IKEA with mushrooms environmentally friendly packaging materials instead of polystyrene

Minister of Sustainable Development, UK IKEA Joanna Yarrow said that as a flat-pack furniture retailer, IKEA is considering using biodegradable "mushroom packaging materials" to reduce waste of resources, promote recycling. ,

Joanna said: "We are looking for innovative material to replace the existing packaging materials, such as the use of such material fungus mycelium alternative to polystyrene."

Mycelium by a large number of tubular hyphae slender structure, rooted in the soil of the mycorrhizal.

US Ecovative company let mycelium corn stover, corn bran and other agricultural waste clean around the growth of this fungus breed product called "mushroom packaging material".

Just a few days, fungi on fiber wound around the waste, solid and strong, followed by drying to prevent fungal growth to continue.

Ms. Yarrow said IKEA is considering the introduction of mycelium packaging materials, because "many products are used by the polystyrene packing material, but this material is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to be reused."

Polystyrene materials require thousands of years to degrade, degradation program mycelium material simple, just throw them in the garden, they can naturally degrade within a few weeks.
Source: Internet

How to effectively reduce the damage rate of packaging bags under low temperature environment

Soft plastic food packaging products less prone to deterioration in a cold environment, the shelf life can be relatively extended because of the low temperatures inhibit the reproduction and growth and the probability of food nutrients not easily oxidized, so there are moldy, rancidity and other issues of food microorganisms generally lower [ 1,2]. However, a low temperature environment has also brought side effects, reducing the probability of deterioration of the product occurs at the same time, the product will in the transportation, storage and sales process of packaging and sealing integrity of adverse effects. For example, in the production line of frozen dumplings bag rupture phenomenon does not appear, but after after frozen storage bag or seal rupture phenomenon. How to make a low temperature environment, the appropriate choice of packaging materials or packaging materials to improve performance, reduce product breakage rate in a cold environment, food companies are troubled by problems of quality.

At low temperatures, the soft polymer plastic materials have increased brittleness tendency, prone to embrittlement phenomenon. Because at low temperatures, soft plastic packaging segment corresponding molecular mobility of the polymer material to reduce the internal deformation under loads decreased, diminished capacity to resist impact, causing soft plastic packaging reduces flexibility, fragility, namely packaging material flexibility and impact resistance at low temperatures deteriorates, resulting in intolerance external shocks occurred broken bags, leak, etc. breakage. In order to improve the soft plastic packaging material at a low temperature embrittlement is not easy, you need to feed their inner join toughening additive such as, but exactly how cold, can withstand low temperatures, cold resistance should be verified by testing.

Is obtained by pendulum impact resistance at a relatively low temperature and the standard ambient conditions (mostly minus 18 ℃) under the test could, as cold is not less than a certain fixed percentage ratio (for example BOPA / LDPE composite film cold required not less than 60%), then the packaging material at low mechanical strength obvious physical deterioration does not occur, as the lower the ratio, the worse the material described cold.

First, the test method and apparatus

1. Test equipment

FIT-01 Film Impact Tester (Labthink blue light): According to the principle of conservation of energy research and development. Semicircular instrument punch at a certain speed and impact through the membrane specimen, according to the energy consumed by the punch, and thus anti-pendulum impact evaluation capability of the film.

Impact energy equipment have 1J, 2J, 3J three ranges, and can be extended to 5J, a resolution of 0.01 J; punch diameter divided Φ25.4mm, Φ19mm, Φ12.7mm are three sample clip mouth diameter Φ89mm, Φ60mm two kinds; and pneumatically clamping the specimen. In addition the device can be used for precise determination of material plastic film, sheet, composite film, foil and other anti-pendulum impact energy, but also for paper, cardboard and other anti-pendulum impact energy test smoke Metallized paper bag, Tetra Pak paper packaging plastic composite film.

