Debra Schug

Debra Schug was Editor-in-Chief of Food Engineering. She began her media career over a decade ago writing and producing broadcast news for both television and radio at the local and national level. She spent many years as the managing editor for two trade magazines in the oil industry and the research editor for an annual petroleum report. She has a master’s degree in journalism and mass communication from Iowa State University.

Food Safety

Preventing food fraud

The economically motivated adulteration of food is an elusive, criminal act with the potential to cause public health issues, brand damage and monetary losses.

Debra Schug

January 25, 2016

Since the 2008 recession, companies and global organizations have reported an uptick in food fraud, spurring initiatives to address the growing concern about it.

Smart Manufacturing

The Internet of Things: Power at your fingertips

The technology connecting people, machines, suppliers and processors is rapidly changing the manufacturing industry.

Debra Schug

January 20, 2016

The concepts and technologies encompassed by the term “Internet of Things” are rapidly changing the world.

Food Packaging

Quenching on-the-go thirst

Debra Schug

January 19, 2016

Tetra Pak’s new packaging option is targeting today’s on-the-go consumers.

Food Packaging

Lightweight champ

Debra Schug

January 12, 2016

Amcor Rigid Plastics has been named the winner in the beverage/nonalcoholic category of the AmeriStar Package Awards Competition, sponsored by the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP).

Food Packaging

Addressing safety concerns

With more demand for safe food and beverage packaging, new innovations for consumer packaged goods could soon enter the marketplace.

Debra Schug

January 5, 2016

The growth of the consumer wellness movement and demand for healthy foods has resulted in companies like Kraft and Nestlé eliminating the artificial ingredients in their products.

Wisconsin Lt. Governor announces certified sites

Special Supplement: Site Selection

Setting your sites on solid ground

A litany of factors must be considered in selecting a new plant location, but the choice must ultimately facilitate your goals and business strategy.

Debra Schug

December 21, 2015

Whether a processor is moving on, moving up or moving out, choosing a new home for a plant must involve the consideration of several factors, such as utilities and water costs, access to transportation, labor availability, incentives and sustainability issues.

Food Packaging

Food Packaging: Pourable straw

Debra Schug

December 19, 2015

Nippon Straw, a manufacturer of drinking straws based in Tokyo, has created the Ex straw that facilitates smooth pouring of a package’s contents into another vessel.

JR Short Milling uses fVAC-U-MAX portable industrial vacuums

Dry Processing

Extruder keeps house with portable industrial vacuums

A supplier of grain-based intermediate foods steps up its plant sanitation and safety efforts.

Debra Schug

December 16, 2015

At J.R. Short Milling, a large-footprint snack food extruder, sanitation has become a way of life.

Food Packaging

Food Packaging: Better Barrier

Debra Schug

December 12, 2015

Greiner Packaging’s inert barrier technology won the Swiss Packaging Institute’s award for outstanding performance in the packaging technology category.

Food Packaging: Flexible leads the pack

Debra Schug

December 5, 2015

At PACK EXPO 2015, the Association for Packaging and Processing Technology (PMMI) unveiled the findings from three industry reports: the “State of the Industry U.S. Packaging Machinery Report,” “Global Packaging Trends” and the “2015 Flexible Packaging Market Assessment Report.”