Meal kits use a direct-to-consumer model of delivering perishable, pre-measured ingredients for pre-selected recipes that are then used to prepare and cook meals at home. Meal kits are likely to contain a variety of foods that may grow or be contaminated by pathogenic bacteria. Meal kit manufacturers also often repackage ingredients into plain or branded packaging, which can result in the consumption of unexpected ingredients or allergens.

Biotech group Novozymes is making the change from classic filtration of its industrial enzyme liquids to a raslysation system from Danish company Lyras, which inactivates microbial contaminants in liquid foods using ultraviolet (UV) technology. Raslysation can be used as a substitute for the pasteurization of foods such as brine, whey, juice, iced tea, and many other liquids.  

Two reports by the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) have advised the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA’s FSIS) on microbial testing of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods and the safety of recycled water in food production, respectively.

Food processing facilities experience many different changeovers. Rapid changeover, or Single-Minute Exchange of Die, can be beneficial to increasing efficiencies in a food processing facility. Reduction in downgrade or defects and an increase in employee communication and morale are several benefits of a well-oiled changeover process.

The Petrochem Group, a major distributor in Ireland, has built a relationship with Bürkert to deliver valves and instrumentation components for the dairy sector with optimum performance and value.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has determined the food safety of plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) when produced by a recycling process called Poly Recycling for use in food contact materials.

BASF SE and StePac Ltd. have joined forces to create the next generation of sustainable packaging specifically for the fresh produce sector, using chemically recycled plastics.

Failure to plan, design, implement and upkeep good Safety Management Systems (FSMSs)along with a strong, positive food safety culture often leads to compromised food safety and subsequent foodborne illness outbreaks at food processing organizations. This phenomenon is observed with a much higher incidence in medium-and small-sized food companies. In this article, ice cream listeriosis outbreak case studies provide context for the importance of PRPs, GMPs, and process control in preventing foodborne illness outbreaks.

A high level of commitment and resources is needed in the pursuit of clean packaging. This article covers the background of the issue, addresses why action is needed now, and uses per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and phthalates as examples of the complexities. It also covers recommendations for brands and packaging converters.

After conducting a study on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) oversight of substances used in food contact materials, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommended that FDA request certain authorities from Congress in order to adequately review the safety of such substances.