Up to the challenge Up to the challenge INTERNATIONAL News Health, safety and hygiene Cold storageShady Lane, Great Barr, Birmingham, B44 9EU England Tel: +44 (0)121 360 0155 For all your Power Transmission Solutions • Roller Chain • Gears & Sprockets • Timing Belt Drives • V Belt Pulleys • V Belts • Clamping Elements • Inverted Tooth Chain • Inverted Tooth Sprockets • Sealmaster Bearings • Shaft Couplings • Freewheel Clutches • Torque Limiters • Overload Clutches • Sheargard Clutches • McGill® Cam Followers • Gearboxes The Driving Force In Power Transmission sales@crossmorse.com www.crossmorse.com Power Transmission Solutions Wholesale prices ŽŶƐŵĂůůƋƵĂŶƟƟĞƐǁŝƚŚ Mix & Match powered by employee share-ownership 02476 420065 kitepackaging.co.uk Free ĚĞůŝǀĞƌLJ Free delivery £45 on orders over Browse over 2,500 products online at: kitepackaging.co.uk Scan QR code ƚŽƐĞĞŽƵƌĨƵůůƌĂŶŐĞ Download our app today! Find out moreContents July 2024 This magazine is now fully recyclable. By recycling magazines, you can help reduce waste and add to the 5.5 million tonnes of paper already recycled by the UK paper industry each year. Before you recycle your magazine, please ensure you remove all plastic wrapping, free gifts and samples. FoodandDrinkInternational @fdiforumwww.fdiforum.net company/fdiforum News 4 • General news • On line - production news • On the shelf - new products and initiatives EIT Q&A6 Food & Drink International sits down with EIT International to discuss the new BactiscanPLUS, a handheld bacteria and biofilm detection system. Import and export12 Shrinking UK food and drink exports are causing concern as the country comes to terms with new trade arrangements. Health, safety and hygiene. spotlight16 A fresh outbreak of E.coli in sandwiches, salads and wraps highlights the importance of both a solid hygiene regime, and accurate traceability of infected ingredients. • Prowrap Q&A Packaging22 There are many exciting developments in the packaging sector and yet food manufacturers are slow to embrace and make the most of them due to economic constraints. Cold storage27 Soaring energy costs have made efficiently keeping food products chilled more challenging and shown us just how important it is to get things right. Engineering and components30 In the wake of the pandemic and disruption it caused, food firms have accelerated discussions with engineers over automation, increasing flexibility and more, while engineers themselves have changed how they work with such companies. Group Editor: Steve Fisher (s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk) Editor: Michael Fisher (m.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk) Editor’s PA: Angela Sharman (a.sharman@blmgroup.co.uk) Journalist: Tess Egginton (t.egginton@blmgroup.co.uk) Sales Director: Teri Cooper (t.cooper@blmgroup.co.uk) Sales: Vicky Hunt (v.hunt@blmgroup.co.uk) Kerry Randerson (k.randerson@blmgroup.co.uk) Tel: +44 (0) 1472 310302 Accounts & Subscriptions: John Downes (j.downes@blmgroup.co.uk) Design & Production: Gary Jorgensen, Mark Casson (studio@blmgroup.co.uk) Editorial: Tel: +44 (0) 1472 310305 Email: fdi@blmgroup.co.uk Part of the Business Link Magazine Group: Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, N E Lincs DN31 2QE England All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without express permission of the copyright holder, for which application should be addressed first to the publisher. While every reasonable care is taken, neither the publisher nor its participating agents accept liability for loss or damage to prints, colour transparencies, negatives or other material of whatever nature submitted to this publication. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of those held by the publisher. Main: stock.adobe.com/smspsy • Top: Sainsbury’s • Middle: stock.adobe.com/ Grispb • Bottom: stock.adobe.com/ อรณี ลาพัง Meet the experts 33 Someone who dedicates all their time to a particular task or role is undoubtedly an expert, but how do you decide who or what firm is the right expert for your needs? The challenge is in finding someone who is an expert in their chosen field, but who can also become an expert in your company as well. Dairy industry36 With the dairy industry frequently in the headlines for its environmental impact, strides are being made throughout the supply chain to embrace new technology to offset carbon impact. London Packaging Week40 Taking place on the 11th and 12th of September at the ExCeL in London, London Packaging Week is renowned as one of the premier exhibitions for sustainable and stylish packaging solutions worldwide. Events 42 Your chance to keep abreast of forthcoming exhibitions and food fairs from around the world. Food and Drink Diary 46Berkshire company establishes the UK’s largest bio-secure fresh water crayfish processing facility The Kennet Crayfish Company Limited has created the largest processing