Blisters/clamshells/skin packaging

TI's well-calculated Gen 2 RFID rollout

Texas Instruments' E&PS calculator business unit did its homework before it became the first Wal-Mart supplier to tag cases of product using Gen 2 RFID technology.

January 31, 2006

Meat/Poultry/Seafood: Page 49

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Stronger allergen labeling in EU

Labels of food products produced in the European Union after November 25, 2005, must clearly state the presence of any of 12 listed allergens. The new directive eliminates the “25-percent rule” that exempted ingredients of a compound ingredient from being declared if the compound ingredient made up less than 25% of the final food.

January 31, 2006

Flexibles

The wrap-up: Surprising packaging

Unexpected pairings of product and package raise editors' and consumers' awareness.

January 31, 2006

Secondary Packaging

Shrink wrapping developments and trends

Five developments are cited including for meat, cheese, and ready-made foods.

January 31, 2006

Secondary Packaging

Midwest Poultry: Random case sealer for egg cartons

The private-label egg packer Midwest Poultry, North Manchester, IN, relies on a Marq Model HPR random top-and-bottom case sealer that accepts the total outflow from more than a dozen production lines. It operates at rates of 12-18 cases/min. A light curtain at the infeed identifies the case size via its height. The sealer\'s servo-driven assembly adjusts quickly and accurately to various case heights.

December 31, 2005

Labels

Technical advances in RFID at hand

New advances in RFID include long-range HF tags, devices that work well with challenging substances, and tags that are sterilization tolerant.

December 31, 2005

Meat/Poultry/Seafood

Case sealer handles eggs with care

Midwest Poultry, North Manchester, IN, relies on a Marq Model HPR random top-and-bottom case sealer for “eggcellent” reliability. See video

December 31, 2005

Flexibles

Bouillon goes to logistics-friendly PET jars

Unilever Foods North America, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, has converted its Hispanic line of Knorr-brand chicken-, beef-, and tomato-flavored granular bouillon products from glass jar packaging to PET jars in four sizes (100g, 225g, 450g and 1-kilo).

December 31, 2005

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Food factors dominate barrier film analysis

The $1.1 billion U.S. market for barrier films is driven largely by growth in convenience foods, according to a new study from Kline & Co.

December 31, 2005

Bakery/Snack

Styrene box

Originally created to package prescription pharmaceuticals, the utilitarian shape of Continental Packaging’s Styrene Box is also suitable for daily supplements, office supplies, medicines/vitamins, jewelry and beads, fishing tackle, nuts, bolts, and washers.

December 31, 2005

Dairy

FDA and FSIS discuss jurisdiction

FDA and the Food Safety and Inspection Service held a public meeting in Rosemont, IL, on December 15, 2005, to discuss ways to decide which agency regulates which food products when it comes to foods that contain meat and poultry ingredients.

December 31, 2005

Meat/Poultry/Seafood

Gassing meat

A Michigan-based food and spice company is protesting FDA rulings that allow small amounts of carbon dioxide to be used in “case ready” packages of fresh meat to preserve the red color.

December 31, 2005

Coding, Printing & Labeling

COOL labeling delayed

The FY 2006 Agriculture Appropriations bill passed by Congress in mid-November contained a provision delaying mandatory country-of-origin labeling for meat, produce, and peanuts until September 30, 2008.

December 31, 2005