conveyed must be taken into account when looking at packaging types, as there needs to be space for nutritional information and clear branding, as well as imagery to advertise the product. The packaging needs to be large enough to convey all this information while being suitable for transporting and preserving the food inside. The good news is, once this balance has been struck, there’s a lot of fun to be had creating your brand identity. One key thing to keep in mind is who your product is for, and designing the perfect package for someone likely to buy it. If luxury is a selling point, rich colours and intricate patterns may take centre stage. Alternatively, a health product will likely benefit from minimal design, focus on space for conveying health benefits, and transparent packaging for simplicity or displaying the product’s natural beauty. Speaking of beautiful simplicity, a useful design tip is to remember the principles of architecture: form, function and beauty. This balance of three works well for food packaging, as it encompasses the need for the packaging’s shape or form to support the function of protecting the product, while being aesthetically pleasing for a © stock.adobe.com/ monticellllo 28-33.qxp_Layout 1 31/08/2022 09:53 Page 5Food & Drink International 33 www.fdiforum.net PACKAGING MATERIALS AND DESIGN info@macpac.co.uk Tel: 0161 442 1642 www.macpac.co.uk THERMOFORMED PACKAGING SPECIALISTS We design, produce tooling and manufacture packaging all under one roof, at our AA grade BRC accredited factory. We use responsible manufacturing processes and raw materials with up to 100% recycled content as well as being 100% recyclable. UP TO 100% RECYCLED 100% RECYCLABLE Innovative, Economical & Responsible. UK MANUFACTURER Cheers to 85 Years! It’s not just the Queen celebrating an anniversary this year, recyclable plastic bottle and caps manufacturer Measom Freer is celebrating 85 years in the business! Now in its fourth generation, the family run business still has great customer care at its heart, which has allowed them to build up their reputation as a manufacturer of quality recyclable plastic bottles, caps, containers and measuring scoops. Continually adapting to ever challenging business conditions, they most recently added recycled plastic bottles, caps and measuring scoops to their extensive catalogue of stock products available for next day delivery. They can offer bespoke designed products tailor made to customers’ own requirements using their in-house design & tool-making facilities, with a printing and labelling service also available for their bottles and packaging products. To see how Measom Freer can help you call +44 (0)116 2881588 and speak to one of their friendly sales team or email sales@measomfreer.co.uk and to buy online please visit www.measomfreer.co.uk consumer market. The next challenge might arise when you realise that there’s scope for your product to be part of a range of goods, requiring packaging in different sizes. In this case it’s always best to plan for the future, and bring together a logo and striking imagery or colours that can easily be refitted, or sized up and down, while remaining recognisable on shelves. Through all the trials of choosing materials and figuring out a brand identity that both you and the consumer can take pride in, never be afraid to play. Be bold, because in packaging design there are thrilling possibilities to make a statement. Be bright and exuberant in your imagery, colours and attitude to the challenge - after all, there’s no reason not to approach your brand as a work of art, or a way to bring some joy into the lives of your future brand customers. 28-33.qxp_Layout 1 31/08/2022 09:53 Page 634 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net DUST CONTROL D ust control is essential to improving process safety in food and drink facilities. To the outsider dust may seem a simple thing to sweep away, but it in fact poses serious hazards. Dust from a plethora of processes and ingredients such as sugar, flour, spices, and grains represent major health risks and impact air quality. Indeed inhaling the dust particles from food manufacturing processes, whether when loading/unloading, sifting, milling, grinding, or mixing, can lead to several respiratory problems for employees, including asthma and chronic bronchitis. Dust from raw food material may contain plant material, bacteria, insect parts and debris, endotoxins, fungal spores and pesticide residues, and dust also presents slip and fall hazards. When dust particles become airborne, they are furthermore a source for cross contamination, spreading allergens and pathogens from one process area to another, potentially leading to a costly recall. To prevent this, effective control, collection, containment, and disposal of food dust is key. Meanwhile dust in food production is an explosion and fire risk. Finely ground sugar and dried milk for instance can quickly combust from a simple static discharge. In an infamous incident in 2008, at the Imperial Sugar refinery in Wentworth, Georgia, 14 people were killed, and 38 injured following an explosion as a result of large accumulations of combustible sugar dust throughout the packaging building. It was uncovered that clumps of sugar would sometimes block the conveyor belt and spill sugar onto the floor. When the event occurred, this was the case, dispersing the sugar into a confined area and its dust into the air. The dust came into contact with an overheated bearing surface, seeing it ignite and causing the deadly explosion. Looking at more recent events, Dust Safety Science found that in 2021, 49.5% of all combustible dust incidents were in the food industries. In order to combat the hazards dust poses, one must first determine the risks within your own facility. A dust hazard analysis can be conducted to uncover this and the actions that should be taken, with every facility having unique needs. During the analysis dust in a facility as well as processes will need to be evaluated. Solutions must be designed for specific dust types and processes, from silo filling to packaging, and environmental conditions, working with an engineer who can provide a holistic solution featuring ventilation, dust containment and dust collection. Common cleaning tasks like vacuuming can help remove dust from surfaces, but to fully address the threat of dust, a properly designed and installed Dealing with dust Dust presents a serious risk to health, safety and hygiene in food and drink facilities, causing respiratory problems for staff, holding the potential to cause an explosion, as well as cross contamination. 