facility for crayfish in Britain, and it is eco-friendly, humane and uses pure, chalk-stream water to handle wild crayfish from the River Kennet. Crayfish are smaller, freshwater cousins of lobsters and thought by many to have a superior flavour, much prized by top chefs and foodies around the world. Most crayfish currently sold in the UK are imported from fish farms in the polluted rivers of China. The facility is the brainchild of local design engineer and crayfish specialist, Andrew Leech, managing director of the company. Andrew explains: “We wanted to provide the finest crayfish possible and create the largest crayfish processing plant and I think we have done both. We have special licenses to process crayfish and to use water from the River Kennet. Our bio-secure facility enables stress-free processing of the crayfish to sell chilled or frozen, vastly improving quality of the final product.” For more information visit www.kennetcrayfish.com 4 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news ULMA Packaging helps Victor Pizza improve productivity A flow wrapper solution from leading packaging machinery manufacturer, ULMA Packaging, has significantly improved Victor Pizza’s productivity and efficiency. Victor Pizza faced substantial challenges with its previous packaging machinery, which was unreliable and inefficient. The issues resulted in high waste levels and frequent breakdowns, creating a bottleneck that hindered the company’s ability to meet customer expectations and manage waste effectively. Since installation, the Sienna Flow Wrapper has brought numerous benefits to Victor Pizza’s production line. Waste production has been cut by up to 95%, significantly improving operational efficiency and sustainability. And by reducing the amount of air in each pack, the flow wrapper allows for more pizzas per box, fitting 14 pizzas in a case that previously held 12. “Compared to our old system, the new one is like night and day - our team is excited to be working with such high-performing equipment,” says Susanna Knox, Bakery Manager at Victor Pizza. “Working with ULMA again was an easy decision; their technology and support have transformed our operations, making a significant impact on our efficiency and product quality.” Loma Systems appoints new UK sales & service director Leading global manufacturer of inspection systems for food quality and safety, Loma Systems, has recently announced the appointment of Ralph Mbanefo as its new UK Sales & Service Director. With a background spanning 15 years in the engineering and manufacturing industry, Ralph brings a wealth of experience to the role. His journey has seen him excel in various capacities, from the shop floor to his most recent role as a country manager. This diverse experience equips him with a unique perspective and a comprehensive understanding of the industry. Commenting on his appointment, Ralph said: “Loma Systems is a well-respected company, and this position will challenge me to grow in new areas. The primary reason I was drawn to this role is the opportunity to influence both sales and service. In many companies, these functions are split into separate roles, but at Loma, I have the unique chance to drive both areas forward.” Müller acquires Yew Tree Dairy Müller has reached an agreement to acquire Yew Tree Dairy. Yew Tree Dairy, which is based in in Skelmersdale, West Lancashire, is a family-owned dairy company producing fresh milk and cream. Following significant investment in recent years, the business now also specialises in milk powder production. With the acquisition, Müller will use Yew Tree Dairy’s production capabilities for milk powder to grow its export business, drive supply chain resilience and secure a positive future for the British dairy industry. Completion of the deal is expected later this year subject to approval from the Competition and Markets Authority. Once the deal is completed, Müller plans to significantly invest in the capacity and capabilities of the Skelmersdale milk drying site. Tapping into internal expertise and experience from across the Müller group, the business will enhance its milk drying capability, enabling it to become a major producer and exporter of powdered milk products made in Britain, with milk from British dairy farms. Rob Hutchison, CEO at Müller Milk & Ingredients, said: “This significant investment in the British dairy industry underlines our ambition to grow Müller and build a better future for the sector. “Yew Tree Dairy has excellent processing capabilities, a talented team with great expertise, and strong relationships with its customers and supplying farms. When combined with our well-invested and resilient network, I am very confident that these two family-owned businesses will complement each other really well. “Britain is a great place for dairy farming and has an excellent reputation for quality, welfare