Food Magazine October 2015

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Foodmagazine INGREDIENTS | PROCESSING | SAFETY | PACKAGING | EXPORT

INFORMING FOOD AND BEVERAGE MANUFACTURERS

OCT/NOV 2015

WWW.FOODMAG.COM.AU

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Market gets sliced up

PLUS: Let's talk about Nanoproteins in food | RFID tracking | Social media for food makers

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englisch

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WELCOME

Is sugar the new black (coal)?

PUBLISHER Martin Sinclair P: 02 8484 0607 F: 02 8484 0915 E: martin.sinclair@cirrusmedia.com.au

A

EDITOR Branko Miletic P: 02 8484 0976 F: 02 8484 0915 E: branko.miletic@cirrusmedia.com.au

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Louis Santos P: 02 8484 0724 F: 02 8484 0915 E: louis.santos@cirrusmedia.com.au

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Tracy Engle P: 02 8484 0707 F: 02 8484 0915 E: tracy.engle@cirrusmedia.com.au

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ccording to Robert Lustig, professor of pediatric endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco, author of Fat Chance: The Bitter Truth About Sugar, and presenter of “Sugar: the Bitter Truth”, which has been viewed almost 6 million times, sugar is just plain bad. ‘’An analysis of 175 countries over the past decade showed that when you look for the cause Editor: Branko Miletic of type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetes, the total number of calories you consume is irrelevant.

When people ate 150 calories more every day, the NEXT ISSUE rate of diabetes went up 0.1 per cent. But if those • Food Magazine 150 calories came from a can of fizzy drink, the Awards 2016 launch rate went up 1.1 per cent. Added sugar is 11 times • Quality Control more potent at causing diabetes than general calo• Flavour Trends ries,” said Dr. Lustig • Packaging & Labelling Dr. Lustig believes it is the fructose molecule in • Top 10 Food sugar that is the culprit and claims that instead of Manufacturers helping to satisfy hunger, excess fructose cannot be converted into energy by the mitochondria inside our cells and instead, “turns excess fructose into liver fat. That starts a cascade of insulin resistance, which leads to chronic metabolic disease, including diabetes and heart disease,” he recently said to the UKs Telegraph newspaper.

Figures obtained from Sugar Australia show that sugar is our second largest export crop after wheat with total annual revenues of around $2 billion.

More than 38 million tonnes of cane is crushed in Australia annually, with 5.25 million tonnes of raw sugar produced. Australia exports about 85 per cent of its raw sugar and the sugar industry generates more than 40,000 jobs, directly and indirectly.

The domestic market for raw sugar is around one million tonnes.

So on one hand, the consumption of sugar is potentially a massive public health problem, while the growing and refining of sugar is a major revenue earner and job creator for the country.

One wonders if sugar is the new black coal – important to so many areas of manufacturing, a huge employer and export revenue earner, while at the same time, in its refined form, it is the cause of a series of health problems that may eventually become irreversible.

Just like coal, there seems to be so many dichotomies in such natural products.

Branko Miletic, Editor

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4 NEWS

16 EXPORT MARKETS

28 REFRIGERATION & BOTTLING

6 CODING & SCANNING

18 MEAT & SMALLGOODS

30 MATERIALS HANDLING

8 SOCIAL MEDIA FOR FOOD MAKERS

20 READY-TO-EAT

32 DAIRY PROCESSING

10 MARKET WATCH: MEAT SNACKS

22 PALLETISING

34 SUGARS

12 FOOD SAFETY

24 LABELLING

36 NEW PRODUCTS

14 NANOPROTEINS

26 PACKAGING

43 ON THE SHELF www.foodmag.com.au | Oct/Nov 2015 | Foodmagazine 3

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NEWS

THE high protein trend is now cemented in the mainstream with major companies in Western markets launching highprotein variants of big brands.

Data from Passport Nutrition shows that the average consumer purchases 18g of protein per capita per day although in developed markets, the nutritional requirements for protein are being exceeded.

Manufacturers need

to consider targeting products at particular age groups, notably the ageing, in order for protein to have the greatest nutritional benefit.

nutrition retail value sales reaching US$10 billion in 2014, it is clear that the high protein trend has moved from niche to the mainstream.

The high protein trend is cemented in the mainstream

Protein purchase highest in Western markets

With major players in Western markets, including General Mills, Kellogg and Mars, all launching high protein variants of their megabrand products and sports

The average global consumer buys 18g of protein a day from packaged food and soft drinks. There is significant regional variation, with Asia

Pacific buying 9g compared to 49g in Western Europe.

Staple categories contribute the most to protein consumption While not generally associated with being high in protein, because of the sheer volume of bakery consumption, this is the largest contributing category to protein purchased globally, followed by dairy, the natural home of high protein products.

There is no real need for more protein in Western countries When taking fresh food into consideration, it is clear that consumers in many Western countries already buy more protein than is required, raising questions of the real “nutritional need� of mainstream high protein products.

Ageing populations a billion dollar opportunity for high protein products There are certain groups of the population who would benefit from more protein in their diet, including those in older age groups. The market potential among this group of consumers is enormous; if 100 per cent of the population aged 65+ in North America and Western Europe spent US$5 a month on high protein milk drinks, then retail value sales would reach US$16 billion by 2019.

4 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2015 | www.foodmag.com.au

In brief Detmold aces packaging design awards Australian packaging company, Detmold Packaging has proven it is at the cutting edge of innovation at design and print in the packaging world, recently winning five nationally recognised awards.

Detmold's investment in innovation and design for packaging is both deliberate and substantial and this is evident through LaunchPad. LaunchPad is the Detmold Group's innovative centre for research and development, concept creation and rapid prototyping and there are studios both in Australia and China.

Quick Alicyclobacillus test Alicyclobacillus (ACB) species are bacteria which are resistant to low pH and pasteurisation. Current methods for ACB testing are laborious and require over 7 days to yield definitive results. These limitations make it impossible to address these spoilage organisms in realtime, and can result in facility contamination, product holds, or recall of tainted products.

The new test, Veriflow ACB, uses novel PCR technology to provide a simple method which yields qualitative and quantitative results in less than 3 hours.

Junk food shrinks brain claims study The results of the study by researchers at Deakin University and the Australian National University (ANU) suggest that older Australians with unhealthy diets have smaller hippocampi - the hippocampus is a part of the brain believed to be integral to learning, memory and mental health. It has also shown that older people with healthier diets have larger hippocampi.

KitKat soon to be 100% sustainable KitKat is the first global chocolate brand to announce that it will use only sustainably sourced cocoa to manufacture all of its products, and will do so from early 2016.

The brand already uses only sustainably sourced cocoa, accredited by independent third-party bodies, in products sold in certain markets, but this new announcement extends the practice worldwide.

Fonterra opens new plant in Indonesia Fonterra Co-operative Group has opened its new blending and packing plant in Indonesia - its first manufacturing facility in the country. Chairman John Wilson said the plant is Fonterra's largest investment in ASEAN in the last decade and will support the growth of Fonterra's brands - Anmum, Anlene and Anchor Boneeto - in Indonesia.

Images: Photodisc (top) ; TimArbaev (bottom) - Thinkstock

How the World Buys its Protein: Nutritional Necessity Versus Dietary Fad

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TRACKING & CODING

Using RFID tracking

to gain efficiencies across the food supply chain The retail food industry provides a valuable service to consumers around the world, but as a commodity market, it succeeds on razorthin margins. Given the resource-intensive nature of grocery stores, responding to volatile market conditions while still remaining competitive can seem nearly impossible.

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technology called radio frequency identification— or RFID—could hold the answer for the retail food industry, serving as a key enabler in allowing stores to streamline resources, maximise profits and still keep customers happy.

When the world’s economy took a downturn in 2008, many industries faced the need to either adapt or perish.

Consumers tightened their belts, governments implemented sweeping austerity measures, and economic growth ground to a halt in many nations.

With fewer people spending their hardearned cash, most retail stores had to find ways to maximise revenues while decreasing costs. Workforces were scaled back, inventories were streamlined, and many storefronts shut down and moved online.

Even the retail food industry, which arguably provides the most fundamental of necessities, felt the effects of the downturn. A Consumer Expenditure Survey by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the recession of 2008 resulted in the largest inflation-adjusted decrease in aggregate food spending by all U.S. households since the survey began.

Unlike many other industries, grocery stores do not always have the same options when it comes to gaining efficiencies and reducing costs. Retail food markets are time-intensive environments, requiring ongoing restocking of shelves and rotating of perishable inventory, as well as the

need for significant resources dedicated to customer service.

Coupled with exceedingly thin net profit margins, which fell as low as 1.77 per cent in 2011, grocery stores face a daunting task when it comes to remaining competitive even in today’s post-recession marketplace.

But new technological advancements in RFID may hold the answer to help retail food centers overcome the issues of the past and offer some of the same economic advantages enjoyed by other industries.

Understanding the deeper issues in food retail Grocery stores face unique obstacles in the consumer retail space that can place significant pressure on their bottom line.

Grocers not only have to maintain adequate stock of thousands of different items, they must also monitor and maintain highly perishable inventory, such as meat, fish, poultry and produce, and track sell-by dates on all products throughout the store.

Understanding the shelf life of each product is essential for grocery stores because every product that passes its sellby date in the meat or produce aisle must be thrown out, which directly affects the

6 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2015 | www.foodmag.com.au

bottom line, while also creating unnecessary waste.

Date Expired food—or food waste—is one of the biggest financial drains on food retailers. A 2014 report from the U.S Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service estimated that food retailers lost approximately 10 per cent across all categories in 2010, with some of the biggest losses coming from fresh fruit and vegetables, and seafood.

WRAP, a non-profit organisation focused on reducing food waste in the United Kingdom, reported that food retail centers across the region wasted 1.4 million tons of fresh produce in 2008 alone. The organisation estimates that the losses could run as high as 2 million tons today, and by preventing this waste across the supply chain, the fresh produce industry could save as much as $AUD1.1 billion each year.

Worldwide, the numbers are just as stark. According to a 2013 report from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), almost 200 million tons of food produced for human consumption is wasted each year at the distribution level, which accounts for everything after processing, but prior to consumption.

Based on these numbers, food waste at the

distribution level worldwide totaled about $USD110 billion in 2007.

These issues are particularly acute in fresh items having a short shelf life, such as meat, vegetables and fruit. The FAO reported that the leading contributors to the economic cost of food loss and waste are vegetables (23 per cent of total cost), meat (21 per cent) and fruits (19 per cent).

Meat, in particular, drives a significant share of the overall economic loss even though it only accounts for about 4 per cent of total food waste because of the high cost associated with raising and producing it.

While food retailers work constantly to achieve the correct balance between availability and overstocking to avoid food waste, they do so with a significant labour cost.

Some of these issues, such as a sudden change in consumer demand, are out of the hands of the retailer. But quite a few can be mitigated with greater visibility into product availability and remaining shelf life throughout the supply chain.

Historically, this could only be addressed through careful and timeconsuming inventory review and rotation.

But the time and resources spent on inventory rotation hinders the amount of

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TRACKING & CODING

time retail food centers can use to meet consumer needs and demands, such as ensuring that shelves are well stocked and organised.

Studies have demonstrated consumer behaviors in grocery stores are directly impacted by the level of organisation and stock on display.

Well-organised, well-stocked shelves increase sales, while disorganisation and limited supplies can keep a person from buying a product out of fear that the quality may be affected in some way.

This behavior pattern can directly affect a store’s bottom line and impact its overall reputation within its community.

Of course, not all of the issues faced by retail food stores are unique to the industry.

Just like other consumer markets, grocery stores also need to deal with shoplifting.

According to the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention, 1 in 11 people in the United States shoplift.

In the United Kingdom, while overall crime rates dropped significantly in 2013, shoplifting increased by 6 per cent in the same time period.

Reasons for shoplifting vary greatly, but can include everything from losing a job to feeling deprived to being depressed. No matter the cause, the end result for a store is the same: losses at the bottom line.

Tagging the solution Radio-frequency identification (RFID) holds potential to address both the unique and not-so-unique issues faced by the retail food industry. RFID is a specially designed tag that contains a chip capable of storing data about the product to which it is attached.

Essentially, it serves the same purpose as a barcode, which helped revolutionize the checkout process at grocery stores, but with four distinct advantages: • The amount of information it can carry and its unique nature • The distance at which it can be read • The speed with which inventory can be completed, as it captures multiple reads per second • It does not require “line of sight” to be utilised or scanned • Because of the type of information RFID tags are able to hold, they can provide food retailers with a clear view of both product availability and remaining shelf life throughout the supply chain.

As the RFID tag transmits the data to a reader, employees don’t need to check each product by hand. Instead, they can stand as far as 2 to 3 meters away and still obtain an accurate reading of what stock is available—both on shelves and in back-

stage refrigeration—within minutes.

With this level of insight into products on hand, food retailers can maximise time and resources by quickly determining what food needs to be rotated and when special promotions need to be offered to move short-dated or excess stock.