36 Á 34-36.qxp_Layout 1 31/08/2022 09:54 Page 1Food & Drink International 35 www.fdiforum.net DUST CONTROL © stock.adobe.com/ Alexandr Milodan 34-36.qxp_Layout 1 31/08/2022 09:54 Page 236 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net DUST CONTROL industrial dust collection system, such as involving cartridge dust collectors, is required, working to collect dust from the air and constantly cycle it through filter cartridges while putting clean air back into or sending it out of the facility. Pressure from dust build-up on the filter meanwhile is relieved as the system pulse cleans the filters, by sending a blast of compressed air through the centre of the filter, ejecting dust to fall into the hopper. It should be noted that when a dust collector pulls combustible dust from the air, the system itself is also a source of dust explosions if not properly protected. Additionally the location of a dust collector must also be considered (usually in food production being placed outside to stop dust recontaminating a facility in filter changes) and what the best filter for the application will be. For instance hygroscopic dusts, absorbing moisture from the air, can mean dust reaching filters is wet when the surrounding environment is humid or water vapour is released to the air from production processes, leading to a crust or caking on a filter. In this scenario, a washable filter material will lengthen filter lifespan. Modern networkable or cloud- based control systems can also be integrated for predictive maintenance and remote monitoring of dust collectors. A clear way to mitigate dust and its potential to cause health and safety issues is to prevent accumulation and spread in the first place. In doing this one can remove any potential ignition sources and reduce health risks for workers. Many companies use food- grade extraction arms (telescopic and flexible), designed to capture dust particles and contaminants before they get the chance to enter the breathing environment of staff. These typically involve a flexible hose connected to a powerful vacuum system placed near the source of dust with an extraction hood. The vacuum system extracts the particles into the ducting system to be captured. Enclosures around dust creating processes and transfer points and conveyors can also be beneficial. All systems chosen should of course be specifically designed for use in a food production environment and certified, such as ATEX certified to reduce fire and explosion risk. It may also be useful to isolate sequential production processes to prevent dust transitioning from early to later processes, which can be achieved utilising positive and negative pressure zones to control airflow between processes. Moreover, when it comes to avoiding dust explosions in facilities, there are a number of precautions to overcome hazards. The UK’s Health and Safety Executive for example highlights the importance of sealing joints and leakage points around powder handling systems to prevent escape and accumulation of dust in the building and onto surrounding plant items, and maintaining stringent cleanliness by using a fully earthed, centralised piped vacuum cleaning system. Amongst myriad other steps to take are excluding obvious ignition sources, using electrical equipment dust protected to IP5X or IP6X, depending on dust levels, and controlling surface temperatures to a maximum of 200°C (lower for milk powder, some fish meals and other products with unsaturated oils in them). With a plethora of actions to take, regulators and engineers can provide further guidance. It is a requirement that companies control dust emissions and stick within legal limits set for ingredients and materials. Poor dust control in food facilities can quickly see compliance with regulations hindered, including the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act, as well as Good Manufacturing Practices, and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. To maintain a leading reputation and health and safety standards, then, dust control should be at the forefront of food manufacturers’ minds. © stock.adobe.com/ Retan 34-36.qxp_Layout 1 31/08/2022 09:54 Page 3Food & Drink International 37 www.fdiforum.net LOADING BAYS AND DOORS Securing seamless operations Securing seamless operations M aintaining fast pace and efficient operations is critical in the food industry. The quicker goods can be processed, packaged, transported, loaded and unloaded, the more products a business can output, leading to higher revenues and satisfied customers - so long as quality is ensured of course. Though there are myriad aspects influencing how smooth facilities run, often overlooked are its doors and loading bays, despite their position as the primary and final point products see upon entry and exit. A faulty or inefficient loading bay or door can halt the journey of a product. Their importance to our industry should not be underestimated; they are also the first line of defence, and vital for securing facilities, goods, and environmental conditions. From overhead to pedestrian doors, and from sliding to roller and fabric options, in general, where doors are concerned, well insulated, highly secure, fast-action options are desirable in food industry applications. Saving time, enabling more efficient movement of people and equipment and quicker product flow, high speed doors, by opening and closing quickly, additionally reduce pollution - noise and odour - and help control indoor environments, maintaining temperature by minimising potential heat loss and gain (heightening energy efficiency and lowering energy costs), and prevent pests and entry of the elements. In a high speed, high traffic food processing environment, as goods move rapidly throughout facilities, such doors are critical, with more frequent opening of doors to be expected which can cause a whole host of issues. For example in segregated areas where stringent temperature must be adhered to, uncontrolled and consistent openings may lead to a warmer freezer, production environment or storage area that puts