Figure 1FIT-01 film impact tester

2. test procedure

Anti-pendulum impact test method to be tested in the cold can reference GB8809 "plastic film anti-pendulum impact test method."

(1) cutout

Respectively, from No. 1, No. 2 specimen surface and cut 10cm × 10cm sample each 20, and placed in 23 ± 2 ℃, at least 4h at 45% ~ 55% RH environment.

(2) Thickness

Thickness of the sample were tested No.1 2. The center position of the test specimen of each point, the thickness of the two samples were collected from 20 samples the arithmetic mean of the test results.

(3) low temperature

The two samples from each of 10 randomly-cut sample into -18 ℃ low temperature environment 2h.

(4) Equipment Calibration

Selection of appropriate diameter punch and impact range, so that the test results of the sample between 10% to 90% range is selected. The test selected diameter Φ12.7mm punch, sample jaws diameter Φ89mm, the impact of the range of 3J. In accordance with the requirements of the equipment calibration.

(5) test specimens at room temperature

The specimen in the clamping device, depress the gas pedal, the clamp specimen. Click the Test option, punch down, impact of the sample, the device automatically displays the test results of the sample. This operation is repeated until the 1st, 10 samples Sample No. 2, without low temperature tests were completed.

(6) low temperature sample test

After the sample cold treatment is complete, remove, according to (5) of the step test.

Second, the results and discussion

Pendulum impact resistance of the film after -18 ℃ environment can be measured placed measured divided by the standard environmental conditions of the film anti-pendulum impact energy is cold, the unit is%.

After testing, the cold sample No. 1 was 85.4%, cold sample No. 2 was 95.2% .1 cold sample number was significantly lower than sample 2, which is a low temperature environment under the 1st sample flexibility have decreased big deterioration, brittleness increased significantly, significantly reduce the impact of packaging performance, tolerability impact, crush, drop a large degree of performance degradation and other destructive, and sample No. 2 in the low temperature flexibility than the change small, still maintain a high impact strength, which is caused by the cold northern regions 1 package of instant noodles sample breakage rate increase and an important reason for the 2nd instant noodle packaging is damaged samples showed no significant change.

Third, the summary

Cold is an important performance indicator soft plastic packaging materials, packaging materials, is the assessment of changes in the physical properties of flexibility at low temperatures, is an indicator of the product packaging should focus on low-temperature environment in circulation. By selecting the appropriate resin material to improve materials packaging materials processing, add the appropriate amount of the plasticizer, the choice of having a good low temperature resistance of packaging materials and other measures can effectively improve the cold bag to prevent bag breakage rate at a low temperature environment increase. Labthink has always been committed to providing professional and welcoming packaging testing equipment testing services to customers worldwide. Learn more information about the testing instruments, Labthink blue light and look forward to the industry enterprises and institutions to promote technology exchange and cooperation.
Source: Labthink

Intelligent packaging to open the door of food safety

With advances in technology, intelligence has become a blue ocean market development. As a sunrise industry, as long as the industry and smart detached have gained tremendous benefits. 4.0 With the advent of the industrial concept, food packaging is also gradually toward high-end, smart packaging began to enter people's vision, to say the smart packaging in which intelligent, most relating to food safety issues is, smart packaging can detect the quality of food, or authenticity, to protect the rights of consumers to the maximum extent, and product traceability function.

These special performance package just to meet the special requirements of goods and special environmental conditions, mainly refers to the use of the mechanical, electrical, electronic and chemical properties of packaging technology. Smart packaging market continues to expand at present, the domestic food safety situation is very grim, and has been to the extent imminent, so we urgent need to improve the intelligence from the packaging, to maximize the use of various means to ensure food safety. The intelligent packaging is of strong measures to ensure food safety, but also to be developed.

Smart packaging in developed countries has gained enough attention and development, while at home, smart packaging development and applications in various fields is still in its infancy. But he also pointed out that from another perspective, although our smart packaging applications are still lagging behind the developed countries, but our smart packaging market have broad margins wait mining.