Ultimately, this will reduce food waste and increase profits. It can also help retail centers meet growing consumer concern over the pedigree, traceability and perishability of food by quickly providing this information in a scan-able tag attached to the item rather than further burdening store employees with having to answer questions. What’s more, the technology can be used for loss prevention of individual items, by creating alerts when items are stolen.

RFID’s features provide advantages both within the store, as well as prior to inventory reaching a store’s back door.

Using RFID technology, retailers can be sure that deliveries from suppliers contain the correct amount of stock and carry the right shelf life or they can refuse the delivery before it is even unloaded and comes into the store.

By reducing the burden on employees to keep track of potential shelf life issues and delivery problems, RFID can help increase employee efficiency, which can ultimately enhance the customer experience.

While RFID technology has been used in the apparel industry for more than 10 years, companies have only recently started to further explore its potential in food retail. Select food distributors in Europe have begun attaching RFID tags to reusable totes used to deliver food to grocery stores to ensure accurate delivery and to track the totes through the supply chain.

Recently, one company—Avery Dennison Retail Branding and Information Solutions (RBIS)—has gone one

step further and developed the first RFID technology suitable to attach to individual food products. The food-friendly tags are capable of providing accurate readings even in refrigerated settings and are safe for use in the microwave when a consumer takes it home.

RFID is currently being used in select markets in the United Kingdom to help maximize inventories of meat, fish and poultry, which are highly perishable, expensive and offer slim profit margins.

Using the technology, the company has

shown that stores can scan as many as 800 items in 60 seconds, greatly boosting visibility into inventory and vital shelf life information.

Based on initial success with the technology, Avery Dennison RBIS estimates that the technology could help reduce food loss at the retail level by as much as 20 per cent. Worldwide, that could equate to as much as $USD22 billion in savings, based on the FAO food waste estimates. And that does not account for employee-level efficiencies that could be garnered using the technology.

In addition to its work on product-level tags, Avery Dennison has also developed tote-level tags that can withstand multiple wash cycles when placed on returnable totes. The totes offer an efficient way of managing the inventory of cheaper fresh foods with a short shelf life, such as dairy products or produce.

RFID is the first advancement in 30 years to offer food retailers the opportunity to take a tremendous leap in the way they do business. While still in its formative development in the food industry, it won’t be long before food retailers around the world begin rolling out the technology across their inventory. The stores that are first to work with the companies developing RFID technology stand to reap the biggest benefits, both in the short and long term.

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colliers.com.au/13675 colliers.com.au www.foodmag.com.au | Oct/Nov 2015 | Foodmagazine 7

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SOCIAL MEDIA FOR FOOD MAKERS

Hungry for success: How food companies can use social data for product development Most people love food.

Just the mere thought of lunch or dinner can make our stomachs rumble so it’s no surprise that food is one of the most discussed topics on social media.

T

he products provided by FMCG manufacturers, especially food items from candy to canned goods, are staples of everyday life for people across the world. That makes it all the more important for companies, especially for global players, to understand their customers and to be able to adapt their products according to local tastes and preferences.

Social listening can help marketing departments of food manufacturers to analyse the social media performance and online reputation of the different brands in their portfolio. By digging deeper into social conversations they can also better understand global and regional consumption patterns and customer attitudes towards niche products, such as organic or gluten-free items, to find new markets or to refine their product offering according to market needs.

Choosing the right tone and strategy in your communication is essential. By monitoring the conversation about a new product, companies are able to gauge public reaction and if necessary, adapt their communications (and even their products!) in real-time to ensure success.

Adapting products to customer taste New trends in nutrition result not only in new products, but quite often they also involve changes and updates in the recipes and formulas of existing products. One such update that many food manufacturers are currently looking into is replacing the additive used in their products with more natural ingredients after consumer groups voiced concerns about certain ingredients.

In the graph above, negative sentiment soars for Kraft’s Macaroni & Cheese

product in the conversation about food dye. Much conversation here centres on the comparison of types of dye used for the products sold in the US and the more natural ingredients used in the European market. The company has since promised

8 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2015 | www.foodmag.com.au

to remove the artificial additives from its products in the United States.

M&M’s produced by Mars, faced a similar dilemma after consumers launched a petition to remove artificial dye from the candy as the company had done in Europe.

For both companies, keeping track of customer reaction to the change is an easy way to see if the new formula will be accepted by their customers or if it needs further adaptation.

With major food manufacturers sourcing ingredients from around the world, such crises are increasingly commonplace. Careful monitoring of fluctuations in sentiment ensures that brands can both be alerted to issues as they arise and see whether changes have had an effect on public perception.

Finding the most successful products in your portfolio For every company it is important to know which of its brands are the most

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GET MORE OUT OF FOOD

successful to find out which of them should be kept in their product portfolio and which ones should be replaced. A refined product portfolio will guarantee an increase of overall sales volumes and boost the revenues. By analysing which products are the most discussed online and what is the tone of these conversations food manufacturers can evaluate the performance of their portfolio brands.

In terms of sentiment.

By combining the data from different sources - overall buzz from online and social media and sales figures - brands can estimate which of their product campaigns and communication strategies are the most effective. The graph above is an example of an integrated chart using hypothetical Ben & Jerry’s ice cream sales figures and comparing them with the growth of positive and negative mentions during a selected period.

This kind of integrated data visualisation helps marketers put clear ROI figures on their product performance, improving their reporting capabilities and giving them a better understanding of the extent to which their social success translates to actual sales. From a management perspective these graphs help bring clarity to the actual bottom line impact of marketing and provides a good metric for assessment of team performance.

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We are on

Conclusion Trends and tastes in food and nutrition are changing all the time as new research comes to light and new products alter our preferences. These constant changes make it hard for the companies that produce our food to keep up and always deliver what customers are looking for.

But with social listening these companies can get a better understanding of these trends and then use these insights to satisfy the millions of consumers around the world who buy their products every day.

They can master this challenge and ensure their products succeed in the market by using social listening to: • Improve product development by understand trends and regional preferences • Refine product launches through accurate measurement of marketing campaigns • Optimise portfolio performance through careful brand listening • Measure campaign ROI by integrating social data with sales figures Food will always be a hot topic of discussion on social and other online channels. This vast quantity of social data holds plenty of information that food manufacturers can use to their advantage.

By using effective social listening they can find the golden nuggets of insight that can help improvethen the bottom lines.

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www.foodmag.com.au | Oct/Nov 2015 | Foodmagazine 9

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MEAT SNACKS

Protein positioning helps meat snacks maintain momentum R

ecent rapidly growing interest in protein content has been of particular benefit to the meat snacks market, where many products are naturally high in protein and have made increasing use of high-in-protein or source-of-protein claims.

According to Innova Market Insights data, nearly 15 per cent of global meat snacks launches in the 52 weeks to the end of April 2015 used protein claims, rising to over 50 per cent in the USA. “Even prior to the emergence of this enhanced interest in protein, the meat snacks market was showing good growth globally,” according to Lu Ann Williams, Director of Innovation at Innova Market Insights “reflecting the rising demand for more substantial snacks suitable for eating on the go.”

With a few exceptions, including the USA and South Africa, the market remains relatively undeveloped.

Launch numbers remain small in terms of snack introductions as a whole, with just 5.5 per cent of the global total in the 52 weeks to the end of March 2015.

Total numbers have risen consistently in recent years, however, reflecting ongoing segmentation in more established markets, such as the USA, as well as greater penetration in non-traditional markets, particularly some of those in Europe.

Asia dominated activity with over 60 per cent of introductions, mainly as a result of the large number of traditional-style meat snacks being 10 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2015 | www.foodmag.com.au

launched in China. North America, primarily the USA, took second place ahead of Europe, where despite the large number of countries and cuisines involved, the relatively underdeveloped status of the market meant that activity levels were more limited.

Meat snacks are the fourth largest savoury snacks category in the USA after potato chips, tortilla chips and nuts/trail mixes. The market is dominated by jerkystyle products and, despite being relatively mature, has shown good growth in recent years. Manufacturers have updated their product ranges to focus on a healthier image, more convenient packaging formats and a greater choice of increasingly complex flavour options, particularly hot and spicy variants, often with an ethnic

twist. There has also been ongoing interest in extending the use of different types of meat beyond the traditional beef and turkey, with launches including chicken and bacon products.

While the US market is well established and mature, the European market is much smaller, less developed and dominated by salami-style products rather than jerky. It saw a highly significant development in 2014, however, with the divestment of Unilever’s marketleading Peperami and BiFi European meat snacks businesses to USA market leader Jack Link’s. The addition of Unilever’s business incorporating two iconic brands was a huge leap forward, instantly taking Jack Links to leadership of the market and giving it a strong portfolio across both jerky and salami snacks.

With the underdeveloped status of the meat snacks market outside the US there are clearly further opportunities for growth, particularly if the image of the products can be delivered as tasty, healthy, substantial and convenient snacks for all occasions, boosted by ongoing product and promotional initiatives.

“Recent acquisition activity, both in the USA and in Europe shows that the industry definitely thinks it is a market with still more potential to come,” Williams conclude.

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FOOD SAFETY

Good manufacturing practice key to reducing

listeria risk

Between 2005 and 2014 more than 586 product recalls were initiated by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), with 198 due to Listeria Monocytogenes contamination, writes Bonnie Tai.

W

ith meat and dairy more susceptible to contracting the potentially-lethal pathogen than any other food product, FSANZ spokesman Raphael May told Food Magazine that it’s important that plant managers and staff gain a good understanding around the risks associated with Listeria.

“Basic principles for controlling listeria in food include equipment and facilities that should be designed, constructed and laid out to ensure cleanability, minimisation of harbourage sites and prevention of cross-contamination,” he says.

“They should also be controlled to minimise the growth of Listeria Monocytogenes in the finished product, and to reduce the likelihood that the product will be re-contaminated or will support the growth of Listeria during subsequent distribution, marketing and home use.”

Although Listeria has been known for at least 60 years, it has only been linked to foodborne disease since the early 1980s. Since then, the pathogen has become recognised as an important food poisoning bacterium.

While healthy individuals can become infected with Listeria, the most at-risk are the elderly, the young, pregnant women, and those with a compromised immune system.

Despite the fact that there are a number of other pathogens that affect the food manufacturing industry, Listeria is perhaps one of the most dangerous.

This is because the foodborne

The steps you can take to protect your plant Microbial contamination can severely impact a food processing plant’s brand equity, authority and reputation, so it’s vital to follow FSANZ’s two-step approach to reduce the risk of Listeria spread.

1. Environmental Monitoring

bacterium - when present in food - shows no difference in taste, smell or appearance; leading people into a false sense of security that the contaminated item is, in fact, safe to eat.

With its unique ability to thrive and survive in even refrigerated conditions, ranging from below 1°c up to 44°c, Listeria is an organism that can fast become a lethal liability for food manufacturing industries if floor-staff are not properly educated on the dangers of an outbreak.

So far there have only been two major recorded outbreaks of Listeriosis in Australia, reports Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA). Once in 1990, when six stillborns, following an autopsy, were discovered to have all been infected with the same subtype of Listeria, found in a particular brand of Pate.

The next episode occurred in 1991, after three people who ingested the same brand of smoke mussels became violently ill. An unopened packet of mussels was subsequently tested and was found to contain 10 7 listeria cells per gram despite industry-dictated ‘safe’ levels sitting at less than 10 cells per gram.

Sporadic cases still occur in

12 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2015 | www.foodmag.com.au

Australia, with around 40 being reported per year. The numbers overseas, however, are significantly higher and the outbreaks much more severe.

According to the MLA, 86 to 314 cases of Listeriosis were linked to the consumption of branded Mexican-style cheese in the US, resulting in a 30 per cent mortality rate among those infected.

The pathogen was later traced back to the factory, and it was discovered that raw untreated milk was added to the pasteurised cheese to enhance flavour.

As Listeria Monocytogenes is a ubiquitous organism that is found in a wide variety of environmental niches, it can be extremely difficult to eliminate from the processing environment, explained Mr May, and instead particular emphasis should be placed on minimising the risk as much as possible.

“Data shows the rate of notifications [of Listeriosis] has remained steady over the last 10 years,” he says.

“As it is difficult to completely eliminate the risk…communications campaigns targeted at vulnerable populations, have been developed to improve awareness.”

The food processing environment should be regularly monitored and tested for L. monocytogenes or a surrogate such as Listeria spp. This is particularly important in facilities producing ready-to-eat foods that can support the growth of listeria, and should be undertaken to verify that cleaning and sanitation programs are working and there is control of niches and harbourage sites.

Sampling and testing methods used should be sufficient to provide confidence that the environment is under control or to help clearly identify that further follow up actions are required.

2. Process Control Cross lot testing of finished products should be implemented to assess the performance of food safety control systems from within the plant. This helps to verify that the production and processing controls put in place are working effectively.

To ensure that corrective actions are being implemented before microbiological criteria is exceeded; a sample schedule should be put in place as appropriate to the operations of the food business.

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M.T.I. Qualos Pty. Ltd. are leaders in the manufacturing and service of Industrial Transparent Flexible Doors, Insulated Traffic Doors, and Roll-Fast Doors.