chilled food products at risk of contamination or degradation of quality. For cold food and drink storage one could thus choose a high speed fabric door designed for interior thermal control and minimising temperature loss with high opening speeds and using materials such as layers of PVC- The role of loading bays and doors in maintaining efficient, high speed facilities is often overlooked. © stock.adobe.com/ hacohob 38 Á 37-39.qxp_Layout 1 31/08/2022 09:58 Page 138 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net LOADING BAYS AND DOORS coated polyester and an insulated curtain with actively heated guides ensuring a constant temperature and smooth door movement. High speed rolling doors are also ideal at food storage facilities, particularly entry points, with the potential to provide excellent thermal insulation, with many offering galvanised steel, primed steel, stainless steel, and aluminium doors with good wind load ratings. Moreover, in modern production environments employing automation and robotics, high speed doors can be especially useful with full integration possible between robots and doors to allow seamless operation. While slow opening and closing doors can cause costly hold ups, with automatic high speed doors the pace of traffic can be significantly improved, particularly when used in conjunction with smart sensing systems, and can enhance safety too. Furthermore when selecting doors for food facilities one should look for those with tight seals and that accommodate hygienic design, to avoid bacteria build up and dust, liquid and debris collection. Doors should also be made of corrosion resistant material. For consistent and flawless door operation regular maintenance is also important. A malfunction can see costly downtime, leave surrounding areas unprotected and exposed, and biosecurity risked. Through regular maintenance, small problems can be detected and rectified before becoming a larger issue, reducing potentially expensive repairs if a door fails and extending the lifespan of doors. Where the wrong, inefficient, and unkept door can cause major problems for food facilities and product movement, so can loading bays. The bottleneck of a facility, a loading bay must maintain efficiency, safety, and speed, but with a plethora of machines, components and systems, the risks of something going wrong is high, leading to accidents as well as slow loading, delayed deliveries, energy waste, and subsequent revenue loss. There’s much to consider in the selection, construction, and upgrade of loading bay solutions to increase productivity, efficiency and safety, from utilising the right dock scheduling and technology, to making use of equipment like dock shelters, dock bumpers, dock levellers, lighting, and advanced control units. In choosing the right dock shelter, vehicles can enter and exit without delay, keeping loading and unloading times to a minimum. Solid dock shelters, and seals, also combat a key issue at loading bays - small gaps around a trailer, which bleed money due to heating and air conditioning escaping, while gaps allow the ingress of unwanted elements and contamination threats. While this can create an uncomfortable climate for employees and contribute to product damage, with quality dock shelters and seals, goods and employees can be protected from the elements, including bouts of rainy weather and subsequent slips in the loading area, while a firm seal maintains precisely set building temperatures when doors are open for loading and unloading. By forming a seal between loading bays and vehicles, dock shelters boost hygiene, insulation and safety. Inflatable dock shelters come highly recommended in the food industry due to their optimal sealing, moulding to the contours of a vehicle, creating a sterile environment and enabling temperature to be regulated properly. Inflatable dock shelters are often regarded as the peak in thermal insulation, sealing a facility’s environment with cushions filled with high volume, low pressure air, keeping steady contact to provide a tight seal 37-39.qxp_Layout 1 31/08/2022 09:58 Page 2Food & Drink International 39 www.fdiforum.net LOADING BAYS AND DOORS © stock.adobe.com/ DZMITRY PALUBIATKA and reduce ingress of contaminants. A hazardous area, further solutions must be utilised in loading bays to mitigate risks and maintain seamless operations. Vehicle creep for example can occur during loading, when equipment jolts a vehicle, extending the gap between the vehicle and bay, possibly causing goods or machinery to fall. To prevent this, as well as issues like premature drive off, automatic vehicle restraints can be employed with the push of a button. Additional safety can be ensured with automatic sequence control integrated with other loading bay equipment. Here operating sequences are secured as dock levellers and doors remain un-operatable until a vehicle is restrained. The vehicle can then not be released until the dock leveller and door are back in position. Wheel guides, which make sure vehicles are in the correct position, properly aligned for loading and unloading, and prevent staff injury and damage to dock equipment, vehicles and buildings, are also highly useful, as are dock buffers to reduce impact damage between buildings and vehicles. Traffic lights to inform drivers when it is safe to pull off from a bay or that a trailer is secure for a forklift operator to begin © stock.adobe.com/ Александр Байдук loading/unloading further bolster loading bays, and motion activated sensor systems can be used in the dock to inform workers that equipment or staff could be on their way out. This averts accidents including forklift and pedestrian collision or crush injuries. Preventing injuries while speeding up processes and enhancing efficiency in loading bays by removing the human element are automated loading systems, which continue to grow, completing tasks in a fraction of the time it would take with a forklift, removing driver delay and upping drive time. By connecting auto-loading/unloading docks to a further conveyor or autonomous guided vehicles (AGV), the loading procedure can be de-manned - a much safer option next to manually operated systems - and one can gain more certainty on delivery timelines. Automated systems are also preferable during a time of staff shortages. 37-39.qxp_Layout 1 31/08/2022 09:58 Page 3Next >