standards and sustainability. This acquisition will enable us to tap into global dairy consumption growth, unlock additional export opportunities and continue to drive supply chain resilience.” Image courtesy of MüllerJOIN US AT THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF SPECIALITY & FINE FOOD FAIR The UK’s leading showcase of artisanal food & drink is returning on the 10-11 September 2024 at Olympia London for a sensational celebration of the last 25 years in the fine food & drink community! Scan the code to register to attend the Fair! SPECIALITYANDFINEFOODFAIRS.CO.UK | @SPECIALITYFAIR | #SFFF246 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net EIT INTERNATIONAL Q&A Tell us a little about EIT International and its products. EIT International is a leader in the development and supply of environmentally friendly preventative controls & detection systems for the food, dairy & beverage/brewing production, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. We help our customers across the world to achieve success through increased efficiencies. Our products help to reduce costly down-time that can often be associated with preventative maintenance programmes on production facilities. Using our preventative controls & detection systems allow manufacturers to quickly identify areas on their lines contaminated by potentially harmful bacteria, such as E.COLI, helping to avoid unnecessary outbreaks and eliminate expensive market recalls, as seen reported by the Food Standards Agency, as a result of contamination. EIT Internationals’ preventative controls & detection systems include: Biofilm & bacteria scanners: * BactiscanTM * BactiscanPRO TM * BactiscopeTM * And the all new BactiscanPLUSTM We are partnered with an approved group of resellers across the world which allow us to service customers across Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa. What is the BactiscanPLUS and how does it work? The BactiscanPLUS is a handheld bacteria and biofilm detection system that utilises proprietary wave- alternating UV light technology to locate surface contamination, especially helpful as a prelude to ATP swab testing in production facilities allowing for more targeted swab testing and potentially reducing the amount of swab tests required. It’s lightweight and easy to use, allowing for a large surface area to be assessed at one time and the unique swivelling head enables the user to inspect difficult to reach spaces. The unit comes with dual rechargeable DEWALT batteries to avoid any unnecessary downtime and also holds an IP54 rating, meaning it can withstand exposure to moisture and perform reliably in this environment. The entire Bactiscan range is environmentally friendly and safe to be used by anyone on any product, as it requires zero chemicals to generate results. How does the BactiscanPLUS differ from the other products in the EIT biofilm and bacteria scanners range? The BactisanPLUS takes the benefits of both the Bactiscan and the BactiscanPRO, in terms of its capabilities to examine large surface areas to quickly locate bacteria, Q&A EIT International Food & Drink International sits down with EIT International to discuss the new BactiscanPLUS, a handheld bacteria and biofilm detection system.Food & Drink International 7 www.fdiforum.net EIT INTERNATIONAL Q&A biofilms, mould and other contaminants. The BactiscanPLUS has been updated in design, with a head that is fully manoeuvrable and able to swivel allowing the user to inspect difficult-to- reach spaces with ease and provides double the usage time with its dual battery system. Using two DEWALT rechargeable batteries allows the user to charge one while using the other, limiting interruption and down-time. The BactiscanPLUS is the only product in the range that has an IP54 rating, meaning it can withstand exposure to moisture and perform reliably in various environments. How can the BactiscanPLUS method of detection compliment the traditional ATP methods of biofilm detection? In order to maintain compliance with industry standards, production plants must identify areas within their lines that could cause product contamination or failure, so that CIP (Clean in Place) cleaning can be maintained regularly. ATP testing is then used to identify and confirm bacteria numbers on the small, very specific CIP sites. In terms of efficacy, this process works providing there are no complications. For example, hidden biofilms can often be contained behind a glass-like surface that is actually a result of continuous washing of areas and chemical hardening. When an ATP swab is taken from such a surface, it can’t detect bacteria accurately. The danger then being if these films become loose during production, the hidden biofilm could be released into the product. The BactiscanPLUS allows not only for a large surface area/an entire line to be scanned quickly, but the wave-altering UV light