8 INDUSTRY NEWS
Pulp Paper & Logistics
Corrugated packaging keeps produce fresher than plastics
C
orrugated packaging used for fruit and vegetables outperforms returnable plastics crates (RPCs),
with lower micro-biological contamination. Corrugated trays keep fruit fresh for up to three days longer, according to a recent study. The study led by Professor
Rosalba Lanciotti and her research team at the University of Bologna’s Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences revealed that microorganisms died more quickly when placed on corrugated surfaces. The research showed that microorganisms survive longer on the plastics surfaces whereas with corrugated packaging, they get trapped in the paper fibres and die due to the lack of water and nutrients. The study looked at both
pathogenic microorganisms that
microbial cells feed on to survive and grow. The test was conducted with both packaging materials under the same environmental conditions, with both stored correctly. Jan Gramsma, market and
could cause foodborne disease, and spoiling microorganisms that could affect shelf-life and the quality of fruit. After both corrugated and plastics surfaces were inoculated, the cell loads of the microorganisms were checked over time. In contrast, the scanning electron microscope images
of plastics showed smooth, continuous surfaces unable to trap microorganisms. However, the presence of tiny cuts and scratches on the surface of the RPCs can favour microorganism proliferation. These marks from damaged and worn plastics are difficult to clean in an industrial process: they can easily fill with organic matter that
environment director at the European Corrugated Packaging Association (FEFCO), said the findings added to the growing weight of scientific research showing how corrugated keeps fruits and vegetables fresher for longer. “The study shows the unique capability of corrugated to trap microbial cells gives it a clear superiority when it comes to ensuring produce keeps its shape, feel and taste,” he said. “The findings confirm the result of the previous test: cross-contamination is much more likely to happen in RPCs.”
Bryan Donkin: the father of the paper making machine Book review
The Fourdrinier brothers, who ran a stationery business in London at the turn of the 19th century, are commonly attributed with developing the continuous paper making machine. But their efforts at perfecting a device smuggled from France during the Napoleonic wars were a failure. The first successful paper making machine was produced by Bryan Donkin, a British engineer who was asked to take ideas in the Fourdrinier machine and used them as the basis of a mill at Frogmore in Hertfordshire in the
September/October 2016
UK in 1809. This prototype was used to evolve more versatile and commercially practical machines over the next four decades. For Donkin, paper machines
were just one of a range of engineering successes that included the development of steel pens, producing precision instruments and making a business of developing and selling the first canned foods. His remarkable life is detailed in a new biography by Maureen Greenland and Russ Day, who cover Donkin’s early life in
Northumberland and how he contributed his intuitive expertise to practical problems with steam, water and precise measurement. He was trusted by Smeaton, Telford and the Brunels (Marc and son Isambard), advising on their grand schemes, and even helped Charles Babbage with his calculating machine. ‘Bryan Donkin, The Very Civil Engineer 1768-1855’ (322p softback) is published by Phillimore and costs £25. More details at www.
phillimorebookpublishing.com
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