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M.T.I. Qualos Pty. Ltd. 55 Northern Road, West Heidelberg, Vic. 3081 Tel: 1300 135 539 Email: sales@mtiqualos.com.au Website: www.mtiqualos.com.au

12/05/14 12:30 PM

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FOOD ADDITIVES

Nanoproteins in food — good, bad or irrelevant?

The debate concerning nanotechnology has echoed that of genetically engineered organisms and their introduction into the environment and the food chain. Branko Miletic looks at a recent report that has tried to separate fact from fiction when it comes to nanostructures in food.

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ccording to Protein nanostructures in food - Should we be worried? ( J.K. Raynes et al. 2014), a synopsis of a number of scientific studies from both Australia and overseas, while nanotechnology in the food industry is in its infancy, it has the capability to introduce changes at all levels of food production, including nano-based food materials, active packaging, new delivery mechanisms for nutrients and agrochemicals, biosensors for food safety and many other potential applications.

The cat may well be out of the bag though, with a recent story in the Sydney Morning Herald that quoted a privately funded test commisioned by environment group Friends of the Earth that found that nanotechnology was indeed prevalent in a number of common groceries.

A range of foodstuffs – from lollies,

sauces and dressings were found to contain nanotechnology that Australia’s food regulator long denied was being used in Australia’s food supply, said the story. It added that, for many years, Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) has claimed there is “little evidence” of nanotechnology in food because no company had applied for approval, and therefore it has not tested for nor regulated the use of nanoparticles.

However, the most commonly researched use of nanotechnology in foods is for active packaging, where the use of nanocomponents can improve barrier resistance, incorporation of active ingredients, and add bio-sensing capability. Nanoemulsions to solubilise and improve the bioavailability of nutrients are also attracting interest.

Over the past ten years, noted the

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report, there has been an upsurge in food nanotechnology research, including research on food proteins, with a significant increase in the number of peerreviewed research articles published on this topic. The increase of research in food nanotechnology has raised concerns about the safety of nanotechnology not only in the food industry but also in all products for consumption and use by humans.

Protein nanostructures are natural in many foods The three main components of food: proteins, carbohydrates and lipids, all exist at the nanoscale and come together to form a complex colloidal mixture with diverse physical and chemical properties. The casein micelle in milk provides a good example of this complexity. In bovine milk, the micelle is comprised

of four casein proteins (aS1, aS2, b and k) arranged in a large, heterogeneous, dynamic globular complex.

In addition to its nutritional role in providing protein for the neonate, the casein micelle also solubilises calcium and phosphate at concentrations well above the level that would normally precipitate in solution, allowing for nutrients to be passed from the mother to her offspring. Exosomes are another nanostructure found both in human and bovine milk and within other body fluids.

Other naturally occurring protein nanostructures include the triple helix of collagen in muscle tissue, from which gelatin is produced upon partial hydrolysis of collagen. This nanofibrillar structure is widely present in foods and pharmaceuticals. Likewise, polysaccharide-derived nanofibrillar structures such

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FOOD ADDITIVES

as xanthan and carrageenan bundles, the latter from seaweed, are added to foods and pharmaceuticals to increase viscosity, the report found.

Which protein nanostructures can be altered by processing?

Food processing has the potential to alter the structure of food proteins either as the result of manufacturing or as a consequence of the physicochemical environment a protein encounters during processing, said the study.

Process variables that can alter structure include elevated temperature or pressure, shear forces applied during mixing, pumping, centrifugation or filtration, the use of sonication, or the interactions that occur between proteins and surfaces that result in adhesion and fouling.

Changes in temperature associated with the heat processing of foods can alter protein structure, potentially on the nanoscale. This often results in amorphous, non-specific, protein aggregates, like the cooking of egg white, which induces a change of the protein structure to an aggregated form that is amyloid-like.

The various studies found that many protein nanostructures are currently consumed by humans every day and are broken down rapidly in the gastrointestinal tract.

Furthermore, foods processed at the nanoscale may be more easily digestible than their microstructured counterparts and so may provide enhanced nutrition, or act as a delivery system. While recent research has focused on the microstructure of foods, nanostructured components can also be used to add or alter food properties including stability and texture.

Should we deliberately introduce protein nanostructures into food?

Evidence to date suggests that there is no simple answer to this question, and that further research will be required, rather than a general solution for all proposed protein ingredients. As an example, amyloid fibrils formed by k-casein under physiological conditions are cytotoxic.

However, both fibril formation and cytotoxicity are inhibited by the presence of b-casein, its natural binding partner in the casein micelle. Thus a homogeneous preparation of k-casein, or fibrils prepared from it, may pose a risk to health, but this risk is substantially lessened in a heterogeneous mixture containing appropriate quantities of b-casein.

The report also noted that the ability of b-casein to interact with a diversity of relatively hydrophobic proteins in a

chaperone manner implies that it could be used in broader context, including as a nanovehicle to enhance the solubility of curcumin, a known natural anticancer and antioxidant polyphenol which, by its nature, is relatively hydrophobic.

So, what's the final conclusion?

The combined studies reviewed in the report suggest we should proceed with caution when considering the development of new nanostructures for use in food, especially amyloid fibrils.

As the report duly noted, the extent to which novel nanostructures may afford new risks has not been adequately resolved, leading to concern within some consumer groups.

This view is totally consistent with the UK Lords Science and Technology Committee, which has also called for caution, suggesting further discussion and the establishment of a list of commercially available products containing nanomaterials maintained by food agencies along with more transparency in the industry.

www.foodmag.com.au | Oct/Nov 2015 | Foodmagazine 15

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EXPORT MARKETS

Premium agricultural exports set to soar In the past 18 months, Australia has signed major free trade agreements (FTAs) with Japan, South Korea and China. These FTAs are set to significantly benefit the Australian agriculture sector and the nation’s premium producers will be among the biggest winners, says IBISWorld.

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rimary producers, such as beef cattle farmers, dairy cattle farmers and grape growers, will indirectly benefit from increased demand, while tariff reductions and better access to Asian export markets will assist related downstream industries.

“Beef exporters will be big winners in all three free trade agreements thanks to tariff removals and Australian beef’s premium image in Asian export markets.

Dairy and wine producers will also benefit as gradual tariff removals allow Australian produce to compete with exports from countries such as the United States,” said IBISWorld analyst Ms Brooke Tonkin.

The FTAs with South Korea and Japan came into effect on 12 December 2014 and 15 January 2015 respectively, and the FTA with China is set to come into effect by January 2016. This means that these export markets will become increasingly accessible for Australian producers over the next five years.

On top of these agreements, other factors will simplify entry into these markets. A depreciating Australian dollar over the next five years will continue to make these goods more affordable in overseas markets.

Rising incomes in many Asian countries are encouraging consumption of high-quality Australian produce.

Beef exports Under the new FTAs, Australian beef exports to Japan will have tariffs halved and exporters will obtain greater access to the market. A tariff reduction will put Australian beef on a level playing field with US beef in South Korea, and tariffs will be gradually phased out over a nine-year period in China – a monumental achievement considering China’s once shielded economy.

Australian beef is seen as premium produce in many Asian countries. Under the new FTAs, both the beef cattle farming and meat processing industries are expected benefit from increasing exports. Beef cattle farming relies on live cattle exports, with exports making up approximately 7 per cent of the industry’s revenue. China is the major export destination and although the FTAs do not directly affect these exports, beef cattle farmers will benefit from increased downstream demand.

The large downstream meat processing industry is worth almost $19 billion, with exports accounting for 70 per cent of this figure. Apart from the United States, China, Japan and South Korea are the three largest export destinations for Australian meat. The FTAs will allow Australian exporters to compete in these markets.

“With a mature Australian meat market and domestic consumption of red meat stagnating, meat processors will continue to rely on export growth to bolster revenue,” said Ms Tonkin.

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Dairy product manufacturers While dairy cattle farmers do not directly account for exports, they will indirectly benefit from the increased demand the new FTAs will generate for downstream dairy industries.

“Milk and cream processors, cheese manufacturers and milk powder manufacturers are all expected to see export-related revenue grow by more than 10 per cent in 2015-16,” said Ms Tonkin.

While the Japanese FTA does not apply to dairy produce, Australian cheese exporters will have all tariffs removed in South Korea, gaining duty-free access to the country’s growing middle class. In China, all dairyrelated tariffs will be eventually phased out over an 11-year period.

Although the FTAs will assist most downstream dairy manufacturers and processers, milk and cream processor exports are expected to particularly benefit and grow strongly over the next five years.

“Fresh Australian milk can be sold for up to $AUD10 per litre in China, which indicates that there are high-income earners seeking out Australian dairy

produce due to its reputation for product safety and high quality,” Ms Tonkin said.

Grapes and wine Australia has faced a wine glut over the past 10 years due to the rapid expansion of vineyards and wineries.

Winemakers have attempted to cope with this problem by exporting excess wine.

The FTAs are set to support grape growers and wine producers as export tariffs are removed. In South Korea, all tariffs have been removed, allowing Australian wine to compete with wine from the United States and Europe.

In Japan, bottled, sparkling and bulk wine will benefit from tariff elimination over a seven-year period, while China will see all tariffs removed over a four-year period.

“While grape exports account for about 20 per cent of grape growing revenue in 2015-16, wine exports account for more than one-third of wine production revenue as producers offload excess supplies to foreign markets,” said Ms Tonkin.

“Domestic wine producers have been increasingly targeting Asian markets and the free trade agreements will intensify this trend. Australian wine producers are looking to growing high-income markets in Asia. Australia has already become the second-largest importer of wine into China after France,” added Ms Tonkin.

As the Australian dollar continues to depreciate and tariffs are gradually reduced, Australian produce exports will become increasingly attractive, especially in high-growth Asian markets.

Both primary producers and manufacturers in the agriculture sector will need to position themselves to capitalise on the growing demand from and accessibility of Asian export markets.

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MEAT & SMALLGOODS

‘Meating’customer standards and helping address quality demands Recent consumer trends for healthier eating have put pressure on retailers to provide meat with lower fat content that offers the same quality and safety as standard products. Meat producers have to meet these demands for lower fat meat, without sacrificing the taste, texture, colour or freshness that are signals of quality to consumers, and display this information clearly on clearly labeled packaging. By Michael Stuart, fat analysis product specialist, Eagle Product

Inspection Who says you have to sacrifice quality?

In the past, meeting such strict retailer demands for safe, high-quality meat products with low chemical lean (CL) was extremely challenging for manufacturers.

However, the development of fully automated in-line product inspection and fat measurement technologies has allowed meat suppliers to ensure that each individual piece of meat passing through the system is checked in realtime to make sure they meet retailers’ needs.

To analyse fat content, manufacturers traditionally used core sampling to test meat cuts, a method that required samples be taken from different sections of the meat to determine its overall CL value.

The process had its disadvantages, as it could only be used to test a small selection of the product passing through the production line and was only able to generate an estimate rather than an accurate calculation.

This presented a problem as manufac-

turers could not be sure that the products they supplied to retailers genuinely had the fat content claimed on the pack, leaving them and their customers open to costly fat claims.

However, thanks to innovations in X-ray technology, manufacturers are now able to take advantage of fully automated fat measurement systems to check the CL of all of their products accurately and in a non-invasive way.

With advanced X-ray based fat measurement, featuring Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) in particular, manufacturers are able to discriminate between fat and lean to within a +/-0.5CL differential throughout the entire product, rather than a small sample.

Formerly used in the medical industry, DEXA is becoming increasingly popular among meat manufacturers.

The technology uses an algorithm that compares the ratio between two different x-ray energy spectra. This allows the average atomic composition of the meat to be determined which enables accurate CL values to be measured.

The ability to gain such precise

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information, so rapidly, not only helps manufacturers reduce product waste, but also maximises product quality for retailers and ensures they are able to offer meat with lower fat content without the risk of fat claims.

Quality includes safety X-ray technology isn’t only useful for fat analysis; it can also allow manufacturers to ensure their products are safe to eat by scanning packs for harmful foreign bodies, such as calcified bone, glass or metal shards, rubber or dense plastics.

The technology is able to penetrate even metal or glass packaging to identify even minuscule foreign body fragments, enabling sub-standard products to be removed before they reach end consumers, helping to uphold retailers’ brand reputation and safeguarding manufacturers from costly product recalls.

An image is generated from the energy beamed from the X-ray through the meat. Certain contaminants may absorb more energy making them stand out among what would be an otherwise crowded and busy image.

Using an automated rejection system, sub-standard products are easily removed from the production line without the need to stop the conveyor. This ensures optimum product safety and quality for retailers and white labelers, while enhancing efficiency for manufacturers.

Keeping the brand name reputable Brand owners need to be particularly aware of fat content and product quality.

Partnering with a reputable manufacturer with high-performance inline fat measurement and product inspection processes on their line ensures that the meat they offer is healthy, safe, and high quality- upholding their brand reputation with consumers.

When making their selections, consumers tend to veer towards the brands they know and the labels they trust. If consumers start to associate a certain label with poor quality meat then they will be less likely to remain loyal, turning to other brands for their food.

