Summary
Amcor, a developer and producer of responsible packaging solutions, is continuing to invest in its thermoforming capabilities to meet strong demand from the ready meals and dairy foods sectors.
According to Euromonitor, the market has a steady growth rate of around 5%, reflecting ongoing consumer r…
Source: Food & Drink International
AI News Q&A (Free Content)
Q1: What is thermoforming and how is it utilized in the packaging industry?
A1: Thermoforming is a manufacturing process where a plastic sheet is heated to a pliable forming temperature, formed to a specific shape in a mold, and trimmed to create a usable product. It is used extensively in the packaging industry for creating disposable cups, containers, lids, trays, blisters, clamshells, and other products. The process differs from injection molding and other plastic processing methods, providing flexibility in creating both thin and thick gauge products for sectors such as food, medical, and general retail.
Q2: How does Amcor plan to address the demand for thermoformed packaging in the ready meals and dairy foods sectors?
A2: Amcor is investing in its thermoforming capabilities to meet the rising demand in the ready meals and dairy foods sectors. By enhancing their production capabilities, Amcor aims to provide innovative and sustainable packaging solutions that cater to the growing consumer base in these food categories.
Q3: What recent research has been conducted on the volatility dynamics in dairy markets?
A3: A 2021 study by Anthony N. Rezitis and Gregor Kastner investigated the price volatility of dairy commodities such as skim milk powder, whole milk powder, butter, and cheddar cheese in major markets. The study used a multivariate factor stochastic volatility model to estimate time-varying covariance and correlation matrices, revealing increased volatilities post-2006/07 global food crisis and during significant policy changes.
Q4: What are the environmental benefits of recycling scrap and waste plastic in thermoforming?
A4: Recycling scrap and waste plastic in thermoforming reduces environmental impact by minimizing plastic waste. Many thermoforming companies recycle this waste by compressing or grinding it into flakes for reprocessing or reuse. This recycling process helps in converting waste back into extruded sheets for further production, promoting sustainability and reducing reliance on virgin plastic materials.
Q5: What innovative approach has been proposed for food recognition in practical scenarios?
A5: Recent research introduced two new benchmarks, DailyFood-172 and DailyFood-16, to evaluate food recognition models' transferability from curated datasets to everyday-life food scenarios. The study proposed a simple yet effective baseline method, Multi-Cluster Reference Learning (MCRL), to address the domain gap and enhance the performance of existing food recognition models in practical applications.
Q6: What challenges do thermoformed packaging solutions face in terms of sustainability?
A6: Thermoformed packaging solutions face sustainability challenges primarily due to the use of plastic materials. Although recycling is a common practice, the continuous production of new plastic materials and the environmental impact of plastic waste remain concerns. Innovations in using recycled materials and developing biodegradable alternatives are crucial for enhancing the sustainability of thermoformed packaging.
Q7: How does vacuum packing differ from thermoforming in food packaging?
A7: Vacuum packing involves removing air from a package before sealing it, typically used to extend the shelf life of foods by limiting the growth of bacteria and fungi. In contrast, thermoforming involves heating and molding plastic sheets into specific shapes for packaging. While vacuum packing is focused on preserving food, thermoforming is versatile, used for creating various packaging shapes, including those for ready meals and dairy foods.
References:
- Thermoforming - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoforming
- From Canteen Food to Daily Meals: Generalizing Food Recognition to More Practical Scenarios - arXiv.org
- On the joint volatility dynamics in dairy markets - arXiv.org
