Constant evolution At the forefront Behind the scenes Constant evolution At the forefront Behind the scenes INTERNATIONALOur experienced team supplies rubber and many other polymer products into a range of markets in the UK including food, pharmaceuticals, locomotive, quarries and mines, bulk processing, engineering, utilities, construction, chemical and many more. T 0115 985 2300 E sales@tennantrubber.co.uk W www.tennantrubber.co.uk Tennant RUBBER Tennant Rubber Ltd is a family run business with 70 years of experience in the Rubber Industry. 70 YEARS From gaskets to fasteners, we offer a large selection of rubber and polymer products to suit almost any requirement. With both off-the-shelf and custom solutions, our products are specially designed for use in a wide range of industries, from pharmaceuticals to engineering. • GASKETS • STRIP • FABRICATIONS • MOULDING & EXTRUSION • HOSE • HOSE ASSEMBLIES • TUBING • DUCTING • FITTINGS & FASTENERS • SHEET & MATTING • ENGINEERING MATERIAL • ROLLER COVERINGGroup 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: Angela Cooper (a.cooper@blmgroup.co.uk) Editorial: Tel: +44 (0) 1472 310305 • Email: fdi@blmgroup.co.uk • Sales: Tel: +44 (0) 1472 310302 Accounts & Subscriptions: John Downes (j.downes@blmgroup.co.uk) Design & Production: Gary Jorgensen, Mark Casson (studio@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. Processing4 Digital technologies and advanced automation are changing the face of food processing. Packaging8 As environmentalism continues to sweep the industry, packagers are constantly evolving to make more efficient packaging with less material and as little waste as possible. Temperature control 12 In controlling temperature, food manufacturers preserve and maintain a food product’s sensory profile and longevity. Even miniscule changes in temperature can result in spoilage, requiring constant vigilance and control. Health and safety 16 From rigorous cleaning routines to the importance of microbiology, health, safety, and hygiene must be front centre of any food and drink company. NPD20 Health foods, protein-rich options and vegan alternatives; the rush for healthier products and more clarity of ingredients has led to a wide push of new products and new product development. Supply chain24 Innovative technologies have long been essential to the agri-food supply chain, across Great Britain and internationally. But at the heart of the current movement for precision, efficiency and transparency is a drive for sustainable processes that are healthier for all life on Earth. Facilities management28 We explore how facilities management plays a pivotal, behind-the-scenes role in the food and drink industry, from hygiene to sustainability, ensuring top-notch quality and safety for your products and customers. Events and shows32 Your chance to keep abreast of forthcoming exhibitions and food fairs from around the world. 12 20 4 FoodandDrinkInternational @fdiforumwww.fdiforum.net company/fdiforum Cover photo courtesy of: stock.adobe.com/aamulyawww.fdiforum.net PROCESSING 4 I ndustry 4.0 uses technology to form a more connected, efficient industry between customers, product and process. Components include data exchange and automation, alongside advanced robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, cloud computing, machine learning, and sensors. There are myriad manufacturing facilities that are decades old working with legacy equipment, but to be able to fulfil the requirements of today’s consumers and to be compliant with new, ever more stringent legislation, investing in new elements of smart factory technology is often essential. With the advent of this advanced technology, what can be accomplished in processing plants has changed, and greater control is available over every step. Automation is a major facet of any smart processing plant, and it is key in helping processing facilities reach peak efficiency, streamline processes, and minimise costs. It is becoming the prime way to satiate Constant evolution Digital technologies and advanced automation are changing the face of food processing. www.fdiforum.net PROCESSING 5 increasing food demand. Some firms, however, still rely on human employees for many processes that can and, often, should be automated. Many avoid the switch because of the perception that automation is not economical. Indeed, the more one chooses to automate a processing facility in one instance, the higher the upfront install cost will be, but, in actuality, the automatisation of a facility can be gradually scaled up. Moreover, in the long run, the results of investing in this equipment saves money – one can enhance productivity by increasing uptime as automated machines require little rest, and one can prevent all too common and costly human errors and human contamination threats. By implementing automation, one can also address the sector’s worker shortage and reduce spend on labour. This does not mean, however, that masses of employees have to be let go, rather it presents an 6 Á © stock.adobe.com/Warunpornwww.fdiforum.net PROCESSING 6 opportunity to retrain employees into new positions such as running machinery. In addition, by automating roles from weighing, to cutting, to sorting with robots, a facility can reach higher levels of accuracy and consistency that humans are simply not capable of, which can also ensure a higher throughput. Taking a closer look at the optimisation of sorting in processing facilities, by automating this task, one can be rid of the less accurate and limited process of relying on the human eye and, also, potentially reduce waste. Without human input, automated sensor-based optical sorters, for example, can determine food quality by colour and work to remove unwanted raw materials and food products such as those with rot, contaminates, damage or defects to offer a safer and higher quality product that meets standards. Advances in automated sorting have even seen technology hit the