Eagle Product Inspection www.eaglepi.com

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The Sprint 2 Dicer produces a wide variety of dices, granulations, slices, and strips of vegetables, fruits, bakery products, meats, and seafood. The cutting principle is based on the DiversaCut Sprint technology turned at an adjusted angle. The Sprint 2 also offers an optional stainless steel 3 HP (2.2 kW) motor with VFD (variable frequency drive) that offers more power than the DiversaCut Sprint or the standard Model G-A. Cutting Solutions

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21/09/2015 3:57:35 PM

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READY-TO-EAT

Dr. Oetker takes a healthy slice of the pizza business Founded in 1891, German food processor Dr. Oetker is cutting up the Australian Ready-to-Cook market with a blend of new pizza taste profiles coupled with their well-kneaded European pedigree.

Branko Miletic talks to Dr. Oetker’s Executive Manager Marketing – Pizza, Paula Wyatt, about why this brand of pizza is fast becoming Australia’s favourite slice of pie.

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ood Magazine (FM): What are the main differences between your pizzas and other brands in terms of ingredients, preparation and production?

Paula Wyatt (PW): Our main brands of frozen pizza here in Australia – Dr. Oetker Ristorante and Papa Giuseppi’s Bakehouse crust are both pan pressed pizzas, meaning the dough is pressed into pans, proved and baked. This gives an extremely light crispy texture to the crust and gives the consumer a very consistent product each time.

(FM): How does the Ready to Cook (RTC) market differ in Australia to Europe?

(PW): There are big differences in the frozen pizza market between Australia and Europe. For example household penetration of frozen pizza is low in Australia at 47 per cent compared to Europe, which can range between 75-90 per cent.

There are some significant consumer barriers in Australia to overcome, taste and quality being the main concerns, where consumers have not experienced frozen pizza for many years and remember the lower quality offerings of old.

There is a perception that frozen pizza is poor quality and is just for kids to fill them up.

In the UK and Canada as two examples frozen pizza takes a 20 per cent and 27 per cent share, respectively, of total pizza consumption (including takeaway, chilled, and restaurants). The share in Australia is 8 per cent.

There is significant potential to grow the market by attracting new households.

Dr. Oetker Ristorante has been and will continue to be a key driver of unlocking this growth – it has the highest loyalty and

weight of purchase of any frozen pizza brand, once trialled, consumers are genuinely delighted with the quality and that it delivers on it’s pizzeria taste promise.

The target is to bring this to a wider audience and demonstrate to Australian consumers that there is great taste available in frozen pizzas.

(FM): Are there certain flavours / combinations that sell more in Australia than overseas?

(PW): There is a definitely a bias towards meatier toppings in Australia.

BBQ Meatlovers is the best selling topping with Pepperoni and Supreme also performing well. Again this is one of the ways that Ristorante offers something different to the market. Our range of nine varieties is the widest of any frozen pizza brand where Mozzarella (slices of mozzarella, tomato and garnished with pesto), Spinaci (spinach garnished with garlic cream sauce), Funghi (sliced mushrooms with garlic sauce), Bolognese and Prosciutto sit with the more traditional Pepperoni and Hawaiian.

(FM): How much of the market do you currently have here and in Europe?

(PW): Dr. Oetker’s share of the frozen

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pizza market in Australia is 28 per cent inside the 5 years since launch. This is second to McCain, who command 58 per cent share. (source: Nielsen Scan 52w/e 6/9/15). The overall market is worth $AUD167.5m. Market share varies in each country, by way of example in the UK it’s 40 per cent, in Germany it’s 37 per cent, in Spain it’s 30 per cent, and in Canada it’s 42 per cent.

(FM): You make meat-based pizzas here but import the non-meat ones from OS— are there benefits for this and are you planning to produce all your pizza’s here?

(PW): This remains a legacy of how we entered the market in Australia where vegetarian varieties were imported to “test” and establish the market before local production of meat based varieties started.

At the moment we plan to continue to import these varieties, we often find our vegetarian flavours are more complex and contain more specific ingredients, it can be difficult to source the right ingredients locally to produce these

efficiently at the quality we demand.

We continue to work on this, as you can imagine it’s a long way to import these goods, adding some complexity to our supply chain.

(FM): Are you looking to diversify your range/offering in Australia and if so, to what products?

(PW): Our plan is to launch new concepts to help attract new consumers and grow the market here in Australia.

We have a wide portfolio globally and expertise we can draw on – however it’s really important to bring concepts that appeal to Australian consumers, have the right taste profile and effectively target and convert these new consumers for future growth. Therefore we invest heavily in consumer research to understand potential gaps and how best to fill these with the right concepts for this market.

The market here is underdeveloped and a number of key areas are our focus for growth – for example crust styles, occasions (snacks, main meal, sharing), topping trends etc.

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PALLETISING

VIP Packaging leads the pack with robotic palletising Designing a new fully automated palletising line for a world-class packaging company required an innovative solution that integrated safety, automation and control.

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alletising in any manufacturing plant presents many operational challenges, from production efficiencies to safety considerations. This is particularly applicable to a company like VIP Packaging, a leading plastic and steel packaging company in Australia and New Zealand.

VIP Packaging manufactures extrusion blow-moulded and injection stretch blow-moulded high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) bottles.

The production facility manufactures packaging solutions for the food and beverage, personal care, household consumer and industrial chemical industries.

With clients that include many of the most well known household names in Australia and New Zealand, VIP Packaging is committed to innovation, quality and sustainability.

The production line at the plant predominantly palletises bottles used for shampoos and laundry detergents.

To minimise manual handling and gain

The new automated system improved productivity and generated significant labour savings 22 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2015 | www.foodmag.com.au

production efficiencies, VIP Packaging called on Machinery Automation & Robotics (MAR) to deliver a solution to automate their palletising production line.

Hands-free palletising The VIP Packaging plant transfers packaging bottles that are arranged in pallets in a predesigned format that is suitable for transport directly to clients.

These bottles can range in size from 500 millilitres to two litres and are delivered wrapped with clear plastic stretch wrap to ensure the bottles stay in position when transported.

Adhering to occupational health and safety standards, improving productivity and generating labour cost savings were all important priorities for VIP Packaging. According to Geoff Biscaya, rigid containers general manager at VIP Packaging, “To remain competitive it was clear we needed to reduce labour costs by automating our downstream inspection, packing and palletising of our high volume blow moulding machines.”

Throughout this process there were three main palletising lines that would benefit from automation. These include the packaging handling, the pallet handling and the stretch wrapping. The challenge ahead was to design a system that could automate the entire palletising line and deliver not only the cost savings, but also improve quality control and safety.

After studying the operation of the VIP system, MAR presented a fully automated system including three robots,

pallet dispenser, twin shuttle, three vision system, fully automated HMI, automated pallet strapping system and pallet stretching machine which were all controlled by one central motor control centre from Rockwell Automation.

In the VIP Packaging plant, plastic bottles are continuously transported on the conveyor to the palletising line where they are picked up by the robot and stacked in the pallet. Sensors are used to count the required quantity of bottles for each layer of packaging. Once a layer is complete, the robot picks up a plastic slip sheet and places it on top of the layer of bottles. This process is repeated until the pallet is full; the robot then places a timber sheet on top of the pallet to keep the bottles in place.

According to Merv Shirazi, project manager at Machinery Automation and Robotics, “The design of the grippers or claws on the robot arm was critical to the efficiency of the palletising process.”

“When the plastic bottles stand up,

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PALLETISING

PowerFlex 4M drives provide effective motor control for the conveyors we needed to make sure that they were in correct position because if one bottle slipped or fell out of place, a domino effect could occur and hundreds of bottles could then fall which would not only create a safety hazard that would need attention, but it would also mean that the whole pallet would have to be rejected,” he explained.

To stop the bottles that are packed in the pallet from breaking or slipping, the pallet is then automatically wrapped in clear plastic. Each pallet is then transported by shuttle to the loading dock and the empty pallet is returned.

It's all under control In any automated system, integration between the control and safety system is important but in a palletising line that is controlled by a single operator, complete integration is essential. PowerFlex 4M drives were used to provide effective motor control for the conveyors and the entire robotic palletising system and was controlled by CompactLogix.

According to Harish Ahuja, OEM account manager at Rockwell Automation, “The Rockwell Automation compact machine control platform provides cost-effective integration of a machine or safety application into a plant-wide control system because it integrates safety, motion, discrete and drive capabilities in a single controller, making it the most appropriate choice for this application.”

The operator workstation features a user-friendly PanelView Plus 1000 touch screen Human Machine Interface (HMI), which is easy to navigate and incorporates a number of selection options. In addition to the primary control for the system start and stop function, the HMI also includes programming for the manual control of

conveyors, manual control of the robot gripper, shift production data, error reporting, robot control and access control for maintenance and cleaning.

“The programming of the system is simple and straightforward and it caters for a wide range of bottle design shapes and sizes. The control platform also includes integrated safety systems which deliver improved operator safety,” said Biscaya.

When moving to an automated system, operator safety was a key priority so with this in mind the system was designed with six separate safety zones that require no supervision. Parts of the plant were required to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, which is why reliability and minimising downtime was very important to VIP Packaging. This was addressed by designing and building the line to allow access to specific components that wear over time in a particular machine, without having to shut down the whole plant during routine maintenance.

Installing a new solution generally requires a period of shutdown of the existing system while the new one is installed so the goal with this project was to keep this to a minimum and also to reduce the risk of any teething problems with the new solution. To achieve this, the new system was thoroughly tested off-site prior to installation.

“The complete system including cycle times and other parameters were factory tested off-site prior to installation so we could minimise the risk of downtime. This ensured that the installation progressed smoothly which was very important to our business,” said Biscaya.

Consistent quality control Maintaining superior quality control is essential to VIP Packaging, who is

The entire robotic palletising system was controlled by CompactLogix

PanelView Plus 1000 touch screen Human Machine Interface is easy to navigate and incorporates a number of selection options known for packaging solutions that not only offer outstanding performance but also differentiate and enhance their customers’ brand. Biscaya knew that automating their quality control systems would help them to maintain their reputation for superior quality packaging solutions and also introduce labour cost savings.

“With the help of MAR we were able to integrate vision systems that could identify a number of bottle faults and reject those bottles. This automated quality control system was more consistent than the human element which allowed us to lower the cost of each pallet through the associated labour savings and reduced packaging waste,” he said.

To confirm that the automated system was working effectively, the HMI system was programmed to monitor and sound

an alarm to alert the operator if too many bottles were rejected consecutively.

Counting the savings “We are continuing to realise the many benefits that the new automated system is providing. It has met all of our key requirements by allowing us to reduce labour costs, while also improving quality control and safety. In addition, the solution has established a low base cost to run the plant over time which helps to improve our productivity and competitiveness,” said Biscaya.

The automation of the palletising line has resulted in significant labour savings, quality control and reduced running costs. The return on investment is approximately only two years, which will allow VIP Packaging to reap the rewards from the solution for many years to come.

www.foodmag.com.au | Oct/Nov 2015 | Foodmagazine 23

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LABELLING

Labelling trends coming this way soon Food labelling is now vital to a products’ success in today’s heavily congested marketplace.

Here Mark Dingley* looks at the latest trends Australian food manufacturers need to be aware of to remain competitive.

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ith consumer needs always changing, and now changing faster than ever, it’s vital food manufacturers stay alert and keep ahead of

the game.

Here are three global labelling trends set to impact Australian food manufacturers.

Clean labelling “Clean” is the new “green” according to industry experts. At this year’s IFT Food Expo in Chicago, Innova Market Insights explained how consumers today are demanding transparency.

People want to know more about products, ingredients and the companies that manufacture and sell them.

And this desire for transparency extends to the actual ingredients too.

Today’s consumers are not only looking for shorter ingredient lists, but ones that include natural ingredients and names they recognise.

Pressure is growing on both food-product suppliers and retailers for products to be as free from artificial substances as possible.

In essence, clean labelling is about clarity and specificity. For example, the word “natural” must be used with an explanation; along with industry regulators and retailers, consumers want to know what “natural” means and why it will benefit them.

Food manufacturers also need to know when a food substance becomes a food additive, or processing aid, or even a nutritive substance.

It’s interesting to note that some substance distinctions will change under the new Food Standards Code coming into effect early next year.

Looking at how they can use clean labelling to educate consumers and help them understand why specific ingredients are in products is a future task for Australian food brands.

There’s no “one size fits all” for a clean label; it comes down to what makes sense for your product, category and customers.

Social good labelling One of the first examples of “social good” labelling was Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign.

In the food and beverage sphere, global beverage 24 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2015 | www.foodmag.com.au

brand Coke is no stranger to innovative labelling.

The 2011 “Share a Coke” campaign saw more than 250 million named bottles and cans sold in Australia — a country of just under 23 million people. Because of the success, the campaign eventually reached 10 countries.

This time around, the giant has launched a “no label” campaign. Devised by advertising agency FP7/DXB in Dubai, the campaign promotes a world without labels.

Using the slogan, “Labels are for cans, not for people”, the aim is to send a message about how “a world without labels is a world without differences”. To set the example, the brand is dropping labels from its own products.

Coke’s latest brainchild shows the power of labelling in social marketing campaigns — it’s a growing trend and can be very powerful.

Another excellent example is the YouTube hit “Run like a Girl”, which has gone viral among primary school-age children particularly.

