< Previouswww.fdiforum.net PACKAGING 10 Driven by convenience, competitive prices and consumer choice, the food-to- go market has continued to expand over the years, with research and training charity IGD predicting it will be worth as much as £23.5 billion by 2022. It’s a pressing issue that packaging manufacturers are having to contend with, taking things back to the drawing board and designing new solutions that are fit for purpose, but are aligned with the environmental agenda. It’s not a case of reinventing the wheel, so to speak, but rather adopting more sustainable alternatives to traditional plastics, ensuring products are both recyclable and comprised of recycled materials themselves. The biggest viable alternative currently is paper and paperboard – a segment which will continue to dominate more than half of the sustainable packaging market. It’s easy to see why it’s such a popular option thanks to its relatively low cost, ease of recycling in both domestic and commercial settings, its versatility, easy of transportation, and compatibility with printers. Yet, in the highly competitive food-to-go market, products have just seconds to resonate with busy consumers. A transparent plastic window is part and parcel of a boxed wrap or sandwich, meaning they are always mixed and difficult to recycle. Rather than removing this important selling feature, manufacturers and supermarkets are instead creating packages where the cardboard can be more easily separated from the film. A simple solution such as a peelable tab can allow consumers to separate both components with relative ease, the better for both to then be recycled. One proven packaging concept that continues to resonate with consumers and manufacturers alike is corrugated. With a wide range of benefits, including an inherent flexibility, corrugated can be Packaging for the FUTURE Convenience, hygiene, and the environmental agenda are together driving change in the packaging industry – from design to manufacturer, 10-13.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 11:51 Page 1www.fdiforum.net PACKAGING 11 modified for different crops and misshapen produce, thereby reducing the potential for bruising and skin damage that can sometimes occur with rigid packaging. Because over eighty per cent of corrugated is recycled, while new boxes are made form recycled material, the environmental footprint is low – certainly compared to other kinds of packaging. Where new fibre is used, it typically comes from sustainable managed forests. This commitment to responsible forest management has made a huge contribution to the increase in size of Europe’s forests – up by thirty per cent since 1950. Although it has been used in one form or another for many years, the corrugated packaging industry is continually investing in new technologies to ensure it retains its top table place. Pouch packaging has also become an increasingly popular option over the last few decades with many of the industry’s biggest players moving into the market. The lack of rigidity in this kind of packaging is a big selling point. Cans, cardboard and paper packaging are all very susceptible to damage and hard because they need to conform to a rigid shape and so cannot flex when pressure is applied. This leads to cans being malformed in transit, or cardboard being punctured. Pouch packaging is typically made of multiple layers of puncture- resistant laminated film. This allows the material to flex and bend, taking on water- like properties to avoid being damage. The food contained inside – such as soups, ready meals, or rice – will simply move back into shape. All of this works together not only to reduce the chance of damage, but also to offer longer shelf life and ensure the product remains attractive on the shelf and does not fade or become misshaped. Stand-up pouches can also be 12 Á © Shutterstock / Itsanan 10-13.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 11:51 Page 2www.fdiforum.net PACKAGING 12 made from one hundred per cent recycled materials, adding an environmental appeal to the design. When it comes to the environmental impact of packaging, recycling rates are still being impacted by consumers confused over labelling. Renewable and sustainable packaging, for example, aren’t interchangeable terms. The latter refers to materials like paperboard which can be continuously and easily recycled, while renewable packaging is made from materials such as sugarcane. Biodegradable packaging, meanwhile, refers to organic material that can be broken down into carbon dioxide and water etc. within a couple of months. All that seems simple compared to the plethora of different plastics used to make packaging with consumers often confused over which ones can be easily recycled. Flexible packaging – used for many single-use products which are most non- recyclable – is a particular bugbear for British consumers, with one in five admitting to throwing flexible packaging in the recycling bin because they didn’t know it can’t be recycled. It’s little wonder that as well as clear labelling, almost four in tend consumers think retailers should be made to have a plastic-free aisle in every store. But replacing plastic is by no means easy. New product development has yielded a number of worthy contenders with plastics produced form renewable sources such as the aforementioned sugarcane, as well as cellulose and starches. However, it’s a more complex issue than simply swapping petroleum produced plastics for those made from plant matter. For example, what good is plant-based packaging if vast swathes of endangered rainforest must be cleared to grow the cops to produce it? Yet it’s clear that there is a massive shift taking place in the industry. Boosting recyclability, switching to more sustainable materials and improving labelling will all help to improve the environmental impact of food and drink packaging and create a green supply chain. 