Closures

FDA radiates antipathy on irradiation labeling

Agency appears reluctant to let food processors use less-frightening labeling declaration for foods that are irradiated. Consumer opposition to any change is very strong.

July 31, 1999

Meat/Poultry/Seafood: Page 88

Dairy

Worldwide Food Expo creates 'big blend'

By combining the Food & Dairy Expo with the Intl. Meat, Poultry and Seafood Expo, the second Worldwide Food Expo promises the year's largest display of packaging equipment and supplies exclusively for food processors.

July 31, 1999

Conveying & accumulation

Aseptic PET is Henniez's cup of tea

A leader in the bottled water business in Switzerland, Henniez is making a bold move into in-line blowing and aseptic filling of plastic bottles for iced teas.

July 31, 1999

Secondary Packaging

Nothing's fishy about trout tags

Time/temperature monitoring tags placed in refrigerated shipments of smoked fish let Top of the Mountain Trout's restaurant customers know how long the trout will remain fresh.

July 31, 1999

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

Home meal replacements on the move

Increased consumer demand for home meal replacement spurs development of new technologies, new markets. A Packaging World special report.

July 31, 1999

Flexibles

Viskase awarded $165 million over infringement

Viskase Companies, Inc. (Bedford Park, IL) was awarded a final judgment of $164.9 million in compensatory and enhanced damages and prejudgment interest in its patent infringement suit against American National Can Co.

July 31, 1999

Coding, Printing & Labeling

State labeling law opposed

In Louisiana, Governor M. J. Foster was urged by GMA to veto a State Senate bill requiring country-of-origin labeling for meat products. In its letter, GMA noted that federal law already requires identifying country-of-origin of imports and that additional state requirements could violate the Commerce Clause of the U.S.

July 31, 1999

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Safety labeling proposed for eggs

Under a new proposal announced by FDA and USDA, egg cartons would carry safe handling instructions similar to those found on raw meat products. The proposal stems from the agencies' efforts to prevent illness caused by salmonella enteritidis.

July 31, 1999

Flexible packaging

Food, beverage packaging to star at supermarkets

New packages stand out for major brands like Snapple, Mrs. Butterworth's and Sara Lee at this year's FMI show.

June 30, 1999

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Nitrate labeling debate

California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) wants a panel of scientific experts to review data on sodium nitrite before listing it as "harmful to consumers" under the State's Proposition 65 chemical warning label law.

June 30, 1999

Meat/Poultry/Seafood

Show me the symbol

USDA has received more than 700 responses from consumers demanding that irradiated ground beef be clearly labeled so consumers know what they're buying.

June 30, 1999

Flexible packaging

Migros 'MAPS' out a meat strategy

The Migros chain of supermarkets in Switzerland relies on barrier materials and centralized, modified-atmosphere packaging for its case-ready fresh ground beef.

June 30, 1999

Flexible packaging

Pouch is economical, ecological

The formed hamburger patties produced at Micarna require a thermoformed tray for a package because their shape must be protected through distribution. Unformed ground beef, however, needs no such protection, so Micarna relies on a simpler, less expensive and "greener" alternative: modified-atmosphere pouches produced on a vertical form/fill/seal machine.

June 30, 1999