The short video put together by female hygiene brand Always aims to show the effect of gender stereotyping on teenage girls, and has even been used by teachers as an educational tool.

This trend hasn’t found its way to food products yet, but the opportunity awaits.

Smart labelling For the past couple of years, smart labelling has been teetering on the edge of mainstream labelling.

Again, beverages are leading the way in the food and beverage category. And the fact that one of the biggest alcoholic beverage giants is on board is pushing this trend closer to mainstream.

The Johnnie Walker Blue Label smart bottle was displayed at this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Teaming up with Diageo, Thinfilm Electronics created a smart label that uses near-field communications (NFC) to communicate with consumers and verify the product’s authenticity. (Product authenticity is a growing concern for consumers.)

Thinfilm’s OpenSense technology comprises tags and sensors that can detect the bottle’s sealed and open state.

When the consumer scans the tag with their smartphone, Diageo can send targeted and timely messages, either in the store (with offers and discounts) or after purchase (with cocktail recipes and serving information).

It’s not possible to definitively answer yet whether this smart labelling trend will take off or remain novelty.

However, it is worth considering that Australia has one of the highest smartphone-penetration rates in the world; consumers are now using their mobile phones throughout the shopping journey to research, discover products and buy them.

Food companies (or any consumer brand for that matter) should be looking at how to use this to engage consumers and provide the experience customers want. *Mark Dingley is General Manager of Matthews Australasia, 1300 263 464, www.matthews.com.au.

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The easiest way to find the right products and suppliers

MANUFACTURING | MINING | INDUSTRIAL

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ferret.com.au

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1300 156 836

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PACKAGING

Food packaging developments Gone are the days when the fundamental mission of food packaging was the protection of the product. Today its marketing ability trumps protection as the primary consideration in its selection. Alan Johnson reports.

W

hatever food or beverage product you are producing, manufacturers should never forget that the product’s packaging is the first thing that a consumer sees on the supermarket shelf.

Research suggests an average shopper takes between four and ten seconds to pick a food product off a supermarket shelf during their regular visit to buy groceries. While that same person takes between two and three minutes to deliberate over a product they’re buying for the first time.

Armin Ziener, product manager at Selpak, one of the largest agents of premium packaging and processing equipment in Australia and New Zealand, is quick to recognise packaging trends in the region, especially in the food and beverage industries.

One of the growth trends he is seeing at the moment is more portrait facing packaging instead of landscape facing packaging.

“We are seeing an expanding number of food manufacturers changing their shelf ready packaging to smaller narrower packaging so they can present more varieties over their available shelf space.

Ziener said he is also seeing strong

growth in the flexible packaging area, for example pouches and sachets and these types of packaging.

“We are also seeing a trend towards lighter, more environmentally-friendly packaging, especially in wrapping materials.

“Our food manufacturing customers are looking into more environmentallyfriendly paper-based wraps, which are compostable afterwards.

However, Ziener said this can be a bit of a challenge because often the packaging machines have to be retro fitted and adjusted to handle the paper-based wraps.

“But it can be done quite easily on most packaging machines.

In fact with the fall in the Australian dollar, Ziener is expecting the retrofitting side of Selpak’s business to expand even further.

“We presently employ eight service technicians across Australia and New Zealand, but with the growth in retrofitting of older machines that could increase in the near future.

He said it all depends on the justification of companies internally.

“They normally go with new machines because of their speed, reliability and warranty, but many people are looking at saving some money by invest-

26 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2015 | www.foodmag.com.au

ing in retrofitting their old machines.

He said as well as a retrofitting service, the company offers a breakdown service, general servicing and installation services.

Packaging machines In a bid to keep production costs as low as possible, Ziener says he is seeing food manufacturers move to smaller, more compact packaging machines, offering savings on expensive real estate costs.

“And with the high cost of labour in Australia, we are also seeing more

demand from our food and beverage customers for less labour intensive machines such as one HMI (Human Machine Interface) machines.

Ziener is also seeing a trend in shorter production runs requiring machines to be more efficient at changeovers.

“Some of our machines are very clever and are capable of very fast changeovers. For example if it’s just a flavour change, we can offer machines with changeover times as quick as 10 minutes, or even less.”

While Ziener admitted times for a full

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three dimensional packaging changeover are a bit longer, they are much faster than a couple of years ago.

“For example, we have packaging machines that can do changeovers from an American box type to a two-piece tray and hood in less than 30 minutes.”

Rather than wait for a packaging machine to be developed, Ziener advises food and beverage manufacturers who have some innovative packaging ideas to contact packaging machinery companies first.

“For example, we work closely with food and beverage manufacturers’ R&D teams to develop new packaging ideas.

We have strong contacts at all our 20 or so packaging suppliers who have in-house packaging designers to help to design the final packaging design.

Once we have the final packaging design, then we can design a machine capable of producing the new packaging.

Not the other way around.

Ziener said the company sells around 50 to 60 systems a year, from the smallest to the largest machines, plus we are able to supply turnkey systems, from the kitchen to the pallet.

Downsizing packaging

launch of the 250ml small-sized As well as strong growth towards lighter, can in August 2014. more environmentally-friendly packagAccording to Coca-Cola South ing, Ziener said portion sizes are getting Pacific, product size now represmaller. sents 12 per cent of total single Research suggests the change to serve sales and has seen significant smaller sizes is driven by consumer transaction growth compared with the demand for smaller portions, with the larger–sized single-serve options. majority of consumers ignoring portion The 250ml can is available in 30 per size information. cent of retail outlets across Australia and For example, Coca-Cola South Pacific 50 per cent of grocery outlets. has announced its 450ml bottles will Marketing Director for Coca-Cola be reducing in size to 390ml, saying its South Pacific, Lisa Winn said it is clear Ergomodul, Foodsizes.

Magazine, 150x192 CC-en21-AZ001 customers want smaller-serving that smaller packagesmm, are offering the The move comes after the successful perfect treat size refreshment.

09/15

Selpak 02 9583 www.selpak.co.nz

Ergomodul #GermanBlingBling #Ergomodul

We do more.

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REFRIGERATION & BOTTLING

Advances in refrigeration

benefit the environment and bottom line Whilst refrigeration systems play a critical role in the food and beverage sector, they are also a substantial consumer of energy, so it is essential that these systems are efficient and effective in delivering appropriate temperature control, energy conservation, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and enhanced waste management.

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ignificant developments are occurring in the design and installation of state-of-the-art refrigeration systems including the introduction of more environmentally friendly ammonia-based plants with advanced operational control and monitoring technology.

Leading refrigeration company, Gordon Brothers, recently designed, installed and commissioned an advanced refrigeration system at Lion Brewery in Adelaide.

Group Capital Works Manager at

Lion, John Kearvell, told Food Magazine that the existing plant was approximately 40 years old and utilised R22 as the primary refrigerant.

“R22 is an ozone depleting HCFC and will be phased out of use in Australia by 2016. The energy savings associated with the upgrade to ammonia are significant, adding to the justification for the replacement,” he said.

“The energy savings have also allowed Lion to successfully apply to the Federal Government for a Clean Technology Improvement Grant.”

28 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2015 | www.foodmag.com.au

According to Gordon Brothers’ Project Manager, Oliver Harder, the first stage of the project was started some years ago when Gordon Brothers repackaged an existing plate heat exchanger as a supplementary brine chiller operating on ammonia and supplied a new vessel and pipework in anticipation of converting the entire plant to ammonia.

“Early in 2015 we were awarded the contract for the new refrigeration plant as part of the Brewery’s Hyde Park Project which was primarily a rebuild of the brew house. Part of the tender brief was

that the plant maximise operating efficiencies and minimise power consumption,” he said.

“The new equipment included 4 Mycom 200L screw compressor packages, a new -6˚C 2600kW ethanol brine chiller with an APV/SPX plate heat exchanger, conversion of the existing brine chiller to a 1900kW water chiller, and a new BAC evaporative condenser (to replace an existing unit).

“Also included was a new two-stage wort cooler, a reverse osmosis (RO) water pre-cooler and a de-aerated water pre-

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REFRIGERATION & BOTTLING

cooler. The latter two were introduced to off load the brine chilling system by using chilled water to pre-cool process water at a higher refrigeration efficiency.”

Harder pointed out that the two-stage wort cooler represents a fundamental shift in the way the brew house operates.

“Previously the wort from the brewing kettle was cooled using water chilled to 3˚C in a single pass heat exchanger. The new two-stage cooler uses RO water at ambient temperature to cool the wort from 98˚C to approximately 26˚C,” he explained.

“The remaining temperature drop to the target fermentation temperature is achieved with 6˚C water which is pre-cooled and buffered prior to each wort cool. In winter, as the RO water temperature reduces, more of the cooling load is taken up in the first stage and thus reduces the cooling load on the refrigeration plant in the second stage.

“The other advantage of two-stage wort cooling is that the hot water leaving the first stage (to be used in subsequent brew) is controlled better in terms of target temperature and volume, thus reducing steam consumption for heating and excess water wastage to drain.”

Harder said the equipment was installed and commissioned progressively in stages without major interruption to the brewery operation.

“Existing equipment was reused where possible, including ethanol pumps and the existing R22 condensers. The compressors were enclosed in a panel room within the plant room, greatly reducing the noise,” he said.

“The panel room includes ammonia detection systems and is ventilated by a scrubber. A new electrical control room was installed above and includes Allen Bradley PLC controls, and Danfoss variable speed drives (VSDs) for the compressors, pumps and condensers.

“Combined with ambient temperature monitoring, the VSDs allow consider-

able power savings, particularly in low temperature conditions.”

The new refrigeration plant is fully automatic and now operates on a greenhouse and ozone friendly refrigerant. By using chilled water to pre-cool process loads in lieu of -6˚C brine, refrigeration loads can be handled more efficiently.

Harder believes that in summer, with the new ammonia compressors on plate heat exchanger chillers and proper sharing of condenser capacity, about a 14 percent reduction in power consumption should be achieved per kW of brine chilling capacity. In winter, with lower condensing temperatures, he says further reductions can be expected.

Advanced food refrigeration Adelaide-based Oomiak Refrigeration has installed a large advanced centralised refrigeration plant to serve Melbourne’s new wholesale fruit and vegetable market.

The plant reticulates a food safe secondary refrigerant propylene glycol to an eventual 150+ tenants to meet their cooling needs with the thermal energy consumption at each tenancy measured for billing purposes.

Oomiak’s Technical Manager, Mark Twigger, advises that the plant has an initial installed capacity of 7200 kWr with provision for expansion to 14400 kWr. It is also designed with N+1 redundancy to ensure that failure of any component will not have an effect on

the plant’s ability to continue operating to meet the total load imposed from the facility.

“The primary refrigeration system utilises ammonia in an efficient thermosiphon circulated chilling cycle using variable speed drive compressors and evaporative condensers,” he said.

“The multiple chillers, which are independent from one another to further minimise risk to operation, are contained within a purpose built plant room remote from the market trading areas. Code compliant ammonia detection and shut

down systems, and plant room ventilation scrubber systems, are incorporated to minimise risk to surrounding areas in the event of a refrigerant leak.

“The plant has a number of energy efficiency and load limiting features to optimise efficiency and protect the plant from overload. These features include extensive use of inverter drives on all motors in the plant, and compressor variable oil flow to reduce absorbed power.

“The control system has the ability to modify operating conditions to suit load profile and optimise efficiency, from floating head pressure control and chiller variable evaporating temperature and glycol flow, through to automatic adjustment of glycol supply temperature and pressure.

“Predictive feed forward control is also provided to predict rising or falling heat load before it is imposed on the chiller plant, thus allowing the plant to adjust to meet the forthcoming load change.

Twigger said other important features include control of thermal energy being consumed in the various sections of the glycol circuit to prevent inefficient plant operation and overloading, as well as automatic control of bypass flow to minimise pumping energy consumed whilst ensuring glycol temperature is maintained under all load profile conditions.

According to the Melbourne Market Authority, a key consideration in designing the new Market was how to make the facility more environmentally sound.

Modelling undertaken estimates that the central refrigeration plant will reduce energy consumption by 30 percent compared to the West Melbourne market site where individual units are used, saving over half a million dollars annually.

Also, CO ² emissions at the new market will be reduced by up to 40 per cent.

Hartley Henderson is a regular contributor to Food Magazine and has held senior positions in government, semigovernment and business enterprises and was National Program Director with the Productivity Promotion Council of Australia.

Gordon Brothers 03 9389 6666 www.gordonbrothers.com.au Oomiak 08 8345 9900 www.oomiak.com.au

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materials handling

10 ways ASRS reduces costs and improves cold chain performance The high costs of land, labour and energy are driving the increased use of space and costefficient Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS) for the distribution of foodstuffs and healthcare products requiring refrigeration. Dematic’s Manager Industry Logistics, David Rubie, outlines 10 ways ASRS reduces costs and improves cold chain performance.

1. Smaller building footprint with optimised use of the storage cube

9. Enhanced product quality Within ASRS, pallets in cold stores and freezers are optimally spaced allowing chilled air to circulate adequately to ensure product quality is maintained at all times.

