< Previouswww.fdiforum.net PACKAGING 10 P ackaging waste continues to be a major problem for the planet and ever conscious consumers are pushing the demand for less, none or alternative forms of packaging. This is nothing new and has been going on for years. Until now, most savings have been through reduction of packaging via intelligent design, pouch packaging or trays and films. However, new developments in plant-based packaging material may mean there is a new solution on the horizon, and it may be the industry’s greenest one yet. 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, ease 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 Innovation in packaging As environmentalism continues to sweep the industry, packagers are constantly evolving to make more efficient packaging with less material and as little waste as possible. 10-15.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2022 14:53 Page 1www.fdiforum.net PACKAGING 11 © stock.adobe.com / Soho A studio inherent flexibility, corrugated can be 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 from 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 13 Á 10-15.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2022 14:53 Page 210-15.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2022 14:53 Page 3© stock.adobe.com / Joaquin Corbalan www.fdiforum.net PACKAGING 13 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 damaged. 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 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 14 Á 10-15.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2022 14:53 Page 4www.fdiforum.net 14 We turn the world of caps and closures. little wonder that as well as clear labelling, almost four in ten 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. © stock.adobe.com / Seventyfour 10-15.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2022 14:53 Page 5www.fdiforum.net PACKAGING 15 Scan the QR code to discuss your printed packaging & label requirements delga.co.uk | 01634 227000 From concept to reality. Packaging, but better. Printed Packaging & Label Print Specialists Established in 1960 and Based in the UK Short & Long Print Runs Personalised & Variable Print Laser Cutting & Etching Services Did you know we also do labels? w w w . d e l g a l a b e l s .co m © stock.adobe.com / Annartlab 10-15.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2022 14:53 Page 6www.fdiforum.net HEALTH AND SAFETY 16 From rigorous cleaning routines to the importance of microbiology, health, safety, and hygiene must be front centre of any food and drink company. T he need for health and hygiene observance in the food and drink industry has only been heightened in the aftermath of the COVID crisis. Now, with the war in Ukraine leading to scarcity of certain ingredients and causing wholesale prices to rise, companies may be looking to cut costs where they can. Caution should be advised when it comes to trimming the cleaning budget. Although there’s always efficiency gains 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2022 14:46 Page 1www.fdiforum.net HEALTH AND SAFETY 17 YOUR EXPERTS IN CLEANING IN PLACE 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. 01283 753400 sales.uksera-web.com Food Safety Consultancy, Support and Training Food Care Solutions aims to help our clients achieve their aims. 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. to be had, cheaper rarely means better – especially where health and safety are concerned. 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, 18 Á © stock.adobe.com/dusanpetkovic1 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2022 14:46 Page 2www.fdiforum.net HEALTH AND SAFETY 18 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 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 one stone. Non-slip and hygienic flooring is one such example that can both reduce the 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 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 © stock.adobe.com/ auremar 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2022 14:46 Page 3www.fdiforum.net HEALTH AND SAFETY 19 info@munters.co.uk munters.com Improve safety & climate conditions in cold storage Ice, frost and fog in cold stores can create slippery and dangerous conditions. Munters IceDry ® is a specially designed dehumidifier that targets moisture from inside the cold store to create the optimal climate conditions. Suitable for use in manufacturing facilities, cold rooms, cold stores and process freezers, this desiccant dehumidifier is proven to: •Reduce & prevent ice, frost and fog build up on floors, walls and ceilings •Reduce defrosts by up to 1/3 •Lower maintenance requirements and costs •Improve safety for staff, visitors & forklifts •Improve evaporator efficiency •Thousands of proven installations globally CONTACT US TODAY FOR A FREE SITE SURVEY Example - Before After “The cold store is the best it’s ever been for excessive ice & snow” - Kitchen Range Foods 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. 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2022 14:46 Page 4Next >