that is used detects contaminants and biofilms on a wide range of surfaces and can also identify areas affected by chemical hardening. This allows for a full and accurate assessment of the line with real-time results, resulting in a fast turnaround for any corrective measures and reducing potentially costly downtime. The technology used to create the entire Bactiscan range is environmentally friendly and uses no chemicals – just light! How can the BactiscanPLUS help with GMP production and HACCP compliant programmes? These processes/programmes are essential in regulated industries such food production (HACCP) and pharmaceuticals (GMP) and the BactiscanPLUS can help in a number of ways. The BactiscanPLUS enables large surface areas to be assessed for the presence of contaminants in minimal time, reducing downtime in production which is fundamentally important to such facilities. By simply shining the BactiscanPLUS across the surface being assessed, the user can see results and plan corrective action immediately. This helps prevent quality deviations, ensures compliance with industry regulations or standard guidelines, and reduces environmental risks. The BactiscanPLUS aligns with sustainability programmes by using environmentally friendly technology. It doesn’t require chemicals, gases, or gels for testing, reducing environmental impact, both in the work environment for employees and the environment overall, using only wave altering UV light to detect contaminants. The BactiscanPLUS uses fully rechargeable DEWALT batteries, one to use and one to charge, avoiding the need for any unnecessary downtime during a survey. The device is suitable for most environments and carries an IP54 rating, meaning it can withstand moderate moisture. By incorporating the BactiscanPLUS into their GMP and HACCP programmes, manufacturers can enhance their quality control efforts, reduce risks and maintain compliance with industry standards. The device’s efficiency, accuracy and ease of use make it an invaluable tool in ensuring a production line’s integrity. To discover more visit www.eit-international.com to discuss your requirements.Ice cream manufacturer gobbled up Bidcorp UK has acquired the trade and assets of Northern Bloc Ice Cream, an independently run ice cream manufacturer supplying retail and food service customers including Booths, the National Trust and Wagamama. The Leeds-based business, which opened its doors in 2014, offers a range of quality and natural products including vegan, bespoke and bold ice creams in various innovative flavour profiles. They also have a low-sugar ice cream range for children and an ice cream for dogs supporting the Dogs Trust. Northern Bloc will join Bidcorp UK’s network of manufacturing businesses, which includes Simply Food Solutions and Yarde Farm, and will continue to trade under its well established name. Jim Gouldie, Supply Chain and Technical Services Director at Bidfood UK, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Dirk Mischendahl, Managing Director, and the Northern Bloc team to our Bidcorp UK family. “Their passion, ethical ethos and reputation for providing great-tasting products at an excellent service completely resonates with our core mission and values. We look forward to supporting the team and expanding their brand presence through multiple routes to market.” 8 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news DataLase innovates with sustainable metal can coding & marking With increasing demand for sustainable printing solutions, DataLase has announced the further advancement of its pioneering inkless technology for metal can decoration. With a growing emphasis on reducing material waste, enhancing recyclability and lightweighting, label- free metal cans are gaining market share. To ensure security and provide essential data to all relevant parties, including consumers, helping them understand the environmental impact of the materials and products they use, there is an urgent need for consumer products to be tracked and traced throughout the supply chain. In response, DataLase has extended its inkless solutions from metal lid decoration to include metal cans, enabling comprehensive track and trace capabilities across all metal can market segments. The company’s label-free solutions rely on speciality pigments that change colour when exposed to specific laser wavelengths. Their innovative photonic printing technology, which combines pigments and laser energy, results in an ink-free solution at the point of imaging. For further information about DataLase please visit https://www.datalase.com Sainsbury’s reduces plastic waste by almost 700 tonnes in fish and chicken packaging revamp Sainsbury’s is introducing a number of packaging changes across its own-brand chicken and fish lines, with the new packaging set to save 694 tonnes of plastic a year – the weight of almost 100 elephants. All