High bay ASRS effectively use the available footprint in a distribution centre (DC). With aisles in an ASRS also typically requiring up to less than a third of the space compared to those in conventional pallet storage systems, ASRS significantly reduce the total floorspace required to store a comparable number of pallets, typically by 25 per cent or more, depending on the height of the system.

10. Customer service excellence Customers expect accurate orders and even the occasional error can badly damage the cold storage provider’s reputation and relationship with their customer.

2. Significant on-going energy savings

Cold chain growth in Asia Pacific

With ASRS enabling more pallets to be stored in a smaller cubic area, they reduce on-going refrigeration energy operating costs. The smaller surface area of ASRS cold stores also reduces the impact of thermal transfer through the walls and roof area, further reducing energy consumption. There is also limited lighting requirements within ASRS, and no need for large doors to be constantly opening and closing for forklift access, further reducing energy consumption. When evaluating the cost-effectiveness of ASRS in cold stores or freezers, it is important to factor in the continuing rise of energy costs over the system’s anticipated operational lifespan.

Accurate, real-time computer control of inventory locations in ASRS cold stores and freezers eliminates stock put-away errors that can occur in manual operations.

Furthermore, guaranteed inventory accuracy is a desirable selling feature for third party logistics (3PL) cold storage providers. With ASRS providing fully automated operation, another benefit is significantly improved inventory security, which greatly reduces the potential for stock pilferage/shrinkage.

According to a recent report from Markets and Markets, the global cold chain is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.2 per cent between now and 2017, with the Asia Pacific region expected to constitute 22 per cent of the frozen food market by 2017, if it continues to grow at the projected CAGR of 17 per cent.

The increased popularity of chilled and frozen foods in Asia Pacific is a reflection of changing food preferences as consumers become more affluent, and that the infrastructure to support cold chain operations in the region is expanding. In China, for example, the frozen food market grew from nearly US$10 billion in 2007 to an estimated US$16 billion in 2012.

The growth of the cold chain sector is largely attributed to globalisation, which enables the import and export of perishable foods, technology advances in cold chain storage and transport, and growing acceptance of frozen foods amongst consumers. Chilled products account for the largest share globally, as most fruits and vegetables are stored and transported through this chain, with the frozen food market also expected to enjoy substantial growth for the next five years.

7. Error-free order picking and FIFO stock rotation

Chilled and frozen case buffer storage, picking and despatch processing

By eliminating the need for manually operated forklifts, accidental damage to products, racks, freezer doors and other equipment is eliminated.

Manually staffed cold storage DCs can experience several picking errors every day. Accurate inventory location management in ASRS and FIFO (first-in, first-out) inventory rotation ensures order accuracy and product freshness by eliminating the potential for costly to rectify picking errors.

5. Occupational health and safety benefits

8. Control of 'quarantined' products

With no operational staff permitted within the ASRS warehouse, safety issues associated with the use of manually operated forklifts and pallet trucks are eliminated.

With ASRS, inventory that is quarantined for whatever reason is electronically locked-in and not available for picking.

In addition to ASRS pallet handling systems, Dematic has also developed a high-performance, accurate and costeffective automated case storage, picking and despatch processing solution for chilled and frozen goods.

Based on Dematic’s Multishuttle ASRS, the solution – which has been deployed by food processors, distributors and retailers in refrigerated environments in Europe and North America – provides an extensive range of advantages over manual distribution and despatch.

Multishuttle systems can be linked to conveyors, with cartons conveyed directly to order consolidation

3. No need to work in harsh environments Employee turnover in cold store and freezer environments is typically higher than in conventional warehousing. With all pallet handling within ASRS cold stores and freezers handled automatically, and the use of integrated in-feed / out-feed pallet conveyors, operational staff are not required to work in harsh cold store or freezer environments, with stock put-away and retrieval, order fulfilment, load consolidation and shipping taking place in ambient temperatures. Staff working in freezers are also required to take regular breaks from working in sub-zero conditions, reducing productivity and increasing operating costs.

4. Reduced on-going product and equipment damage

30 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2015 | www.foodmag.com.au

6. Guaranteed inventory location accuracy and inventory security

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MATERIALS HANDLING

areas or direct into shipping containers. Multishuttle systems can also be linked to automated palletisers, which can further reduce the costs, errors and damage associated with manual handling.

The Multishuttle system solution greatly reduces the number of potential occupational health and safety (OH&S) hazards associated with the manual handling of heavy cartons, and reduces errors associated with incorrect picking.

Dematic Multishuttle system advantages over crane-based solutions • Better space efficiency – One of the key advantages Multishuttle offers compared to crane-based systems is that Multishuttle systems can be designed to fit within virtually any space, even unused headroom.

Multishuttle systems also utilise the available cube more efficiently providing a higher density, more cost-effective case storage solution in chilled or frozen environments.

• Unlimited order assembly flexibility – Multishuttle systems provide immediate access to each individual carton and the SKU is automatically delivered to operations or further automation. No manual interaction is required.

• Increased system throughput capacity –Multishuttle systems can pick multiple SKUs concurrently within a single aisle, increasing system throughput and improving access to stock required for orders.

• Accurate SKU location mapping – The location of every carton within a Multishuttle system is always can_ be queried Fknown D 1 0and 1 5 0 0 0 _ MinAreal-time R - by 1 operations 2 0 1 5 via Dematic’s integrated iQ software.

• Improved system redundancy – Multishuttle systems provide the highest level of system redundancy possible. If one Multishuttle fails for any reason, the remainder of the Multishuttles continue to operate independently.

• Minimal customisation – A key advantage of Multishuttle systems is that they require minimal customisation, reducing costs and enabling rapid installation and start-up. All of the hardware including storage systems, Multishuttles and system software is preconfigured.

• Automated despatch labelling – Fully automated carton shipping labelling upon retrieval from the Multishuttle system can be integrated.

• Optimised operational flexibility – Multishuttle systems can operate around the clock, every day of the week, providing the ultimate in operational flexibility.

When not required for order processing, the Multishuttle system undertakes any necessary housekeeping processes, retrieving and reslotting products in ‘golden zones’ close to the front of the system to enable faster, more efficient retrieval of high volume SKUs. • A safer workplace – Multishuttle systems significantly reduce the need for manual handling of heavy cartons or totes, reducing the potential for manual handling injuries. They also significantly reduce the need for pallet truck and forklift movements, further improving workplace safety.

• A modular, scalable, flexible solution – Multishuttle systems can be easily scaled up with the addition of extra aisles or by increasing the height or length of - 0 9the - system, 1 7 T 0providing 9 : 2 7 future : 3 1flexibility + 1 0 : and 0 0 reducing initial investment, and building/leasing costs.

• Rapid return on investment – The combination of productivity savings, reduced errors, lower building/ leasing and operating costs, and the reduction of losttime injuries all contribute to a rapid ROI.

Summary With the range of fresh produce that requires refrigeration and the on-going growth of the market for frozen convenience meals and foodstuffs, the demand for refrigerated storage is growing rapidly.

DCs that are optimised through the use of automated storage and handling technologies will be better positioned to cost-effectively meet this demand, and deliver high levels of customer service.

ASRS and Multishuttle systems provide competitive advantage by reducing labour touches and improving productivity, increasing service levels, minimising OH&S risks and enhancing order processing flexibility, while delivering comprehensive tracking, visibility and operational management capabilities. And ASRS and Multishuttle systems achieve this using significantly less space compared to conventional storage solutions.

ASRS and Multishuttle systems also allows businesses to review their cold supply chain networks and identify where they can consolidate refrigerated storage and distribution to reduce total supply chain costs and deliver superior operational capabilities.

With the cost of automation falling significantly in recent years, the business case and ROI for ASRS and Multishuttle systems has never been better.

Dematic Pty Limited 02 9486 5555 www.dematic.com.au

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DAIRY PROCESSING

Oil-free compressed air helps yoghurt maker

Organic yoghurt maker five:am needed clean compressed air but simply couldn’t afford an oil-free screw compressor. Luckily, Boge Compressors was able to help the Melbourne-based company out.

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INCE 2011, five:am has been producing yoghurt in an environmentally friendly way. The company uses local, organic ingredients and a conservative production process in an effort to reduce their ecological footprint as much as possible.

When searching for a cost-effective and energyefficient way to produce oil-free compressed air, the decision-makers at five:am came across the Boge BLUEKAT series. These oil-lubricated compressors produce Class 0 compressed air, as officially tested and certified by the TÜV SÜD, the most renowned test laboratory in Germany.

In the production of the organic yoghurt, some compressed air comes in direct contact with food. One of the things it is used for is to aerate the milk in the silos. Other purposes include filling and then sealing and packing the different yogurt pots, bottles and squeeze pouches.

The firm therefore required a solution that generated absolutely oil-free compressed air. Two compact type C 15 L screw compressors from BOGE with direct

coupling and dryer now produce the compressed air, while a Bluekat BC Converter, with its converter principle, ensures that the compressed air is guaranteed purity class 0.

Thus the company, which produces around 45 tonnes of organic yoghurt a week, can depend upon maximum safety. At the same time, the system is low maintenance and low energy consumption.

Oil molecules converted to CO2 and H2O With its Bluekat range Boge developed a new concept that would combine the advantages of oil-injected compressors (low temperatures and significantly higher efficiency) with those of oil-free compressors (oil-free compressed air with no external multistage treatment).

The compressors are available with power ratings of 30 and 37 kW and produce 3.71 to 5.01 m³/minute of oilfree compressed air at a pressure of 8, 10 or 13 bar.

The system is based on a highly efficient oil-injected screw compressor with a special converter installed immediately downstream of the compression stage. The converter (also known as a catalytic converter) oxidises the oil, converting it to carbon dioxide and water. The condensate that is separated out in the after cooler has a hydrocarbon content of less than 2 mg/l, which means that it can be discharged to the wastewater system without further treatment.

Advantages compared to other converters

The oil-lubricated compressors Boge Bluekat produce oil-free compressed air to Class 0 standard.

32 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2015 | www.foodmag.com.au

The integrated solution has significant advantages compared to an external downstream converter.

When using an external converter, the air is cooled in the after cooler of the compressor and must then be heated to the required operating temperature of the converter. Both the cooling and heating processes consume energy. The integrated converter has better

heat management and is therefore significantly more efficient and cost effective. Additional cost savings are made since the condensate treatment process can be dispensed with.

“We are not just about leaving certain things out but, most importantly, putting only the right things into the product,” said David Prior, founder of five:am. This sense of a healthy and sustainable lifestyle applies to all manufacturing processes as well.

BOGE Compressors Australia 03 5940 3266 www.boge.net.au

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SUGARS

New sugar varieties as sweet as they come A

ccording to canegrowers, Australia is one of the world’s largest exporters of raw sugar, with exports currently worth about $AUD2 billion per year. Depending on seasonal production variability, Australia normally ranks as the second or third largest, after Brazil, and sells 80 per cent of all cane sugar grown here mainly to East Asia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, the USA and New Zealand.

The remaining 20 per cent of the raw sugar produced in Australia for domestic consumption is refined locally and processed into white sugar, liquid sugar products and other specialty products such as golden syrup, treacle, coffee sugar, cubed sugar and rum.

However there are other sugar varieties from Australia as well as from other parts of the world that can be used for a number of new dishes and uses.

Katherine Wall, Brand Manager for Sugar Australia said: “From the heartland of Mexico to the quaint courtyards of regional France, ingredients we once travelled the globe to find are now available much closer to home.”

“Hand sourced from some of the most beautiful locations on earth, Sugars of the World is an exotic collection of traditionally farmed sugars, each with their own special characteristics, and most being exclusive to this range. Some are unrefined, and all of them are unique.”

“From the deep richness of Colombian panela, to the delicate caramel notes of Sri Lankan rapadura, Sugars of the World makes it easy to add an international twist to traditional recipes or your favourite cup of tea or coffee, and to explore the diversity of sweetness from around the world.”

34 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2015 | www.foodmag.com.au

Some of these new sugars include: Indonesian coconut blossom sugar Indonesian coconut blossom sugar is unrefined, organically grown and sustainably farmed on the island of Java, Indonesia. Harvested with traditional methods, it retains the nutrients naturally found in the nectar of the coconut blossom. A good source of calcium and iron, Indonesian coconut blossom sugar also has a GI value up to 10 points lower than raw sugar. With a unique depth of flavour and subtle caramel and butterscotch notes, Indonesian coconut blossom Sugar can also substitute for Jaggery or Gula Melaka.

Perfect for: • Porridge • Baked goods • Tea, coffee and cold drinks Sri Lankan rapadura sugar Sri Lankan rapadura sugar is an unrefined sugar from the Uva province in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan farmers simply harvest the cane and evaporate the water from the juice until it crystallises, meaning the sugar is truly unrefined. The molasses content in the cane juice gives this sugar its golden colour and delicate caramel flavour and means more of the natural nutrients remain.

Perfect for: • Traditional sweets like sago pudding and urunda • Recipes that call for jaggery or gula melaka • White and brown sugar substitute

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Mexican agave sugar Mexican Agave Sugar is created by drying the extracted juice of the agave plant that thrives in the warm deserts of Mexico. With an intense sweetness that is clean and lively, Mexican agave sugar dissolves easily and blends well with other ingredients.