To meet the delivery requirements and the need to reduce the cost of circulation process, the future of food packaging machinery requires the ability to perform high-speed production, while some products also require packaging machinery and production machinery of convergence, but also the use of continuous work or long work. Also, you must reduce the rejection rate and failure rate, so that normal productivity can be improved, the trend is to make packaging machinery further automation.

Usually only foreign temperature - time history identification (TTI), is the breeding of microorganisms in food packaging instruction marks (MGI), photochromic indicating identification, identification by the physical impact, leakage, microbial contamination identification, radio frequency tags (RFID) , DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is defined as smart packaging labels; and the modified atmosphere packaging, antimicrobial packaging, ethylene adsorption packaging, oxygen packaging, self-heating / self-cooling packaging, odor adsorption packaging, fragrance release packaging, moisture packaging is defined as a function of the packaging.

Source: China Food Machinery Network

Paper packaging advantages are obvious into mainstream food packaging

Data show: plastic used in food packaging plastics accounted for 1/4 of the total output, it can be said that the plastic used in food packaging appeared, there is waste generated. In supermarkets and shopping malls, many food packaging are made of plastic. Puffed food plastic inflatable packaging can be moisture, oxidation, protect flavor, blocking sunlight and prevent squeezed, but so much is packed in a tremendous waste of resources; and instant noodle packaging, plastic packaging is much more than paper bowl (or bucket) packaging, on the market or bottled bowl of instant noodles sales price is generally higher than with the quality of the sales price of 1/3 bags of instant noodles, but because of this convenience food packaging, especially when traveling, direct red after opening the hot water can be eaten, do not take other packing containers, so popular with consumers.

With the improvement of environmental protection requirements, consumers eliminate backward package is necessary. Improvement of plastic materials is imperative. Food market segments, you can try paper packaging paper, plastic waste and reduce environmental pollution, which is to the benefit of future generations.

Paper and packaging industry need to upgrade innovation

From the international market, to this year, global demand for corrugated boxes will be an annual growth rate of 3.4 percent up to 213 billion square meters. Moreover, where a large part of the growth will come from China, the global packaging is to usher in a "China era." However, the packaging industry is also facing many challenges, explore innovative models become inevitable. Reduce the environmental impact of packaging, increase the flexibility of the packaging process, improve packaging automation, improved ease of use packaging, improve packaging of integrated service package to multifunction and single polarization direction, these will become an important future direction of development corrugated packaging industry.

First, the transformation of innovation

The current companies are looking to transition through the packaging innovation, turn thinking, transfer method, transfer operations, turn the result. Maximizing process comprehensively promote the whole industry's packaging technology advances, leading the new trend of China's packaging, realize the value chain, the China Packaging a variety of ways to show to the world. One is looking for gaps in the industry, namely packaging waste recycling, reuse, such as the shared system tray; the second is to occupy the commanding heights of industry, namely the development and manufacture of low-carbon green packaging materials, such as foam stone paper; third is to Get industry commanding point, namely packaging services, such as integrated systems design, development, testing, certification, training and other services, to create high service platform packaging; Fourth, to promote innovation and technological progress packaging technology appliance industry. Transition way corrugated packaging industry are: from high emissions, high energy to low-emission, low-carbon transition; three functional packaging transition to international; packaging services to packaging integrated solutions transformation.

Second, management innovation

Packaging should focus on quality management and innovative ways to achieve customer satisfaction oriented. Study and implementation of advanced process control methods to manage the quality of the production process as soon as possible, and continuously improve product quality, enhance the competitiveness of enterprises. Customer demand for the center, the customer's needs into technical specifications for each stage of product development design, with the lowest cost, to achieve maximum customer satisfaction. A package quality problems usually lead to a number of quality cost factors. Quality cost analysis to do is to find out the relationship between quality and costs associated cost factors between the quality and packaging, and then determine the order and the specific response measures to eliminate quality problems.