own-brand salmon fillet trays are switching to pulp cardboard instead of plastic, a UK retailer first, which will result in 70% less plastic, saving 346 tonnes of plastic a year. Alongside this, Sainsbury’s is rolling out cardboard trays across its Taste the Difference and by Sainsbury’s breaded chicken lines, set to save 300 tonnes of plastic a year. The retailer is also making the same changes to its Taste the Difference breaded fish fillets, set to save 48 tonnes of plastic a year. What’s more, the new packaging will be rolling out throughout the summer across many seasonal chicken favourites, including Sainsbury’s delicious finger food and BBQ range. The more sustainably packaged range will offer breaded goujons, nuggets, schnitzels and more. The pulp cardboard trays from all salmon lines and cardboard trays across breaded chicken and fish are easily recyclable, helping customers to reduce their household waste by placing the packaging in kerbside recycling at home. Claire Hughes, Director of Product and Innovation at Sainsbury’s, said: “With salmon being one of our most popular fish, we made it a priority to reduce the plastic on the packaging of this much loved product as we work towards our Plan for Better goals. “We are now the first retailer to make the move to have recycled pulp card trays across all our bySainsbury’s and Taste the Difference salmon products, enabling a whopping 70% plastic reduction. Together with changes to our breaded fish and chicken packaging, we are set to save 694 tonnes of plastic a year – a significant step towards our plastic reduction goals.” Tesco makes plastic- saving move with laser-etched avocado In a move to help the environment, supermarket Tesco will trial the scrapping of barcode stickers currently on extra large avocados and replace them with a bold laser etching. At the same time it is also trialling replacing the plastic tray packaging for two of its most popular avocado lines and moving to a cardboard container that is easier to recycle. If rolled out across all stores, the moves, made jointly with the UK’s main avocado supplier, Westfalia Fruit, based in Spalding, Lincolnshire, could save: more than 20 million pieces of plastic tray packaging from the twin pack avocado alone, increasing up to 25 million pieces across the pre-packed range; nearly a million plastic stickers on its loose extra large avocados (information based on current sales information, provided by Westfalia Fruit). Tesco sells nearly 70 million avocados a year and has seen demand for the fruit grow by 15 per cent in the last year. © stock.adobe.com/Syda Productions Image courtesy of Tesco Image courtesy of Sainsbury’sFood & Drink International 9 www.fdiforum.net Aldi introduces recycled plastic to own-label crisp packaging Aldi is introducing recycled plastic to its own-label crisp packaging in a UK supermarket first. The UK’s fourth-largest supermarket will now incorporate a minimum of 35% recycled content across its Specially Selected Hand Cooked range, which has already rolled out nationwide, while its own-label popcorn and lentil chips are set to follow towards the end of the year. The change is expected to eliminate 78 tonnes of virgin plastic from use annually and forms part of the supermarket’s target to include 50% recycled content into its plastic packaging by 2025. Luke Emery, Plastics and Packaging Director at Aldi, said: “At Aldi, we are continuously making changes when it comes to reducing plastic waste, and we know how important this is to our customers too. “Increasing the recycled content in our crisp packaging is just one way we are helping our customers to reduce their environmental impact, with all these little changes adding up to make an even bigger difference.” news Valeo Foods Group snaps up Italian bakery company Dal Colle Valeo Foods Group, the producers of sweets, treats and snacks, has acquired assets of a renowned Italian producer of bakery products, Dal Colle. With a history and heritage dating back 120 years, Dal Colle produces a range of bakery products, sweet treats and snacks for every occasion including Pandori, Panettoni and Croissants. Its range of over 180 products are currently sold in over 35 countries around the world. Ronald Kers, CEO of Valeo Foods Group, said: “Dal Colle is a fantastic addition to the Valeo Foods portfolio which already boasts many of Europe’s finest and most established brands, with deep heritage and connections with consumers. On a commercial level it diversifies and strengthens our product offering and completes our range of quality confectionary and sweet treats in this market, ranging from iconic sponge cakes to wafers and biscuits. “It also adds considerable new manufacturing and logistical capabilities to our Italian platform, which will support our growth ambitions in Italy and across Europe.” Image courtesy of Aldi © stock.adobe.com/Tesgro TessieriNext >