The "PackAssistant" is now even more flexible! The software for package optimization from the Fraunhofer Institute for Algorithms and Scientific Computing SCAI and MVI SOLVE-IT GmbH has recently been supplemented with important innovations. It now also calculates bulk packaging, automatically reduces large amounts of data and makes full use of existing processor cores. PackAssistant is used in logistics and production planning to calculate optimized fillings of transport containers and enables fast, space-saving and cost-effective packaging planning.

Ideal container utilization, no more time-consuming packing attempts, better planning options and a forward-looking offer preparation - PackAssistant makes the packaging planning of components in the industry much easier. The software calculates the best possible fillings of transport containers with structurally identical parts on the basis of any complex 3D CAD models.

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Mainz scientists beat world records for the best arrangement of circular disks - Publication in Physical Review E

How do I load a car so that everything fits in? How can I pack a package so that it is properly filled out? How many dishes go in a kitchen cupboard? When it comes to packing, Mainz scientists are unbeatable. They were all able to set or beat the world records that were set in an international competition for the best solution to a special packing problem.

"We have been working for some time in an interdisciplinary project between theoretical physics and computer science to develop the best possible computer algorithm for packing problems," explains Dr. Johannes Josef Schneider from the newly established focus on computer-aided research methods in the natural sciences at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. When the scientists found out about the competition shortly before it was over, they could only set one world record, otherwise the results of some other groups were slightly better. Driven by the ambition to beat the world's best groups, some of which had been working on such problems for many years, they further developed their computer algorithms and were now able to undercut the world records set during the competition, and for the most part significantly. The work was published in the renowned journal for statistical physics Physical Review E.

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Decision support for a sustainable economy - The consequences of one's own actions for the climate and the environment should become more measurable

Everyone is talking about climate change and the concept of sustainability has become an important criterion in economic planning. More and more consumers want to know what contribution products make to climate protection. One measure of this is the "carbon footprint," a term that first came to the UK, where the first retail chains began to identify the "CO2 footprint" on their sales packaging. He should inform about the extent to which a product pollutes the climate. It is expressed as the sum of the CO2 emissions that arise along the entire production chain, from the production of raw materials and the manufacture of the product through trade, delivery and use to disposal or recycling, and which must therefore be reliably determined. Emissions of, for example, methane or nitrous oxide are converted into corresponding equivalents of the most important greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide.

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Greater energy efficiency in the food industry through optimal interaction of system components

In November 2008 was presented in London the current World Energy Report of the International Energy Agency (IEA). It proves again that climate change, increasing energy demand and limited fossil fuels are the key challenges of our time. Many industrial companies are already trading in large and small steps. For example, Tetra Pak, the world's largest producer of beverage cartons, has set itself the goal of reducing its CO2 output by 2010 percent compared with 10 worldwide, despite rising production figures worldwide, to 2005. For this, the company relies on the consistent increase in energy efficiency. In addition, within the next few years additional production sites are to be converted to renewable energies such as wind, water or solar energy. The two production plants in Limburg and Berlin already use only such energy sources.

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The application possibilities of industrial robots are becoming ever more diverse. This also applies to the food and beverage industry. There, robots load packaging machines with chocolates, fill potato salad in bowls, pack Nürnberger Rostbratwürste and palletise boxes or displays.

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Process with great potential for the manufacture of new products with functional properties

Extrusion is one of the modern key technologies in food processing. It is used in a variety of ways, e.g. for the production of snack products, breakfast cereals, health bars, flat bread, ice cream, confectionery or pet food. The extrudates are sold in a wide variety of shapes, colors and flavors. No other process than extrusion offers such great potential for completely redesigning the product matrix and developing innovative food structures. The parameters of pressure, temperature and shear as well as continuous operation in a closed system are essential here.

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From alpha to omega: Functional ingredients promise health and well-being and provide growth impulses on the market

Today's consumers value healthy eating and drinking. And since probiotic yoghurts conquered the refrigerated shelves at the latest, every consumer has known that countless bacteria cavort in our intestines: They are called Digestivum essensis, Lactobacillus reuteri or Lactobacillus casei defensis. As probiotic additives in yoghurt and milk drinks, they should strengthen our immune system and regulate digestion. At the same time, consumers are increasingly asking for non-alcoholic beverages that meet the “functional” requirement. In order to meet this need, manufacturers of functional ingredients offer beverage producers various concepts in which the additional functional benefit comes from natural sources.

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Raw fruits and vegetables may generally be beneficial to health. In individual cases, however, they can act as a trigger for food infections. However, consumers, retailers, processing and monitoring authorities are often not aware of this fact. It happens that when outbreaks are investigated, “the usual suspects” such as eggs, poultry and meat are carefully examined, while other sources of vegetable infection remain undetected.

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A trip to Europe is always a balancing act taste. taste apples, yogurt or meat products at home, unlike in the distance. This reflects not only the holiday mood - in fact organic products are grown and processed in the neighboring countries according to different specifications. The result are differences that you smell, see and taste can. The EU project Ecropolis welcome country-specific differences on the track. The starting signal was given at the kick-off meeting in the Swiss Frick in canton Aargau.

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Recycling is more relevant than ever - it also saves raw materials and disposal costs in the food and packaging industry

The 1th amendment to the packaging ordinance has been in force in Germany since January 2009, 5, and contains stricter regulations for the recycling of sales packaging. Since then, trade and industry have had to register all sales packaging that is put on the market with a dual system that takes care of disposal and recycling in the raw material cycle. So far there have always been gaps and ambiguities in the system. In future, trade and industry will also be obliged to submit a so-called declaration of completeness every year, which proves which packaging materials have reached private end users and in which quantities. The aim is to ensure that free riders can no longer put packaging into circulation without taking care of disposal and recycling. Nothing fundamental changes for the end user. He will continue to throw his packaging in the yellow bin, his waste paper in the blue bin and bin glasses separated into white, green and brown in public and private collection bins.

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From the European Institute of Food Science and Nutrition

So animal and environmentalists want the alternative pig farming: Rosy pigs are wusseln grunting and squeaking in the straw. No corrosive odor of ammonia torments the sensitive noses of bristle cattle. The environment is spared! And so alternative pig farmers promise their customers meat enjoyment with calm environmental conscience.

And indeed, from certain technically and economically complex alternative husbandry systems with bedding and the addition of fermentation aids escape compared to slatted floor conditions with manure cellar up to 30% less ammonia (1). But in other bedding systems (Tab. 2, stable type 7 & 8) higher ammonia emissions are found (3). In conventional housing systems, the conversion from full to partial slatted floors with a bed surface can reduce ammonia emissions by an additional 40% (5).

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