Converting equipment

Can packagers maintain productivity improvements?

As we progress into the new year, nervousness about the economy abounds. And it’s coming from a lot of fronts, including people in the packaging business.

January 31, 2001

Meat/Poultry/Seafood: Page 80

Conveying & accumulation

Something fishy about HACCP

FDA and USDA plan to re-examine seafood and meat inspection programs, and to consider possible tightening of regulations.

January 31, 2001

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Country of origin labeling a marketing, not a safety issue

Opponents of a bill, sponsored by Idaho Representative Helen Chenoweth-Hage requiring mandatory country-of-origin labeling for the livestock in meat and meat products, told a House Agriculture Subcommittee that such a requirement would impose significant burdens on the food industry, be extremely costly, and would damage U.S. ability to export its meats.

December 31, 2000

Meat/Poultry/Seafood

Eggs-actly

On Nov. 30, 2000, Food and Drug Administration issued a final regulation requiring safe handling instructions on egg cartons. Within nine months, egg cartons must bear the following statement: “Safe Handling Instructions: To prevent illness from bacteria, keep eggs refrigerated, cook eggs until yolks are firm and cook foods containing eggs thoroughly.” The regulation also requires that eggs delivered to retail establishments be promptly refrigerated at 45°F or lower.

December 31, 2000

Meat/Poultry/Seafood

Jim Carrey not the only grinch this holiday season

While I was going to share a great dog story with you this month, I couldn’t get all the details verified in time. Meanwhile, burning a hole in my “in” basket was a disturbing news release about the holiday season.

December 31, 2000

Bakery/Snack

Goldfish pack lures collectors

REPORTING FROM PACK EXPO: When Pepperidge Farm needed to seal its new goldfish-shaped package, it looked to Halpak Plastics to supply a 1.5-mil PVC band.

October 31, 2000

Flexible packaging

Spout pouch takes its stand

REPORTING FROM PACK EXPO: Bell, a European food company, is packaging its new chicken and steak barbecue sauce products in an inverted stand-up pouch with a closure that acts as a base. Huhtamaki Van Leer Packaging Worldwide (Germany) converts the pouch material.

October 31, 2000

Conveying & accumulation

Radius applies labeler to Fisher-Price application

Unusual new labeler at Radius Corp. closes a plastic case around a Fisher-Price toothbrush, then applies a TE label that wraps around three sides of the case.

October 31, 2000

Flexibles

Bad bar codes provoke retailer penalties

Herman Goelitz Candy, Hormel Foods and 3M strive for bar-code readability to satisfy retailers.

October 31, 2000

Feeding/inserting/unscrambling

Printed films seal meat trays

Leak-proof films, featuring flexo-printed designs, seal both fresh chicken and frozen meat products for two companies at stores nationwide. Pilgrim’s Pride repositions its full line of fresh chicken and Carlson of Albert Lea debuts Crossroad Farms fully cooked frozen meats.

September 30, 2000

Bag/pouch fill/seal (pre-made bags)

Controlled gas permeation

Apio's new 7-item line of 12-oz packages of fresh-cut vegetables incorporates the Intellipac™ patch to yield a 17-day shelf life. Tailored to the particular veggie mix, the patch optimizes oxygen ingress and carbon dioxide egress according to prevailing temperatures. Shipping is made iceless.

September 30, 2000

Flexibles

Stand-up pouch soars

A resealable, stand-up pouch for 4 lb of frozen chicken wings sold at club stores won the Golden Cylinder award for top-quality gravure printing.

September 30, 2000

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Wyoming meat labeling law unconstitutional

Retailers and wholesalers who sell imported meat in Wyoming are now required to label the meat “imported” and state its country of origin, thanks to recent amendments to Wyoming’s Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

September 30, 2000