Europe: FSA advises children against drinking raw milk
In the light of three separate incidents involving six cases of E.coli O157, including five cases in children, potentially linked to the consumption of raw drinking milk, UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) is reiterating its advice that this sort of milk should not be consumed by children and other vulnerable people. "Long standing FSA advice has been that vulnerable people...
Americas: Plastipak Packaging to acquire APPE for €360M
Rigid plastic manufacturer Plastipak Packaging has been selected as the successful bidder to acquire the APPE Packaging Division owned by La Seda de Barcelona Group. The winning bid of €360 million (US$448.9 million) and included a gross up of €65 million of accounts payable that will be transferred with the business, but will be discounted from the bid, and result...
Americas: More men are found to shop for groceries than before, finds report
More men are grocery shopping for themselves or their families now than in the past, but they are not happy about it, according to NPD’s recently released report, The New Grocery Shopper. It finds men now represent 41% of all primary grocery shoppers, but they make up more than their fair share of people who say grocery shopping is a...
Europe: TRM Packaging, Flint Group open color laboratory in UK
UK-based TRM Packaging and Flint Group have opened a new color laboratory to provide companies with complete integrated color management services, as well as quality and process reporting software. The laboratory at TRM’s Burscough site includes a £3.2 million (US$5.0 million) Gopfert Impression printer and a £1 million upgrade to the company’s corrugator. “The new facility will allow TRM’s qualified technicians...
Americas: General Mills lowers sales, earnings expectations due to slow growth
Due to continued weak food-industry trends in the US and slowing growth in key emerging markets, General Mills is reducing its sales and earnings expectations for the fiscal year ending in May 2015. Its fiscal 2015 net sales in constant currency are now expected to grow at a low single-digit rate from the 2014 base of US$17.9 billion. This includes an...
Europe: Mettler Toledo releases guide on safety in hazardous areas
The new Hazardous-Area Safety Competence Guide from Mettler Toledo explains how to avoid dangerous situations when manufacturing in hazardous areas with compliant equipment, a comprehensive understanding of standards and regulations and methods of equipment protection. The guide also explains how to correctly install and maintain equipment in hazardous areas and shows the examples of weighing systems for hazardous areas. The guide...
Americas: Consumers value packaging in e-commerce order fulfilment, finds survey
With continued growth in e-Commerce, retailers need to take a closer look at their packaging for fulfilling online orders, according to new data from the Sealed Air 2014 Packaging for e-Commerce Success survey. The survey was conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of Sealed Air in August among over 2,000 US adults of at least 18 years old. The report...
Asia Pacific: FSANZ calls for comments on gluten free claims on alcohol products
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has called for submissions on a proposal aimed at ensuring gluten free claims can continue to be made on alcohol products. FSANZ CEO Steve McCutcheon said gluten free claims on alcohol can currently be made but will no longer be permitted when a nutrition and health claims standard becomes mandatory in January 2016. “FSANZ developed...
Americas: Consumers want fresh donuts with longer expiry date, finds survey
Corbion Caravan research has found that 90% of consumers rate the expiration date as extremely or very important before buying donuts. The research also found: • 86% of consumers who believe donuts should stay fresh five to seven days would like four to six more days of freshness; and • 57% of consumers would buy additional varieties if the donuts lasted longer. The...
Europe: Henkel introduces adhesive for PET, can labeling
Henkel has extended its Technomelt EM range with Technomelt EM 132-22. The pressure sensitive adhesives range offers high-performance adhesives for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and can labeling. Technomelt EM 132-22 is a rubber-based labeling hotmelt, which is characterized by a low viscosity and a low application temperature. The hotmelt adhesive shows very good bonding strength at an application temperature of 120 degree Celsius,...