< Previousertainly the industry is muchchanged since the magazine wasfirst published in 1997 – increasedlegislation and new technology hasled to radical changes in the make-upof food processing facilities and the workthat is carried out within them.Whereas before companies had tostraddle the conflicting aims of high qualityand speedy production, both aspects arenow certainly assured in almost everyNot solong agoThis month, Food & Drink International celebrates its20th anniversary, and we look back over how we –and the industry as a whole – have changed.C20-23_Layout 1 25/09/2017 13:56 Page 1Food & Drink International 21www.fdiforum.netbefore a decision is made. At a timewhen cloning was making the news –with Dolly the Sheep hitting theheadlines just a few months earlier –this had the result of meaning thatmeat, milk and eggs from clonedanimals had to be approved by all EUmember states. Products developedusing nanotechnology also fall underthe regulation.Twenty years on, the continuedenforcement of the regulation has oftenbeen debated and there was muchuproar a few years back when talks onthe review of this regulation brokedown. The proposal was that theEuropean Food Safety Authority wouldtake over the role of reviewing theingredients rather than demanding priorratification by member states –potentially cutting down the length ofthe process to be cut from the thirtymonths or so it currently takes tosomewhere nearer twelve months.Unfortunately the decision over howcloned food would be reviewed – andspecifically whether food produced bythe offspring would count – could notbe made, leading to majormanufacturers including Unileversuggesting the failure to alter theregulation would have a major impacton research and development in thesector.20thanniversary22 Áinstance. Consumer power has alsobecome a major factor in the industry,too – the amount of products availableon the supermarket shelves haveincreased hugely in recent years withthe accent being on choice, so it’sincreasingly important to stand outfrom the crowd. In the last few years,too, the rise of social media has led tocompanies having a far closerrelationship with their consumers, whoare quick to point out issues with theirproducts.The political landscape has changedas well, and although many will claimthe majority of this has taken place inthe last two years, the political theatrehas been changing for far longer. Foodand drink have increasingly becometools in bans and embargos betweencountries, much to the frustration of theindustry. It is a complicated world welive in, and that doesn’t seem likely tochange in the coming years. Yet despite this changing landscape,many of the major names in the foodand drink industry remain the majorplayers they were back in 1997. This isthanks in part to increasedconsolidation and certainly some of thefamiliar names from the nineties nowlive on in substantially different form –Kraft’s controversial takeover ofCadbury being one of the most famousnews stories of the past twenty years.However many other companies havecontinued to excel thanks to their abilityto innovate and offer new solutions tomeet both consumers’ andmanufacturers’ changing requirements.Back in the day…1997 brought about two major piecesof legislation that continue to play amajor role in the food and drink sector.The EU’s Novel Foods Regulation cameinto force that year, and set 15th May asthe date before which a food that didnot have a significant history ofconsumption within the EU wouldrequire a pre-market safety assessment20-23_Layout 1 25/09/2017 13:57 Page 222 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.net20TH ANNIVERSARYHarkstead Hall Barn, Harkstead, Ipswich, Suffolk IP9 1DBTel: +44 (0)1473 893990 Fax: +44 (0)1473 893995email@penn-packaging.co.uk www.penn-packaging.co.uk• Case/tray Packing machines • Shrink Wrapping systems• Stretch-Film Wrappers • DepalletisersPalletisers • Bag Closing Machines• Pillow pouch systems • Pre-made pouch• Stand-Up / Doypack • Slider/Zipper• Spout • Ultra Clean FillingUniquely customized. Uniquely economical.The other notable legislation to beintroduced in 1997 was the UK’sPackaging Waste Regulations, and sincethen the importance of environmentallyfriendly packaging cannot beoverestimated. Those regulations werein response to the EU PackagingDirective and placed the responsibilityfor the recycling packaging oneveryone in the supply chain, fromproducers to retailers. That’s an issuethat has concentrated minds andpackaging now takes up a huge amountof time and resources to find the mosteffective and efficient format.Across Europe, further regulations inthe past few years have had an impacton the packaging available. In Germanythe Doesnpfand was extended in 2006– the can deposit law that aimed toencourage retailers and suppliers torecover more unwanted packaging.Since all soft drinks are now coveredby the law, many retailers andproducers find the