10-13.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 11:51 Page 3www.fdiforum.net 13 CALL 01442 843387 TO SPEAK TO A MEMBER OF OUR TEAM Valley Farm, Hemel Hempstead Road, Dagnall, Herts JP4 1QR Email: enquiries@rmsealers.co.uk RM Sealers remain a leading British manufacturer and supplier of high quality Bag Sealing Machines, also known as Rotary Band Sealers and Impulse Sealers. Our machines are proven bag closing machines, manufactured by us for over 30 years and having previously been sold under the Doboy, SIG and Bosch names. They are suitable for a wide range of industrial applications and may be bespoked to fulfil customer requirements. BAG SEALING MACHINES www.rmsealers.co.uk HORIZONTAL BAG SEALING MACHINE IMPULSE BAG SEALING MACHINE BENCHTOP BAG SEALING MACHINE VERTICAL BAG SEALING MACHINE VISIT WWW.RMSEALERS.CO.UK TO SEE OUR MACHINE RANGE SEALERS © © Shutterstock / Geor ge KUZ 10-13.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 11:52 Page 4www.fdiforum.net HEALTH, SAFETY & HYGIENE 14 In the food and drink sector, hygiene is harder to manage than many others, and the consequences can be more pervasive. This added pressure is one which necessitates swift action. However, the coronavirus pandemic has heightened concerns and forced companies to ensure their supply chains and production lines conform to stringent health and hygiene levels. Most obviously, companies that aren’t able to point to clear health and safety regulations will usually find themselves unable to win contracts from major customers. The importance of security and speed across the supply chain means retailers demand manufacturers and distributors reach the highest standards and must be able to illustrate their commitment to quality – and a formal health and safety policy, with full information on potential flashpoints and the measures in place to deal with them, is usually required. Due to the differing nature of hygiene risks and how they can occur, it is often a requirement to bring in outside help to judge and identify potential flashpoints. These can come from any number of aspects, be it the ingredients themselves, the way employees work, or simply the atmosphere of a given facility. The latter is one such aspect that many companies might overlook. Clean air is of paramount concern for the food and drink industry, not only due to the stringent requirements involved in the manufacturer of food produce, but also to avoid in the manufacture of food produce, but also to avoid the reputational crisis of any incidents occurring. With a variety of harmful microbes and particles able to travel via air, there is great potential for harmful microbes to interact with the process at a crucial stage, possibly leading to contaminated products. A benefit to the food market, however, is that many health and safety products also work towards improving hygiene – allowing a company to effectively kill two birds with on stone. Non-slip and hygienic flooring is one such example that can both reduce the Safety first In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, health, hygiene and safety in the food and drink supply chain has never been more important. 14-17.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 16:43 Page 1www.fdiforum.net HEALTH & SAFETY 15 risk of accidents within the facility whilst also adding a clear hygienic defence against contaminates. When it comes to hygiene itself, there are many things that can be done to minimise both cost and downtime, some of which can be quite simple. In food manufacturing, in particular, build up inside machinery can provide a major source of contamination, requiring regular cleaning and downtime as workers scramble to clear this away. Small changes in how a site is set up, however, can help to minimise this. hard corners and right angles, especially inside storage tanks and mixers, can be problem areas, as it provides a sharp corner for food to get stuck in. Simple solutions such as making these rounded corners or blunting them can help reduce levels of build up significantly. Changes to materials are also commonplace, along with initiatives that may seem painstakingly obvious at first, but © Shutterstock / Phovoir 16 Á 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 14-17.