Needless to say, the concept of reasonable package is to make the level of protection packaging, product affordability and logistics environment fit. In fact, most of the products are not required to ensure one hundred percent intact rate during transport, taking into account the relationship between performance and cost of protection is needed is a modest breakage rate. Moderate grasp this is a very difficult job. This job requires us to consider two questions: How technology to achieve, achieve cost is reasonable.

Third, the "green" innovation

The global economy and the industrial system is the rise in packaging revolution as a precursor of zero packaging, simplified packaging, green packaging conceived and implemented, green products and green packaging will become the new hot spot. The packaging industry should not only be concerned about the quality, performance and cost of packaging products, but also to be concerned about the environmental impact of packaging products and resource consumption. So, the only option for green packaging is the packaging industry sustainable development is only developing.

The rapid development of China's food industry, the paper packaging provides a broad space for development. The global appeal of the environment green packaging, paper packaging will usher in greater opportunities, green packaging will become the main trend of the future development of bakery products packaging industry, paper and wood, paper and plastic, paper and glass, paper and on behalf of the metal, it has become the consensus of sustainable development. Paper packaging has a more natural renewable raw materials and environmentally friendly recycling, full of development potential.

Source: China Packaging Machinery Network

The next five years, the printing and packaging market will 16.2 percent of the average annual growth rate of growth

With the change in population growth and consumption structure and consumption levels in most parts of the world and consumption increasingly high quality, and promote the stable development of the packaging market. Digital printing technology packaging printing is one of the industries today's printing industry in the minority maintained rapid growth momentum. According to authoritative international survey organization Smithers Peale Institute estimated that this year the industry's global market capitalization of about $ 10.5 billion.

Digital printing technology is increasingly in line with low-cost requirements of packaging products. In the next five years, the use of digital printing packaging printing market value will be 13.6 percent compound annual growth rate, market size will be 16.2 percent compound annual growth rate. Label digital printing market capitalization accounted for 80.5%, 93.5% of the market size, mainly used in cartons, corrugated board, flexible packaging, rigid plastic and metal decorative packaging, and the application rate is growing rapidly.

Source: Internet

A Brief History of 3D food printing technology

Past and Present 3D food printing technology

Speaking of past lives 3D food printer, it had to bring 3D printing technology. The first 3D printer in 1986 by the Massachusetts Institute of invention, since, 3D printing technology through rapid development, to be applied to all aspects of life.

In 2011, the application of 3D printing technology is extended to the field of food processing. British researchers have developed the world's first 3D chocolate printer, which is a 3D food printer prototype. After a start-up company has developed in Spain famous for the Foodini the 3D food printer, was formally perfect 3D food printer.

Chinese food in the 3D printing technology, but also to catch up. There is a company specializing in the production of a non-threshold chocolate 3D printer, it can allow everyone to become 3D printing gourmet chocolate. Next, they will develop with powdered sugar and as a raw material batter 3D food printer, make 3D food printer truly become a "21st century microwave oven."

How to print out food

To understand how the 3D cuisine is printed, you need to understand the operating principle of 3D food printer. Many people might ask, 3D food printer is not very complex, but high-tech ah.

In fact, the principle is based on 3D food printer 3D printing technology, but is replaced by the raw ingredients, and then the 3D printer is engineered to fit the food cooking. 3D food printer is developed on the basis of a 3D rapid prototyping printing technology on food manufacturing equipment. Equipment including food 3D printing systems, operation control platform and food capsules three parts. The printed materials in the food edible capsules, and then enter the machine recipe, press the on button, the nozzle will be formed by agglomerating technology, according to the pre-designed shape layers will produce a superimposed manner "print" out. 3D food printer can not only change the shape of personalized food, improve food quality, but also can freely mix, balanced nutrition.