obligations sounappealing to have to enforce thatthey have completely given up onusing cans for some productscompletely. Meanwhile the UK’sdevolved governments in Wales andNorthern Ireland now require retailersto charge for plastic bags in the hopeof discouraging their use – andpotentially encouraging manufacturersto create new packaging that’s moreconvenient for customers to carryhome on its own.Other changes to packaging havecome about due to increased legislationon what information has to be includedon a label, leading to redesigns offamiliar packaging to allow for morespace and a clearer presentation. Thestreamlining of the supply chain hasalso seen many retailers now displaygoods straight from the pallet theyarrived on – ensuring safety andsecurity of the product and cuttingdown on the time spent transferringgoods onto the shelves. Theintroduction of more effectivecontainers and pallets – which areeasier to manipulate but still strong –has been particularly beneficial in thisregard.Consumer demand has also drivenpackaging towards sustainability, withthe packaging industry pioneeringmany new concepts, from pouchpackaging to packaging made entirelyof plant extract. The industry continuesto adapt as it can in this regard, in aworld with ever-increasing consumerattention thanks to Twitter andFacebook. Rise of the machinesA familiar fixture of predictions of thefuture is that of increased automation –in all walks of life. Yet while we stilldon’t have robot butlers, the food anddrink industry has embracedautomation to a great extent. Many jobsthat twenty years ago could only havebeen carried out manually, such asdealing with very delicate ingredients,have now been contracted out torobots. Ten years ago, the UK was at theforefront of the move towardsautomation, but this seems to havestalled – and we have now beenovertaken by not only our neighbours inEurope, but competitors further afieldin China and Asia. This has led to higherquality produce coming from thosecountries, and at more affordable pricesdue to lower wage levels. Theintroduction of the National LivingWage in the UK has hardly helped, butcompanies are still acting slowly whenit comes to adopting full automation inUK manufacturing facilities. The food and drink industry hascertainly undergone change in the pasttwo decades – but the high standardsthroughout the industry remain, and theamount of research and developmenttaken place in all sectors should ensureits major companies continue to exceland new businesses bring fantastic newideas to the table. The fast-movingindustry is likely to move even faster inthe future.Thoughts from the EditorThe food and drink industry has always been exciting, andtwenty years ago, we didn’t have to look far for inspiration.Based in Grimsby, what was being hailed as `Europe’s foodtown` at the time, there was plenty to see and do. Theadvent of the internet was easily the biggest thing to changethe industry, or at least the internet (and computers andbroadband) becoming more accessible. All of a sudden,companies could communicate directly with consumers andnot in a one-directional manner like by advertising on the television. People couldcomplain, interact, praise – and also influence the food and drink industry. And influence they did…Sustainable packaging, the drive for more details on labelling, even a push towardslocal produce served in local areas – all of this came about as a result of consumerdemand, and a demand that would have remained silent had it not been for socialmedia and the internet. Has this always been a good thing? That is the polarisingquestion. While it has allowed some food and drink companies to prosper, othershave fallen and died, and there is not a single person in the industry who will not beable to remember at least one example of consumers asking for too much, or forsomething impossible.There’s no telling what the next twenty years will bring, not in this, the era ofuncertainty, that we’re currently in. While food and drink itself will remain an integralpart of the landscape, who can say what else it will outlast.Michael FisherEditorFood & Drink International20-23_Layout 1 25/09/2017 13:57 Page 3The specialists in leak detection solutions.www.dynascan.co.uk info@dynascan.co.uk | +44 (0)1480 462142 䈱 Food & Drink International 23www.fdiforum.net20TH ANNIVERSARYSave on downtime withDynascan leak detectionproducts Packagingcompanies usingDynascan leakdetection products aspart of their qualitycontrol can avoidcostly productiondowntime inidentifying packagingleaks. User-friendly andlow maintenance,the Dynascaninstruments provideinstant test results tohelp improve your packaging processes.Dynascan is essential leak detection equipment for anypackaging facility offering a wide range of packaging seal integrityand leak detection solutions to suit most food, pharmaceutical,medical and industrial applications.Testing methods vary from burst