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 16:43 Page 2www.fdiforum.net HEALTH, SAFETY & HYGIENE 16 Food Safety Consultancy, Support and Training Food Care Solutions aims to help our clients achieve their aims. We have helped food businesses throughout the UK since 2003 with our services, including: • Food Safety and Food Quality • BRC and FSSC 22000 certification • Supplier Auditing • Training • Hygiene Inspections & Internal Audits • Complaints & Incident Tel: 01933 276 400 Mob: 07811 192545 Email: fcs@food-care.co.uk Web: www.food-care.co.uk FOOD CARE SOLUTIONS FOOD CARE SOLUTIONS Make your life easier - use an app to keep records. Android or iOS. “Off the shelf” and bespoke forms. which have been proven to have profound effect. Take, for instance, the case of cleaning apparatus, from brooms to mops and everything in between. While it may seem obvious to say that tools from one part of a plant should not be used in another, owing to the potential for contamination, it does not mean it always works. If a mop is misplaced or left in the wrong spot, then staff may not know which section it came from. Issues such as these have led to the rise of colour coded cleaning equipment, allowing workers to know that purple mops belong in the meat section, or that red are only allowed in the red-zone. Again, it may seem like an obvious solution, but if it makes the lives of employees easier, then how hard is it to implement. Nowadays, most process machines, storage containers or trolleys will be made of stainless steel, and for good reason. The material itself is highly hygienic, although it’s worth remembered that there are numerous grades and types of stainless steel, some better suited to different foodstuffs. This is an aspect many forget, however, and it’s not uncommon to hear of corrosion on material, which should not be possible if the correct grade is chosen, as smooth surfaces reduce the risk of it. it’s important to remember that this can be caused by various different things, from stress corrosion to crevice corrosion, so getting someone in to investigate would be a good idea. Despite all this, and whatever methods are taken to reduce the risks of contamination, a stringent quality assurance line will always be necessary. There is only so much that human inspection can achieve in any production environment. © Shutterstock / steved_np3 14-17.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 16:43 Page 3www.fdiforum.net 17 The AMA Ecofill top-loading autoclaves are easily moved between rooms on their casters. They also don’t need a direct water supply or fitted drainage. Astell Scientific Ltd. produce customisable autoclaves for every situation. Talk to us about your autoclaving needs today. Autoclave Anywhere. This unit features a top-loading autoclave and an Astell BioSink. Any wastewater washed into the self-contained washbasin of the BioSink is sterilised using heat before it is dispatched to the drain. Contact Astell for more information about the standard or customised BioSink & Autoclave Combo unit. BioSink & Autoclave Combo. Astell.com info@Astell.com +44 (0)20 8309 2031 NEW Astell.com info@Astell.com +44 (0)20 8309 2031 ioSink & Autoclave Combo UKAS Accredited Services Microsearch Laboratories Ltd, Unit 1b Moderna Business Park, Mytholmroyd, HX7 5QQ Tel: 01422 405678 Email: sales@micro-search.co.uk MICROSEARCH LABORATORIES, UKAS ACCREDITED AND APPROVED BY THE RSA SCHEME Providing analytical services to the food and drink industry Testing includes: Microbiological analysis Nutritional declaration Allergen and Speciation testing Rapid DNA services by PCR and LAMP 14-17.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 16:43 Page 4www.fdiforum.net NPD 18 Health first The food and drink industry continues to develop and launch healthier, better-for-you products amid pressure from governments and campaign groups and chasing consumer tastes. © Shutterstock / T atiana Bralnina 18-21.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 12:01 Page 1www.fdiforum.net NPD 19 Broadly speaking, there are two types of functional ingredient. Firstly, those that alter or achieve product texture, shelf life or stability – such as a thickening or raising agent – and, secondly, those with nutritional benefit such as those providing a protein boost or fortifying a product with vitamins, fibre or protein. As consumers search for healthier food choices, and new legislation sees companies ramping up their reformulation and NPD efforts, functional ingredients will become increasingly commonplace, even industry standard. The growth in clean label and the need for natural products, meanwhile, has led to a shift in ingredients such as thickeners and texturisers and food makers looking to appeal to shifting tastes and changing regulations. Often, it’s not the whole product that’s the issue, but rather one or more of its ingredients. One need only look at palm oil to see that much. So it is with sugar, which along with salt and saturated fat, continues to be one of the industry’s biggest issues. To try and combat sugar levels and safeguard public health, the UK officially introduced its Soft Drinks Industry Levy back in April 2018, following the lead of countries like Mexico where a sugar tax was reported to have cut sugar consumption by six per cent in its first year. Considering that Mexicans consume more carbonated drinks per person than any other nation, this was no small feat. For many, this was evidence that the sugar tax worked and should be deployed in other countries post haste. Others claimed that it reduced consumption by such a marginal amount, it seemed hardly worth it. Whatever your own opinions on the merits and effectiveness 20 Á © Shutterstock / ido 18-21.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 12:01 Page 2Next >