3D food printer is how to do it? First, raw or cooked, fresh or frozen food minced, mixed, concentrated to a syrup, filling ingredients to the printer storage tanks. Like color printer ink cartridges, but this is not stored inside the ink, but the above ingredients thick paste; then, users according to their preferences, through the control panel design with personalized style or pick their favorite from a stored database shape, press the start button, the machine will follow the procedures to control the injection nozzle layers "Print" of food to.

All those delicious able to "print out"

3D food printer can print out what food it?

So far, you can print out successfully 30 different foods, there are six categories: candy (chocolate, marzipan, chewing gum, candy, jelly); baked goods (biscuits, cakes, desserts); snack products (potato piece, tasty snacks); fruit and vegetable products (various fruit purees, fruit juices, fruits and vegetables jelly or gel); meat (different sauce and meat products); dairy products (cheese or yogurt).

3D chocolate printer is now all 3D food printer, the fastest growing. The first to develop a 3D food printer is 3D chocolate printer, the United States and China have developed related products.

Pizza This "fight halogen Nang" is a favorite in the West have a cuisine, this year the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has decided to invest $ 125,000 authorized vendor developed 3D printers can print a pizza to improve astronauts' diet Level.

It works like this: the first layer of the first powder and paste into the dough, which is printed on the hot iron, so that you can immediately underlying Pisa barbecue; then, after mixing with the oil powder and tomato paste on pizza dough; last plus a layer of protein, Pizza so a 3D print on baked.

A child's favorite candy, 3D food printer can round lollipop child's dream. United States, a 3D printing company in 2014 launched the candy printer can support monochrome or color print candy. It not only can print a variety of shapes of candy, also supports chocolate, vanilla, mint, cherry, sour apple and watermelon flavors, very rich.

A 3D printer called "ChefJetPro" is the first commercial production of 3D food printer, it looks like an oven. In the internal tray placed a layer of dry sugar, then the printer nozzle will emit water, sugar and melted part of the dry shaping and carving, then these sugar will harden, like a bowl of sugar after wet harden as You can also choose to join the pigment in the water, so that you can print out the color of the candy.

3D food printing brings a new concept of healthy eating

The rapid development of 3D food printing technology, has given the food industry and catering industry has brought a revolution. Some people worry that 3D printing technology will let cook food unemployment. In fact, this is unfounded, compared to the traditional food manufacturing, 3D printing food can save a lot of trouble, but you really want to address the cooking, 3D printing technology has no meaning. In particular, to do better Chinese cuisine, 3D printer is more of a decoration. But for someone like KFC, Pizza Hut fast-food industry such or as home food aid equipment, 3D printing technology still has a lot of useless.

3D food printing technology can provide personalized diet for children, the elderly and people of different ages. As a German company introduced a "Smoothfood" of 3D printing food, which will be liquefied and condensed to produce a gum print out a variety of food, easy to chew and swallow, is likely to be elderly care industry innovator.

In addition, 3D food printing technology can also take advantage of new ingredients, such as algae, sugar beet leaves and insects these nutrients sustainable resource extraction, made of non-traditional foods, which may alleviate the problem of global food shortage.

The most important thing is food pleasant mood, and 3D food printer to meet the emotional needs of people. Thus passed through their hands warm design their favorite food styling, increased interest in life, children can also make a variety of animal shapes, make exclusive love cake lover, love elderly parents make nutritious meals, with 3D Food feelings.

Source: Internet

Restore the competitiveness of the European printing industry

Recently "German printers" magazine "Insider" - the International Federation of Printing and Related Industries (Intergraf) Secretary-General Ms Beatrice Klose's article, the disclosure of which European industry status quo printed some numbers. Intergraf 26 Printing Industry Association on behalf of 20 countries.

With the report figures on paper consumption, imports, exports and more content other describe the state of the printing industry. International Federation of the printing and related industries at March 17, 2015 meeting with the European Commission, also use this data in order by reducing the administrative agency personnel and maintain a fair competitive environment, so as to improve the competitiveness of the printing industry.