testing and bubble emissions topressure decay, reactive force, altitude simulation and blue dye.All test systems are designed and manufactured to the highestquality with an individual tailor-made service available providingcomplete technical and engineering solutions.Riggs Autopack fillingmachines assist growth atClarks UKClarks UK is a familyrun business based inNewport, Wales,producing naturalsweeteners, syrups anddessert sauces.Its association withRiggs Autopack startedback in 2009 whenthey purchased theirfirst semi-automatic depositor to accurately fill their squeezybottles. In August 2011 they purchased a second and began lookinginto ways to automate production beyond semi-automaticmachines to keep up with demand. In 2012 they invested in a major automation upgrade with aRiggs Autopack 4 head automatic conveyor filling line with scrollfeed system; this enabled them to significantly expand productionin line with increasing demand. Clarks continued to grow as the UK’s appetite for maple syrupand natural sweeteners continued to increase. The original twosemi-automatic depositors plus a new bulk filling depositor forfood service and catering tubs are still employed as off-linemachines in the factory to cope with the tremendous success andscope of the production now required.For more information, visit www.riggsautopack.co.uk.20-23_Layout 1 25/09/2017 13:57 Page 424 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netLABELLING & TRACEABILITYThe horsemeat scandalhighlighted vulnerabilities inthe food supply chain andthe need for traceability bothas means of counteractingthese issues before theyarise and reassuringconsumers. One of thelasting questions from the2013 controversy was howlong it would be before asimilar scandal struck again. This summer brought with it freshcontroversy for the food industry afterthe Food Standards Agency (FSA)discovered that more than 700,000eggs contaminated withFipronil entered the UK supply chainfrom farms in the Netherlands,Germany and Belgian. The finaldestination of each egg was ultimatelyunclear leading to the recall ofthousands of salads, sandwiches andmeals from supermarkets believed tocontain eggs from the suspectedcountries. The FSA were quick to assuageconsumer fears as it worked alongsideindustry to pool information andidentify which products contained theinsecticide and would thus need to bewithdrawn from circulation anddestroyed. Fanned by red tops andsocial media, consumers wereswearing off eggs altogether,though the agency, echoing thecall from industry, assured thepublic that there was no need to alterthe way in which they purchased orconsumed eggs. This was an issuestrictly with imported eggs, meaningthat those laid and sold here in the UKwere unaffected. Indeed 85 per cent ofall the eggs eaten in the UK are laidhere. But, as a precautionary measure,UK eggs were also tested for thepresence of Fipronil, though all resultshave thus far been clear. The scandal once again laid bare theinadequacies in the supply chain whichfacilitated a scandal that, by some© shutterstock/virty studioWalking oneggshells24-28_Layout 1 25/09/2017 14:03 Page 1Food & Drink International 25www.fdiforum.netLABELLING & TRACEABILITYaccounts, was entirely preventable andshould never have occurred. Theanswer lies in traceability, in ensuringthat food and ingredients can betracked through the supply chain andfood fraud and adulteration etc. can notonly be detected and dealt with, butavoided altogether. There is no one single answer, butrather a nexus of safety measures andtracking options coming together tosafeguard and serve the supply chain.One of the biggest contenders isblockchain. This upstart technologyhas been becoming morecommonplace over the last few years,moving from Silicon Valley and intocommon parlance. Defined as “acontinuously growing list of records,called blocks, which are linked andsecured using cryptography”,blockchain could have a profoundeffect on the food industry. BlockchainIn a truly watershed moment for thefood industry, a consortium of majorcompanies – including Nestlé, TysonFoods, Unilever and Walmart – hasjoined American multinational IBM in ablockchain collaboration to boostconsumer confidence in the foodsupply chain. With the aforementionedFipronil incident and the horse meatscandal still hanging like a spectre overthe industry, consumer confidence iswaning. It’s no coincidence that clean-label, organic and meat-free productshave been steadily rising in popularity. To that end, the consortium will worktogether in identifying new areas inwhich the global supply chain canbenefit from blockchain. The onus is onexploration, specifically on how thistechnology – hailed as disruptive by allsides – can be used to usher in safetyand security. This all sounds good inpractice, but what does it actuallymean? Well, blockchain can be used toimprove and reinforce food traceabilityby providing trusted information