Perfect for: • Recipes calling for caster or icing sugar • Baking, stirring in and sprinkling • Mexican sweets like churros, empanadas, cajeta or flan de queso French caster sugar To create delicate macaroons, exquisite petits fours, and luscious éclairs, French pastry chefs use finely sieved pure French caster sugar, or ‘sucre Semoule Tamisé.’ Unlike sugar grown in the southern hemisphere, French caster sugar is purified from the juice of the sugar beet, grown in the cool and temperate climate of eastern France. French caster sugar has a well-developed sweetness, with a light yet hedonistic note on the palate.

Perfect for: • French pastries • Recipes requiring a sugar to blend, melt, fold or whip easily Colombian panela ssugar With deep rum-like notes and an earthy finish, Colombian panela sugar brings a subtle but complex sweetness to any recipe. Farmers in Villeta, Cundinamarca province, harvest sugar cane and boil the juice to help it crystallise, as they have for centuries. Made by hand, Colombian panela retains more of the natural molasses content of sugar cane juice, and therefore more of the natural trace minerals and other nutrients.

Perfect for: • Recipes that call for raw or brown sugar • Tea and coffee • Cereal • Yoghurt Australian unrefined sugar Australian unrefined sugar is milled in Queensland, at the source where the sugar cane is grown. The balance of trace minerals, nutrients and flavours found naturally in sugar cane and molasses are retained. Subtle differences across crystal size and colour are a result of the sugar not being processed through a refinery, so every bag of Australian unrefined sugar is uniquely one of a kind. Dusky gold in colour, with a subtle syrup note and rounded flavour, Australian unrefined sugar has an earthy character and natural goodness.

Perfect for: • Recipes that call for white or raw sugar • Tea and coffee • Everyday baking and cooking Australian muscovado sugar Australian muscovado retains the dark colour and heady aroma from its natural molasses content, carrying robust notes of bittersweet toffee and treacle. It adds a luscious depth to baked goods, with its intensely decadent flavour and moist texture. With a fine crystal similar to caster sugar, Australian muscovado is made from cane sugar grown and milled in Queensland, Australia.

Perfect for: • Recipes that call for brown or dark brown sugar • Porridge • Glazes and marinades www.foodmag.com.au | Oct/Nov 2015 | Foodmagazine 35

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NEW PRODUCTS

Longitudinal rib conveyors Rydell has released Ammeraal Beltech LR Series longitudinal rib conveyor belting designed for conveyors requiring excellent grip. Products in several applications are transported via an inclined or declined conveyor where grip is of the utmost importance.

Key features include ultimate grip for steep incline/decline applications; high cover coefficient of friction; excellent abrasion resistance; good impact resistance; self-cleaning cover impression; and Ziplink versions

featuring quick pin splice technology.

The conveyor belts find use in applications involving packaging; incline/decline conveying; multipurpose conveying at distribution centres, post offices and airports; box, paper handling and processing; wood processing, cardboard, general handling and tyre industry; and general industrial applications.

Rydell (02) 9831 7300 www.rydell.com.au

Smart meat sorting machine

"Bag in Box" solutions Walls Machinery has been appointed an agent for Niverplast’s packaging equipment throughout Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

Niverplast are manufacturers of ‘Bag in Box’ packaging lines, including case erecting, bag inserting, product quality check, camera counting, bag sealing, box closing and palletising. Some machines in their range include the CombiPlast, EasyPlasy and VarioSeal.

The CombiPlast combines box erecting and bag inserting technology in one compact solution. Boxes are mechanically squared and bottom taped, and then a bag is inserted, providing a bag in a box ready to be filled with product.

The EasyPlast automatic bag inserter provides the latest bag inserter technology for boxes, crates and buckets.

Feeding prefabricated bags in the automatic bag inserter, these bags are placed perfectly tight into pre-erected boxes, crates or buckets. This delivers a product carrier with a bag ready to be filled with product.

The VarioSeal is a multifunctional machine which seals filled bags inside the product carrier. It can even apply a vacuum to the bag to protect products even more. Thanks to the complete automatic adjustments, it can handle a large range of box or crate dimensions. It can also be executed as a VarioFold machine which folds the bag in the box instead of sealing it.

Niverplast develops innovative film concepts to protect and transport a wide range of products. The operations are concentrated on the internal logistical process.

Walls Machinery 1800 500 436 www.wallsmachinery.com.au 36 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2015 | www.foodmag.com.au

Tomra Sorting Food, represented locally by Heat and Control, designed its meat sorting machine for meats such as bacon bits, beef jerky and individually quick frozen (IQF) meat, which are often used in salads and other dishes, or as food toppings.

The Nimbus meat sorter can detect and reject foreign material including bones, plastics, wood, aluminium, paper, metal pieces and burnt pieces. Its Smart Sort module helps the operator set parameters by analysing the incoming meat products. It automatically provides a program set up in a simple and timely manner. Subsequently the operator can adjust the program, set by the Smart Sort module, to adapt the changing sorting criteria if necessary.

The machine uses a feed shaker, over which the product is spread uniformly, so a single layer progresses onto the free-fall chute. It then falls towards the inspection zone and is spread out by gravitation where it is scanned by lasers.

Heat and Control 07 3877 6333 www.heatandcontrol.com.au

High lift reversible drum vac Exair’s high lift reversible drum vac is recommended for the recovery of fluids such as coolant, hydraulic oils, sludge and chips, waste water, tramp oil and liquid spills. It has been engineered to recover liquids found within below grade sumps, wells, underground tanks, pits and drains with up to 4.6 metres of lift. The unit’s powerful vacuum can fill a 205 litre drum in just 85 seconds from 4.6 metres and, with the turn of a knob, the same stainless steel pump can quickly empty the drum.

Since it is powered by compressed air, it has no electric motor to wear out and has no impellers to clog. In fact, it

has no moving parts, assuring maintenance free operation. It is designed for continuous and heavy duty applications where electric vacuums fail, and can also be used for lighter duty applications.

Available from Compressed Air Australia, the CE compliant high lift reversible drum vac attaches quickly to any closed head 205 litre drum.

Systems include the two-way pump assembly, 3 metre flexible vacuum hose with 90 degree quick release elbow connection and one aluminium wand.

Deluxe systems add a drum dolly, heavy duty aluminium tools and tool holder.

Compressed Air Australia 1300 787 688 www.caasafety.com.au

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ADVERTORIAL

The road to productivity is paved with data

I

t seems a truism, but it’s still worth repeating every now and then: good decisions need to be based on accurate information.

In many situations, and certainly within the walls of a factory, if you can’t measure performance, you’ve little hope of improving it. As the athlete prepares to take on the best in their discipline by logging and comparing training sessions, a modern manufacturer will log and compare plant inputs, outputs and everything happening around them.

Since the late 1980s, Wonderware has been a go-to set of software solutions to help industrial businesses – in a broad collection of sectors (including food and beverage, chemical processing, oil and gas and more) – measure and improve performance.

Locally, Wonderware Australia has been the go-to solution provider for Wonderware for over two decades. It is backed by the Schneider Electric (which acquired Invensys and Wonderware in 2014) and offers assistance including in product selection, training, consultation and tech support.

Sometimes referred to as the world’s favourite Industrial Automation Software, Wonderware takes care of the two fundamental information flows in production, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and Enterprise Manufacturing Intelligence (EMI).

Having both performing optimally will mean that real-time data is at hand for every production operation in a plant – transforming business objectives into operational commands – while EMI

collects manufacturing data, presents this and helps you visualise what it means for the whole business.

A recent example where measuring production and performance was able to guide a company to vast improvements – even steering it away from the brink of failure – was a local sweets manufacturer.

Five years ago the Sydney-based confectionery factory saw its KPIs fall behind the standards both within the company globally and against the FMCG industry.

Partnering with Wonderware Australia, it implemented software to collect, aggregate and visualise KPIs from around the plant.

Mixing and batch reporting did not identify a production bottleneck, but when attention was turned to the packaging line, the data showed that improvement (and better data collection – due to legacy PLCs) was needed.

After screen displays providing accurate data visualisation were

installed, a 3 per cent saving was realised in six months, and a payback period in four weeks.

This was followed by making the data accessible remotely via web portal, followed by operations staff being able to make necessary improvements as information was presented. Savings led to capital expenditure on packing halls and new product lines, backed up by Wonderware data justifying the expected ROI. Further gains were realised in minimising energy and water use through integrating the Building Management System into the Wonderware system. The enhancements have seen a 50 per cent decline in water usage, reductions in scrap, and more done with less. Data and visualisation have been essential, and the incremental, cumulative improvements continue.

Five years later, the factory continues

to evolve, adding plant and equipment and basing all investments on robust, quantitative data.

It began, and continues, with accurate information, enabled by software.

For more on running your plant more effectively through industrial software, click here.

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NEW PRODUCTS

Narrow aisle electric forklifts Toyota Material Handling Australia (TMHA) has introduced a range of narrow aisle battery-electric reach forklift trucks that are designed to provide safe, reliable and comfortable operation for a range of applications.

The 8FBRE Series models add to Toyota’s range of 8-Series counterbalance battery-electric and internal combustion engine forklifts. Lifting capacities range from 1.2 to 1.6 tonnes with a maximum lift height of 8.5 metres.

TMHA national sales and product manager Jim Lobow said the new 8FBRE Series reach trucks provide a versatile

option for companies looking for a simple, practical reach forklift that gets the job done safely and efficiently.

“All fork movements are made via easyto-use fingertip control levers, the pedal layout is similar to what you’d find in a car, and the electronically controlled 180 degree or 360 degree steering provides easy and precise manoeuvrability, he said.”

He said another key advantage of the new 8FBRE Series reach forklift is the degree of adjustability and customisation available to operators.

“The seat and steering console are fully adjustable by the operator, and the

height of the cab floor can also be adjusted to three different positions if required,” he said.

As with all Toyota forklifts, the new 8FBRE Series includes a number of important safety features as standard, including PIN-code start-up, automatic parking brake, clear view mast and overhead guard, tilting forks (available as an option) emergency cut-off and electronic speed control, he said.

Toyota Material Handling 1800 425 438 www.toyotamaterialhandling.com.au

Food-grade elastic belts RAPPLON food-grade elastic belts have been designed specifically for food processing and packaging applications. Made from homogeneous plastic (no fabric fraying risk) and easy to clean, they meet food grade standards EC 1935/2004, EU 10/2011 and FDA. The Rapplon UU N16 SP5 Q FG belt is particularly suited to the needs of small conveyors such as finger spreaders. The combination of polyurethane and a profiled conveying side make the belts ideal for carrying a wide range of fresh sticky doughs, and their excellent release properties have already been demonstrated in real-time use by many customers.

The belts are intended to deliver perfectly balanced, optimal belt tension and good dough release properties, even with several different types of dough on the production line.

They do not require an extensive take-up system, thanks to their wide elongation range. Their applied tension levels at installation remain stable over their entire service life, so they are maintenance-free.

The unique QuickSplice joining system is intended to deliver accurate and effective splicing, so that food production personnel can themselves easily and quickly remove and replace belts without the need for

Sealing system for food pouches EFFYTEC has transformed the sealing of food pouches with their patented Quatro sealing system for stand up pouches on their range of horizontal pouch machines.

Using traditional sealing methods, the pouch is sealed via three different sealing stations including the gusset that is sealed once, the upper side seals that are sealed twice and lower side seals that are sealed three times.

This new solution involves inserting either an inverted ‘T’ sealer or a ‘U’ sealer, depending on the pouch shape, that hits all seals four times. According to the company, this ensures a higher quality seal. This avoids product leakages allowing for following processes of retort or pasteurisation, which makes it an ideal solution for pre-made food pouches.

The patented electro heater uses sealing plates instead of bars. An elec-

trode heater is sandwiched between the sealing plates and its platen style design ensures optimum heat dispersion. The machines can achieve higher speeds due to the parallel sealing operation and changeover only requires replacement of the plates not the heater thereby minimizing downtime.

HBM Packaging Technologies 02 8814 3100 www.hbm.com.au

38 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2015 | www.foodmag.com.au

outside fitters. As a result, production downtime is reduced and belt life is extended.

Rydell Industrial (Belting) Co 02 9831 7300 www.rydell.com.au

Safety fuses for food makers

Protect-Air HoseGuard Safety Fuses offer simple and efficient protection to pneumatic systems in the event of a broken compressed air hose or pipe.

Distributed by Compressed Air Australia, HoseGuard Safety Fuses are available in aluminium and, on special order, 316L stainless steel, and are suitable for any application where compressed air is used: • Manufacturing Facilities • Machinery Hire • Trade Show Venues • Clean Rooms • Off- and On-Shore

HoseGuard Safety Fuses for Compressed Air Systems meet OSHA and MSHA requirements, and are CE compliant to help managers comply with Workplace Health and Safety Act directives.

When failure of a hose assembly or plastic piping constitutes a whiplash hazard, HoseGuard Safety Fuses can be restrained or shielded by suitable means.

