While the FDA over the years has allowed PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) to be used in paper and paperboard food packaging, it certainly makes sense today to eliminate as much PFAS as possible from the environment, because these chemicals (like the ones used in firefighting foams) simply don’t go away—they don’t naturally decompose—hence they’ve become known as the “forever chemicals.”

So you put off upgrades and updates as long as possible because you can’t afford the downtime. But doing nothing can lead to an even worse downtime scenario.

Cargill, Continental Grain Company and Sanderson Farms, Inc. have reached a definitive agreement for a joint venture between Cargill and Continental Grain to acquire Sanderson Farms for $203 per share in cash. This represents a total equity value for Sanderson Farms of $4.53 billion.

Mackie’s of Scotland has been producing luxury ice cream using milk and dairy from its own herd since 1986 from its fourth generation family farm in Aberdeenshire. Recently, cooling equipment experts at Starfrost, a full-service global refrigeration supplier specializing in CO₂ and ammonia systems, partnered with Mackie’s of Scotland to install highly efficient freezing technology to improve and expand ice cream production at its dairy.

ABB will acquire ASTI Mobile Robotics Group (ASTI), a manufacturer of autonomous mobile robots (AMR), which has a broad portfolio across all major applications enabled by the company’s software. The acquisition will expand ABB’s robotics and automation offerings, providing the company with a complete portfolio of flexible automation technologies.

While some food and beverage companies have dedicated capital project managers (CPMs) to see construction and automation projects through even at multiple sites around the world, many companies are left wanting a CPM on staff to handle their projects.

Does OEE hold its own in being the only KPI you should be using? How should you apply OEE? What data should you use to determine OEE? How useful is it, really?

Automation firmware and software updates are a necessity, and suppliers have made the task much easier through new tools.

We know that pasteurization and sterilization can kill bacteria. The extent of bacteria destruction depends on both temperature and time. 

While some farms today are trying to get off the mono-crop bandwagon and rotate crops, many large farms still tend to grow corn or wheat in the same field every year, requiring a lot of nitrogen-based fertilizer. But what if corn and wheat could have their own symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria that could pull nitrogen out of the air?