Soups/Condiments/Sauces/Spices/Dips/Dressings

Video helps determine cause of exploding jars on food packaging line

A new filler added to a food packaging line appeared to be causing intermittent jars to explode. The real culprit, discovered by the 20/20 Hindsight high-speed camera and video capture from Monitoring Technologies, was a bad bearing on the elevator for the filler head.

July 26, 2007

Soups/Condiments/Sauces/Spices/Dips/Dressings: Page 22

Secondary Packaging

Packaging's contribution to social equity

Sustainable packaging is widely perceived as a three-legged stool. Packaging professionals focus a lot of attention on two of those legs, the “environmental” and the “economic.” What about the third leg, “social equity?” That’s the one that has us measure a business’s success not only in terms of profit made but also in terms of the positive impact the business has on society in general.

July 11, 2007

Beverage

The outlook for aseptically processed low acid beverages in pet bottles

After many years the flood gates are about ready to be opened: Aseptically processed low-acid beverages in PET bottles produced in the U.S. will finally be a reality. Look out America! Anyone who has followed the saga of aseptically processed low-acid beverages in PET bottles knows that this is a story that would be challenging to describe in a just a 750-word column. Consider this the abridged version.

June 11, 2007

Flexibles

Deli-quality sandwiches in microwave packaging

Madison, WI-based Oscar Mayer, a unit of Kraft Foods, has teamed up with Graphic Packaging International, Inc. (www.graphicpkg.com) to launch Oscar Mayer Deli Creations refrigerated, modified atmosphere-packaged sandwiches in GPI QuiltWave™ microwave receptor trays.

June 11, 2007

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Opportunities abound for pet food packaging

While the explosive growth in premium pet food has been a big story in the US, the trend is global in scope.

May 23, 2007

Contract Packaging

Hi-Res printing--it doesn't have to be computer science

Squid Ink’s PZ Pilot Plus is designed for people who run packaging lines, not computers. Watch this short informative video for more.

May 1, 2007

Soups/Condiments/Sauces/Spices/Dips/Dressings

Windowed package provides view, protection for glassware

Originating in Turkey, Carnis Ambalaj Sanayi A.S.’s Pasabahce tea set sleeve carton protects and partially displays three tea glasses and saucers. The block-and-brace design prevents the glasses and the saucers from touching, providing protection against breakage. Die-cut windows on the back and front panels enable shoppers to view the glassware as they make their purchase decision.

April 4, 2007

Flexibles

Salsas in 48-oz bottle twin-packs

In February 2007, San Antonio Farms, San Antonio, TX, began club-store marketing of double-packs of salsas in 48-oz-volume, six-layer PP/EVOH barrier jugs with .015” wall thickness and 82-g empty-bottle weight. Shelf life of the bottled salsa is 12 months. Average retail price of the salsa twin-packs is between $5.00 and $6.00.

April 3, 2007

Flexibles

Shaped SUPs replace pasta/sauce jars

Buitoni, a unit of Swiss-based Nestlé, and CLP Industries Ltd. (www.clp-packaging.com) have garnered an FPA Gold Award for Packaging Excellence in recognition of the development of shaped, stand-up retort pouches for Buitoni pasta and sauce products.

March 9, 2007

Conveying & accumulation

RFID variables tested

During Pack Expo 2006, Robert Clarke, Ph.D., of Michigan State University's School of Packaging (www.packaging.msu.edu, or e-mail [email protected]), presented original research that looked at a number of variables that affect RFID performance in the real world.

December 18, 2006

Feeding/inserting/unscrambling

Want innovation that drives sales? Slow down

Inventive package structures require at least 18 months, but economic pressure too often speeds up the design. Approach innovation as a cross-functional process, two gurus say.

November 5, 2006

Flexibles

Food Packaging Safety Regulations

Download this white paper from Rohm and Haas to make the best decisions about selecting and handling food contact materials.

October 26, 2006

Soups/Condiments/Sauces/Spices/Dips/Dressings

ConAgra Foods tackles the challenge of Wal-Mart's RFID mandate

From pilot plant testing to determine tag selection and placement to rollout of a Phase 2 scalable line, ConAgra meets the mandate head on.

October 6, 2006