Compressed Air Australia www.caasafety.com.au 1300 787 688

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NEW PRODUCTS

Heavy duty ergonomic washdown gun THE RB35 is the lightweight sister of the RB65 Ergonomic washdown gun but is made almost entirely from tough industrial grade plastic. It has taken three years of research, testing, and design work to produce.

The washdown gun offers the same robust, shock resistant design as the RB65 but it has the advantage of being considerably lighter. Combined with its advanced, ergonomic design and swivel inlet, it is designed to be easier for cleaning staff to operate for longer periods without fatigue or muscle strain.

Weighing only 440 grams, less than half the weight of existing washdown guns, it is particularly user-friendly for female cleaning staff.

The washdown gun is completely sealed which prevents dirt penetration and stagnation, making it hygienic for use in all types of food industry applications.

Three versions are available offering a choice of 50°C or 80°C maximum temperature rating as well as a version with ½” BSP threaded outlet for attaching wash down or foaming lances to. It is ideal for use with hot water as it has no

exposed metal parts and the trigger is constructed of heavy duty plastic, improving workplace safety.

The washdown gun’s plastic housing is non-stainable and includes three silicone protection rings to render it shockproof. It offers chemical compatibility, made possible by the use of special purpose materials in the manufacturing of seals and other internal components.

Tecpro 02 9634 3370 www.tecpro.com.au

Thermostat range for food makers AUTOMATED Control and West Control Solutions introduce the CAL thermostat range.

Simple panel clamp design ensures quick installation and an easy to configure menu helps to shorten commissioning time. The thermostats have a large clear display that consists of 12.5mm digits, providing excellent Fvisibility.

D 1 0 1The 5 _ET2011 0 0 0 _ E 1 is F anPeasily

programmable standard thermostat for PID heating control. Incorporating an integral timer, four digit display and a range of sensor inputs, the ET2011 offers automatic self-tuning calculation of PID parameters while providing the flexibility to configure output relays for either alarm or control functions.

2The 0 1thermostats 5 - 0 8 - offer 2 5 T 1 : 4for 6 : an1output

defrost or fan control in addition to an option for an external digital input to trigger defrost.

With a real time clock, these devices support different energy saving and defrost cycles such as compressor shutdown, electric defrost or heat generation defrost. An RS485 option is available to provide remote 4monitoring 8 + 1 0 :and 0 reporting 0 if required.

Automated Control 02 4722 4568 www.automatedcontrol.com.au

T

www.foodmag.com.au | Oct/Nov 2015 | Foodmagazine 39

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NEW PRODUCTS

Versatile HMI for food manufacturers ROCKWELL Automation has released its new AllenBradley PanelView Plus 7 Performance graphic terminal to simplify and streamline visualisation in large, complex applications including food manufacturing.

The Performance model has six screen-size options, including a new 19-inch option – the largest to date from Rockwell Automation. The 19-inch screen offers machine builders and end users more display area on which they can design, control and monitor large applications. The Performance model also includes new keypad options to complement the terminal’s standard touch screen.

While the Standard model supports applications with up to 25 screens and 200 alarms, the Performance model supports applications much larger in size and complexity.

With the addition of an embedded Ethernet switch and two Ethernet ports, the PanelView Plus 7 Performance terminal can support a device level ring (DLR) topology for single-fault resiliency.

Remote desktop services enable a plant manager, maintenance technician or support provider to securely access the HMI from a remote location to troubleshoot a problem, walk through setup procedures, review alarming and more. In addition, plant operators can monitor HMI data within the plant using a tablet, smartphone or other mobile device.

With video playback support, machine builders and end users can now incorporate helpful videos into the terminal to support operator training and troubleshooting. Microsoft Office viewers and Internet Explorer

support give operators instantaneous access to networkbased Office files and HTML pages, such as standard operating procedures, directly from the terminal.

Rockwell Automation (03) 9757 1111 www.rockwellautomation.com

Rugged hygienic grade PC panel ADLINK Technology has announced its new panel PC, the MLC 4-21, equipped with 4th generation Intel Core i7/i5 processor.

The MLC 4-21 is completely fanless and the fully sealed housing without grooves or joints has only flat surfaces to ensure fast, easy and effective cleaning.

The MLC 4-21 offers a 21.5” capacitive touchscreen with Full HD resolution (1920x1080) with anti-glare coating for enhanced viewing capability.

Using multi touch gesture control is supported, even when wearing protective gloves. The fully-sealed aluminum housing protects against dust and liquid intrusion during the normal operation in the patient care or operating room, it also allows the use of all commonly used disinfectants and cleaning agents.

In contrast to standard PCs, the MLC 4-21’s sealed, gap-free flat surface housing and fanless design prevents accumulation of microbes to maintain the hygienic conditions.

Standard interfaces include two USB 2.0, two USB 3.0, and audio ports.

to detect an object as small as 1mm, whilst the shortest range unit can detect an item as small as 0.3mm.

The high-brightness 4-element red LED provides strong light emission stability over a long period of time while at the same time making sensor alignment an easy task.

All models are rated to IP67 for use in process lines where water is used or splashed and rust resistant stainless steel sensor mounting brackets and screws are also available.

The igus e-skin and e-shell offer new options for affordable and flexible cable guiding, to make moving energy easier.

Corrugated hoses are lightweight, versatile and can guide energy, media and data at very low costs. They are used in a variety of applications, particularly where the demands on the energy supply system are not high. The e-skin is a compact, simple to open hose for unsupported lengths. Consisting of an upper and lower shell, the e-skin can simply be clipped together and opened for easy maintenance and inspection of the cables, with igus providing an additional tool for ease. As it is abrasion resistant, dust proof and waterproof, it can also be used in clean room environments. Due to its oval design it allows more space, and the cables can be guided in carefully using interior separation modules.

The e-shell offers existing corrugated hose systems a clearer movement with the new snap on design. The clip is simply attached to the corrugated hose, so that it can be filled at the topside of the joints. It has self-supporting capabilities, and is stabilised so that it can only be moved in one direction. Due to the defined minimum bending radius, the e-shell reliably protects the cables.

Control Logic (02) 9890 1120 www.control-logic.com.au

Treotham Automation 02 9907 1788 www.treotham.com.au

Adlink Technology www.adlinktech.com

Photoelective sensors for tight places CONTROL Logic has released the new Panasonic EX-Z range of Thrubeam Ultra-miniature photoelectric sensors.

The new sensors are small enough to consider using in applications where previously, fibre optic sensors were the only option. These units have the added advantage that the sensor and amplifier are fully self-contained in one small package.

The EX-Z sensors are available in two body styles, front or side sensing and three different models with ranges of 50, 200 and 500mm.

Due to the built in slit mask, the longest range model has the ability 40 Foodmagazine | Oct/Nov 2015 | www.foodmag.com.au

Protective cable coatings for industrial control

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NEW PRODUCTS

Online vibration monitoring technology A compact, robust and easily installed online measuring system is being introduced by Schaeffler Australia for the continuous real-time monitoring of plant, machinery and process parameters to enhance equipment reliability and efficiency while avoiding costly breakdowns.

FAG SmartCheck vibration monitoring technology comprises an innovative, modular online measuring system for continuous monitoring on a decentralised basis to optimise productivity and overall process management. It can be used on assemblies where such monitoring was previously cost prohibitive.

The intuitively operated and expandable technology is suitable for early detection of rolling bearing

damage, imbalances, and misalignments, among other faults, on diverse machinery and plant.

Machinery to which it applies includes electric and geared motors, gearboxes and compressors, vacuum and fluid pumps, ventilators and fans, spindles and machine tools, separators and decanters and vibrating screens.

The system can be expanded on a modular basis at any time. Where requirements change, retrofitting can also be carried out at any time.

Schaeffler Australia 02 8977 1058 www.schaeffler.com.au

Pump & HVAC controller range The Modicon M171 controller series is at the centre of Schneider Electric’s comprehensive offering of solutions for HVAC and pumping applications, focused on building automation.

The controller can be either DIN rail or wall-mounted and is equipped with up to 27 integrated inputs and outputs, having different combinations of discrete and analogue inputs and outputs, depending upon the type. Additional Modicon M171 controllers can also be networked.

The controller is supported by ready-

to-use architectures and application function blocks (AFB), which can be managed in just one intuitive software environment.

The AFBs reduce energy consumption and help to improve system efficiency.

These allow the controller to connect to a wide range of automation and instrument components, as well as providing access to the internet for remote reporting and retrieval of system data.

This is achieved by docking appropriate communication modules onto the controller.

Depending on the type, these modules can communicate via Ethernet (Modbus TCP, BACnet/IP, HTML5), BACnet MS/ TP, Modbus SL, Profibus, or LONwork.

The Modicon M171 optimised class offers a more streamlined unit, free of superfluous and expensive extra functionalities, for users who want to develop simple to moderately complex solutions without requirements for BMS architecture integration. A Modbus SL or LAN expansion bus interface is integrated into the controller to allow setup of a simple communication network.

Schneider Electric 1300 369 233 www.schneider-electric.com.au

Roller door opener WEATHERDRIVE, a roller door opener from Merlin offers enhanced weather protection and energy efficiency, as well as product design and safety features.

Compliant with Australian and New Zealand standard AS/NZS 60335-2-95, the product has IP34 (Ingress Protection Rating) rated housing.

This measures the level of protection that electrical appliances provide against the intrusion of solid objects, dust, water and accidental contact. In comparison, most comparable products currently have a rating of IP24.

Design is also a key consideration for Merlin’s research and development team. The slim model can be installed in a variety of shed types; requiring a minimum side clearance of only 40 millimetres. The roller door opener has extensive safety features including nine ultra-bright LED lights fitted in the opener to ensure visibility at all times, and a dual speed facility for greater performance and control. The automatic safety reverse function also means the door will stop automatically if obstructed.

In addition to being compliant with Australian standards, it offers a host of security features including an E lock system which allows users to lock the control panel buttons.

Merlin 1800 638 234 www.gomerlin.com.au

Spray head range THE re-designed Turbodisc range, available from Tecpro Australia, has several changes, aimed at improving efficiency, performance and long-term reliability.

The tank washers are suitable for small and medium process vessels, reactors, driers, granulators, storage tanks, tablet coating machines and IBCs. Constructed with high precision, they contain only one moving part which rotates freely on a hydraulic bearing to produce a dense spray of fast moving droplets.

The range has a sleek design and improved backwash action that minimises

wash pattern interference and ensures purity and an ultra-hygienic clean by allowing no product to settle on the cleaning head.

There is a wide choice of models in 316, 316L stainless steel and Hastelloy C22, and is also available in chemical resistant, ATEX Certified carbon filled PTFE. With only one moving part, wear and tear is negligible and no replacement parts are necessary.

Tecpro 1800 832 776 www.tecpro.com.au

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ON THE SHELF

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 - Little Spoon Pomegranate Sorbet A tasty alternative to ice cream, ALDI’s Little Spoon range is now available in Pomegranate Sorbet. With few others like it in the market, Little Spoon is available exclusively in ALDI’s freezer aisles.

Manufacturer: Entyce Food Ingredients Shelf life: 9 months Packaging: Packaged in four individual cardboard tubs with plastic lids inside a cardboard outer box Website: www.aldi.com.au

4 - SumoSalad Cold Pressed Juice Unlike many other bottled juices, Sumo’s juices are cold pressed to retain the natural minerals and enzymes in the fruit and veggies.

Manufacturer: SumoSalad Shelf life: 90 Days - It stays fresh for a number of days because the bottles have been through a high pressure machine to extend shelf life.

Packaging: Plastic bottle Website: www.sumosalad.com

2 - Beak & Sons Gourmet Tuscan Pork Sausages Gluten Free

3 - Yummy & sweet goodies from CTC Australia

Beak & Sons has released their new gourmet range of sausages; adding a luxury twist to a gluten free product. The gourmet range introduces three new recipes including: chicken and mushroom; tuscan pork and traditional beef.

Manufacturer: Beak & Sons Shelf life: 14 days Packaging: Foam Trays Website: www.beakandsons.com.au

The new range consists of strawberry clouds, blueberry clouds, gummy bears, sour worms, sour cola bottles, sour party mix, fantasy belts, strawberry belts and mega snakes.

Manufacturer: CTC Australia Shelf life: 12 Months Packaging: Hang sell bags and display box Website: www.ctcaustralia.com/joojoos

5 - New gourmet Indian ready meals

by Yummy Karma

6 - Substation No. 41 Rum

Region-inspired Indian recipes, handcrafted using only the finest, natural ingredients - no artificial nasties, preservatives, GMOs or MSG. Locally made in NSW using 100 per cent Australian meat and fresh produce.

Manufacturer: Yummy Karma Shelf life: 12 months Packaging: Cardbord box with inner tray Website: www.yummykarma.com

Made in Australia, Substation No. 41 Rum is a golden dark rum aged for a minimum of two years in oak barrels. The result is a discerning, premium rum excellent for sipping neat, mixed with Ginger Beer, or as a versatile cocktail ingredient.

Manufacturer: Substation No. 41 Shelf life: No expiry date if left unopened Packaging: 700ml bottle Website: www.danmurphys.com.au

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