market that can re-route materials that may not be suitable for one product, but can be used for another. Robots are also capable of filling other highly useful roles that boost the safety and quality of goods such as detecting microscopic bacteria and foreign materials that don’t appeal in metal detectors or X-rays, and label verifying, where they can accurately check two hundred labels a minute! While automation is not new to the food and drink industry, when implemented with the wide technology available in Industry 4.0, one can push past what traditional automation in individual tasks achieve, to benefit from a fully connected system where machines with the right communication protocols and sensors are now capable of sharing information across process lines and providing a continuous flow of data that can be used to adapt operations to create a more efficient system and to adjust a system as needs be; for instance, slowing down sections when necessary. With wireless sensors, one can monitor a variety of processes and equipment. For instance, one can install IoT-enabled sensors on equipment – from pumps to motors – which can then send real-time data on its performance to software that can be used to analyse it. With this information, one can gain deep insights on the quality, performance and availability on a piece of equipment, and predict when it will break down and, thus, when it will need to be repaired. Facilities can then ensure replacement parts are on-site and maintenance can be scheduled in a way www.fdiforum.net PROCESSING 7 that minimises downtime and can be completed before the failure of a machine halts production and causes the waste of perishable products and the resulting loss of revenue from missed shipments. This is known as a predictive maintenance system. Sensors are also useful for tracking process and keeping an eye on conditions to make sure they are maintained as goods are being processed – from cooking temperature, to carbon dioxide levels. This is particularly useful as food processors are being asked to keep ever more detailed records of the products they supply. In a time when the number of food and drink product recalls in Europe have quadrupled since 2008, retailers, consumers and regulators are demanding better traceability. Food manufacturers must now make sure they can track not only where their raw materials come from, but every step and hand a product passes through as it is processed. With sensor data and digital records, end-to-end traceability is enabled, and processing facilities can react quicker in an emergency or recall situation and find precisely where a problem may have occurred. This end-to-end traceability also gives managers greater oversight to see where the processing line can be improved and allows them to remove any bottlenecks. © stock.adobe.com/somchairakinwww.fdiforum.net PACKAGING 8 © stock.adobe.com/Iryna Mylinska Innovation in packaging www.fdiforum.net PACKAGING 9 P ackaging waste continues to be a major problem for the planet and ever conscious consumers are pushing the demand for less, none or alternative forms of packaging. This is nothing new and has been going on for years. Until now, most savings have been through reduction of packaging via intelligent design, pouch packaging or trays and films. However, new developments in plant-based packaging material may mean there is a new solution on the horizon, and it may be the industry’s greenest one yet. It’s a pressing issue that packaging manufacturers are having to contend with, taking things back to the drawing board and designing new solutions that are fit for purpose, but are aligned with the environmental agenda. It’s not a case of reinventing the wheel, so to speak, but rather adopting more sustainable alternatives to traditional plastics, ensuring products are both recyclable and comprised of recycled materials themselves. The biggest viable alternative currently is paper and paperboard – a segment which will continue to dominate more than half of the sustainable packaging market. It’s easy to see why it’s such a popular option thanks to its relatively low cost, ease of recycling in both domestic and commercial settings, its versatility, ease of transportation, and compatibility with printers. Yet, in the highly competitive food-to-go market, products have just seconds to resonate with busy consumers. A transparent plastic window is part and parcel of a boxed wrap or sandwich, meaning they are always mixed and difficult to recycle. Rather than removing this important selling feature, manufacturers and supermarkets are instead creating packages where the cardboard can be more easily separated from the film. A simple solution such as a peelable tab can allow consumers to separate both components with relative ease, the better for both to then be recycled. One proven packaging concept that continues to resonate with consumers and manufacturers alike is corrugated. With a wide range of benefits, including an inherent flexibility, corrugated can be modified for different crops and misshapen produce, thereby reducing the potential for bruising and skin damage that can sometimes occur with rigid packaging. Because over eighty per cent of corrugated is recycled, while new boxes are made from recycled material, the environmental footprint is low – certainly compared to other kinds of packaging. Where new fibre is used, it typically comes from sustainable managed forests. This commitment to responsible forest management has made a huge contribution to the increase in size of Europe’s forests – up by thirty per cent since 1950. Although it has been used in one form or another for many years, the corrugated packaging industry is continually investing in new technologies to ensure it retains its top table place. As environmentalism continues to sweep the industry, packagers are constantly evolving to make more efficient packaging with less material and as little waste as possible. 10 ÁNext >