European printing paper demand in 2014 compared to 2013 decreased by 3%. Recently Paper consumption is about 30 million tons. The largest decline was super calendered SC paper (-5%) and newsprint (- 6.5%). Decline often associated with economic crisis. At present, the printing paper than before the economic crisis has reduced consumption by 25%.

China to nearly one billion euros to keep the main supplier status of the European printed products. This compared with 2000 quadrupled. More than 50% of the books are imported from China printed, followed by postcards and pictures of this. British imports most of the Chinese printing products (40% of the total). In the EU's largest supplier of printed matter, behind China, the United States, Switzerland and Hong Kong.

However, the market also has a positive side. With the decline in paper consumption, printing paper prices also decreased. Depending on the paper quality, paper prices in Germany fell between 4% and 7%. This trend continues in the first half of 2015.

2014 European printing industry showed positive foreign trade balance of 2.3 billion euros. To this end Germany's export value of 3.8 billion euros to contribute to the printed product, which contribute a third of non-EU countries. British export worth 3.2 billion euros following the German, 50% of printed matter to countries outside the EU exports. The main export partners are the EU, Switzerland, the United States, Norway and Russia.

Source: Internet

No ink is also printed, how is this going?

Regardless of printing inks are inseparable, it has become the stereotype of people, without ink printing technology will undoubtedly break this notion, if you really can be achieved, which will become a new printing technology. Information about the industry, there have been no ink printing technology, I recently checking the patent process, also found on "inkless printing equipment," the patent, so it had a strong interest.

"Inkless printing device" patent

July 27, 2011, the European Patent Office issued a number of "GB2477139 (A)" of "inkless printing device" patent, inventors of Great Britain WYRESCHRISTOPHERANTHONY, WALKERMARTINROBERT, JARVISANTHONYN, CRIDLANDJOHN. The patent inkless printing using a dry process, no toner, ink and other imaging material when printing images, but requires the use of specific substrates - the substrate on which to contain photosensitive coloring materials such as diacetylene and the like, When these light-sensitive coloring material is exposed to an appropriate energy source (such as a laser) below, it is easy to change the color. In order to print the desired image, should be allowed to direct exposure to the laser beam selectively to different areas of the substrate, so that the substrate changes from colorless to produce any hue.

As the substrate printing materials include coloring substrate layer and a photosensitive layer. Sensitive coloring layer may be incorporated into the diacetylene materials infrared (IR) spectrum / near-infrared (NIR) spectral absorption material, or material is placed in the diacetylene infrared (IR) spectrum / near-infrared (NIR) spectral absorption material above.

Inkless printer core components

The inkless printer core component of the substrate marking device, which consists of a radiation source and a control system, as shown.

Board mark means working schematic

This device comprises three printheads (i.e., the print head 1, the print head 2 and printhead 3), each print head is a radiation source for emitting radiation of different wavelengths. Wherein the print head 1 and the printing head 3 by an infrared (IR) radiation / near-infrared (NIR) radiation emitter arrays, it may also be composed of a thermal print head contact, providing a first wavelength of radiation. Thermal radiation can have a wide spectrum or restricted within a specific frequency range, heat radiation emitter suitable include, but are not limited to: infrared (IR) / near-infrared (NIR) laser, infrared (IR) / near-infrared (NIR) light-emitting diodes (LEDs), resistive or inductive heating elements. The print head 2 is composed of an ultraviolet (UV) emitter array composed of a second radiation wavelength, a suitable ultraviolet (UV) emitters include, but are not limited to: UV lasers, UV light emitting diodes (LEDs), UV light (e.g. a mercury lamp or deuterium lamp). Each print head has a separate transmitter can be individually addressed and can be individually controlled by a microprocessor via a driver amplifier.

Source: Internet