on theorigin and state of food. Imagine, for amoment, how the Fipronil scandalwould have played out against a supplychain that had widely adoptedblockchain. In action, blockchain establishes atrusted environment for all transactions,26 Á© shutterstock/BlueBoeingKite Packaging expands labels rangeKite Packaging has recently launched a range of white universal labels on a roll which are the perfectaddition to a variety of industries. Ideal to use in printers that have a ribbon – as well as those that don’t – Kite’s range of uncoated directthermal labels boast a permanent adhesion and are easy to load into suitable printers. Industries labels are commonly used in are:* Supermarkets and food shops: for labelling food with the correct information such as the date,price, weight and so on;* Warehouse and logistics operations: they are an essential product in the process of tracking,barcoding, shipping, delivery instructions and much more;* Offices: for items being sent out in the post or simply for organisation, they are ideal foranything that requires labelling.The employee-owned Kite Packaging has a reputation for developing and evolving their productrange and are specialists at supplying packaging across a variety of sectors.24-28_Layout 1 25/09/2017 14:03 Page 2Increase productivity and safetyBizerba solutions for Industrial ProductionAs a leading manufacturer of weighing, labelling, inspection and data technology solutions, Bizerba promotes the process-optimised flow of goods and data from goods receiving to shipping; for the purpose of an efficient work flow integrated in your process and production environment.Whether it’s required for basic weighing, for comprehensive evaluations or complex control processes, the Bizerba product portfolio offers the right solutions: Functional individual components as well as complete, highly complex systems. The highest quality, innovative solutions and a complete service offering - this is Bizerba.01908 682740info@bizerba.co.uk26 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netLABELLING & TRACEABILITYbe they for food or forfuel. In so doing, allparticipants across thesupply chain – fromgrowers to stockers –can gain authorisedaccess to trustedinformation regardingthe origin and state offood for theirtransactions. Thiscould allow, forexample, amanufacturer to seethe quality, origin andauthenticity of a rawingredient of asupplier; or, allow asupermarket to make an informed choice about stocking asustainable and ethical product. Moreover, it can allow foodproviders to use this integrated network to trace acontaminated product to its source in a short amount oftime to ensure its safe removal from store shelves. Origin labelling and packagingNot all solutions are digital ones, with the physicalattributes of a product and its packaging playing as© shutterstock/Shawn Hempel© shutterstock/Alexander Tolstykh28 Á24-28_Layout 1 25/09/2017 14:03 Page 3Proven to be themost advanced print& apply systemsWhy go anywhere else?Contact Industrial LabellingSystems for a complete labellingsolution nPrint & Apply outer-case barcode labellingnPallet labellingnSelf-adhesive labels & thermal ribbonsnLowest cost of ownershipTel:0161 655 4846Email: sales@ilsystems.co.ukVisit our website:www.ilsystems.co.ukIndustrial Labelling Systems Ltd,Units D4 & D5 Brookside Business Park, Greengate, Middleton, Manchester, M24 1GSwww.facebook.com/ILSystems.Ltd@ILS_Print_Apply24-28_Layout 1 25/09/2017 14:03 Page 4important a role in the supply chain.Perhaps the most disruptive – and hotlydebated – issue in this sphere is countryof origin labelling. Italy made headlinesin September after it announced that ithad introduced mandatory country oforigin labelling for all milk and milk-based products. This was much to thechagrin of the European DairyAssociation who opposed such labellingfor milk and dairy, stipulating it willnegatively impact producers situatednear border regions, push up consumerprices and hinder trade in the singlemarket. There are, however, a number ofadvantages to the wide-spreadadoption of country of origin labelling.As well as allowing consumers to makemore informed purchasing decisions, itwould also help in the event of recallsand scandals. There have been anumber of instances in which productspurporting to be from a specific regionor country – as in the case of productswith protected status – which are not, infact, from the specified areas. Astandardised and recognisable logo ormarque would help to stem these issuesalso. Consumers are familiar with a proto-form of country of origin labelling instickers that adorn the flesh of fruitsand vegetables. Although there is still aplace for such stickers, it is hardlyindustry 4.0 in action. A more modernsolution – and indeed one that is alreadybeing utilised in some parts of the world– is laser coding. This method effectivelySmart labelling, smart savings – Henkelwill turn your