When fresh sausage and bratwurst manufacturer Johnsonville Sausage was looking for an X-ray inspection system for its wrapped trays of bratwurst, it developed a plan for an in-house, side-by-side comparison between several different pieces of equipment. The goal was to find an inspection system that would allow operators to know which, if any, bratwurst of the five in a package had a contaminant, providing an opportunity to pull the rejected product out, repack the tray and re-inspect without affecting production.
With more than 55 production facilities on six continents, McCain Foods in Florenceville, NB, is the world's largest manufacturer of frozen French fries, selling its products in more than 110 countries. Production quantities are measured in tons per hour, yet quality is paramount.
In collaboration with label producer Smyth Companies, Outlast Technologies, Inc. has developed a new temperature-buffering label called the Cold Wrap. This new label deflects heat from consumers' hands to keep beverages colder, longer.
As food processors offer more healthy fare, Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A., Inc., Coral Gables, FL, introduced its line of microwavable vegetables as a convenient way to serve steamed vegetables. The vegetables are packed in 5-oz. and 6-oz. single-serving trays as well as a 12-oz. family-size microwavable tray from Cryovac Food Packaging, Duncan, SC, that allows the vegetables to be steam cooked.
After determining that safety, ease of use, and convenient storage were the top priorities for its customers, privately owned food service company Basic American Foods asked York, PA-based Graham Packaging Company to design an innovative plastic can for its WHIPP brand of potato granules, an instant mashed potato product for high-volume food service operations.
In a switch to PET from glass offering "choosy Moms" a portable healthy snack, the J.M. Smucker Co. introduced its creamy Jif To Go peanut butter spread in 2.25-oz., single-serve cups for snacking on the go. Serving suggestions include using the portion-controlled peanut butter as a healthy dip for such items as apples and pretzels.
Amcor PET Packaging introduced a family of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers called the QuadPlus and QuadMax3 that are said to offer improved strength for hot-fill beverage applications.
RPC Bebo UK launched a new range of convenient food packs manufactured from biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA), a corn-based polymer made by US-based NatureWorks LLC.
Innovation abounds in the beverage packaging sector where competition among brands in all beverage categories is so fierce that packaging must play a major marketing and selling role. This was evident in the 2006 DuPont Awards Competition where an aseptic transparent stand-up pouch and a beer can with a thermal barrier shared the top Diamond Award.
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