numbers aroundThis year’s drinktecprovided the perfectplatform for Henkelto showcase itsinnovative andefficient packagingand labellingadhesive solutions. The company’sguiding theme for2017 was “Smartlabelling, smartsavings – Henkeladhesives will turnyour numbersaround”, highlightingthe impact of itstechnologies on brands and production processes. An area of particular importance wasfood safety. Here Henkel presented the new, high-performance casein free label adhesivesof its Aquence range as well as Technomelt hotmelt adhesives for labels with mineral oilfree formulations. In line with its message “turn your numbers around”, the company proved thebeneficial properties of its adhesives with specific figures. For example, depending on theapplication, Henkel’s clients can have a PET recyclability of up to 100% due to wash-offfeatures or can reduce their waste by up to 30% by using Henkel’s adhesive solutions forlabelling. For more information, visit www.henkel-adhesives.com.“tattoos” labelling on the side of fruitand vegetables without any spoilage.As well as enabling greater traceabilityin terms of origin and grower, it alsoresults in less wasted packaging andmaterials. Though this technology hasexisted in one form or another for adecade, it is gaining more widespreadattention of late as manufacturers turnto more thorough and rugged optionsto safeguard their products, reputationsand the overall supply chain. Traceability, and by extension thesupply chain, is dependent on labelling.Companies such as Bizerba, whoprovide a variety of labels as well asautomatic weigh price and other suchlabelling machines, and IndustrialLabelling Systems – who supplyautomated labelling systems – arecritical to the ensuring a strong, reliableand efficient supply chain. Coupled withup and coming solutions such asblockchain, and origin of countrylabelling, food scandals may wellbecome a thing of the past.28 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netLABELLING & TRACEABILITY24-28_Layout 1 25/09/2017 14:03 Page 5Food & Drink International 29www.fdiforum.netFRUIT AND VEGETABLESStriving for hygiene in the fruit andvegetable industry “The importance of hygiene within the salad, fruit and vegetable industry is second tonone. There is constant pressure on retailers and food processors not to wash in chlorinatedsolutions,” said Jim Taylour from Holchem. “Holchem’s Crystal is the perfect solution to this as it is chlorine free and provides excellentmicrobial reductions in a cost effective way. It is manufactured from Hydrogen Peroxide andAcetic Acid to form an equilibrium blend of Peroxy Acetic Acid, Hydrogen Peroxide andAcetic Acid, this eventually breaks down to form water and Acetic Acid. Acetic Acid is thenbiodegradable.“Crystal is low foaming and is effective against a wide spectrum of micro-organisms,including vegetative and sporing bacteria, moulds, spores, yeasts and viruses. It is suitable for a wide variety of vegetable, salad and fruitwashing procedures.” For more information, visit www.holchem.co.uk.The pervasive problem of food wasteis an interweaving web of societal andindustrial issues all tangled up inregulatory red tape. Figures released thisyear revealed that in 2015 £13 billionworth of edible food was binned by UKhouseholds. The cost withinmanufacturing and retail alone is valuedat £1.9 billion. Since these eye-openingfigures were released by charity bodyWrap, consumers, supermarkets andgovernment have pooled their collectiveresources and come together to stemthis issue, and the results have beenimpressive thus far. One reason why a slew of fresh fruitand vegetables get wasted is down toaesthetics. Each product picked fromthe field is judged on certain physicalcharacteristics before being deemedworthy to be sent to suppliers andsupermarkets. Take, for example, thehumble carrot. The vegetable must beof a certain length and thickness and beof a uniform shape – that means nobulbous protrusions or contortionistbends. Rejected stock is often left to rotin piles on the farmland on which it wasgrown, leaving perfectly edible foodwasted and a dent in a farmer’s bottomline. Far be it for farmers to let their ownprofits rot, this attention to aestheticscomes from the top down – namely,supermarkets. When challenged,supermarkets claim that they’re simplyacting on the wants and desires ofconsumers, many of whom do not wantunattractive looking produce. Yet trialsacross supermarkets in which saidproduce was branded as “wonky” or“ugly” and sold at a competitive pricestruck the right chord with consumers.StayfreshFruit and vegetables are big business, with more than £1 billion worth exportedfrom the UK last year alone. Like other corners of the world, though, Britain is in thegrips of a food waste epidemic, and at the centre of this crisis is the staggeringamount of wasted fruit and vegetables. © shutterstock/D7INAMI7S30 Á29-31_Layout 1 25/09/2017 14:14 Page 1Next >