OAKDALE, Minn. — QualiTru Sampling Systems® (formerly known as QMI), leaders in the science of aseptic and representative sampling equipment for the liquid food and dairy industries, proudly announces the launch of its latest innovation, the TruStream™ Drum Port. The TruStream Drum Port is engineered for the quick and safe extraction of samples without exposing the product to airborne contaminants. Seamlessly replacing the standard NPS Bung Plug, this durable drum port is compatible with TruStream7 Septa, making it an ideal solution for maintaining product integrity.

“QualiTru Sampling Systems is dedicated to providing innovative solutions that enhance the safety and quality of liquid sampling processes,” said Ian Davis, CEO of QualiTru Sampling Systems. “The TruStream Drum Port is a testament to our commitment to excellence, offering a reliable and efficient method for aseptic sampling. This groundbreaking product, developed by QualiTru Sampling Systems and tested in collaboration with the Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, is designed to revolutionize the way liquid samples are extracted from barrels, drums, and totes, ensuring maximum accuracy, employee safety, and operation efficiency.”

“Our organization is pleased to have partnered with QualiTru Sampling Systems in testing the TruStream Drum Port for maple syrup barrels,” said Luc Goulet, President of the Quebec Maple Syrup Producers. “We are confident that these innovations will offer substantial benefits to both maple syrup producers and packers by reducing the time needed to collect samples and the spoilage risks associated with contaminants.”

Key Features and Benefits:

• Ease of Use: The TruStream Drum Port quickly and easily replaces the NPS bung plug, allowing for rapid and safe withdrawal of samples through the septum in the drum port without having to tip the drum upright. This design simplifies the sampling process, saving valuable time and reducing the risk of workplace injuries.
• Contamination Prevention: The fully contained sampling system of the TruStream Drum Port mitigates external contamination and exposure to air, maintaining the purity and quality of your product. This ensures that samples are collected aseptically, preserving their integrity for accurate analysis.
• Safety and Compliance: The TruStream Drum Port meets Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food contact compliance standards and is both BPA and phthalate-free. These features underscore QualiTru’s commitment to safety and quality in all its products.
• Durability and Performance: Constructed from high-quality POM plastic, the TruStream Drum Port can withstand temperatures up to 190°F and pressures up to 30 psi, as well as vacuum pressures down to -2.5 psi. This robust design ensures reliable performance in a variety of environments and applications.

Specifications:

• Diameter: 2.91in. / 74mm
• Overall Height: 1.38 in. / 35mm
• Temperature Range: 34°F (min) / 190°F (max)
• Pressure Range: -2.5 PSI (min) / 30 PSI (max)
• Material: POM Plastic, EPDM Rubber Gasket
• FDA Food Contact Compliant: Yes
• BPA and Phthalate-Free: Yes

Davis continued, "With over 40 years of experience in the liquid food industry and the support of our exceptionally talented team, QualiTru has consistently demonstrated its ability to quickly address industry needs. Our latest innovation, the TruStream Drum Port, exemplifies this capability by providing a practical and efficient solution to unique sampling challenges. This product underscores our commitment to swiftly respond to customer requirements with effective, high-quality solutions that uphold the highest standards of safety and performance."

For more information about the TruStream Drum Port or to place an order, please visit www.QualiTru.com.

[Saskatoon/Guelph – October 25, 2024] - Bioenterprise, Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine, and the National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture and Food (NCIAF), are partnering to support Indigenous entrepreneurs and communities.

The two organizations will be working together to connect Indigenous agri-food businesses and entrepreneurs with valuable connections, support and funding opportunities in Canada’s agri-food innovation space through Bioenterprise’s national network of mentors, resources and expertise.

“We are pleased to welcome NCIAF to Bioenterprise Canada’s national network and to get to know Canada’s Indigenous entrepreneurs and leaders in the agri-food sector,” says Dave Smardon, Bioenterprise Canada CEO. “By working together and building a connected agri-food innovation ecosystem that actively involves Indigenous voices, we can help advance the innovation and entrepreneurship that will strengthen food security and sovereignty.”

The NCIAF is committed to nurturing vital relationships among the agriculture industry, government, academia, and other like-minded non-profits with Indigenous communities and Peoples. Its focus is on empowering Indigenous communities and Peoples, supporting reconciliation, and addressing the impacts of generational and systemic trauma.

“We chose to become a Bioenterprise partner because we share similar goals and objectives in breaking down barriers and building collaboration in the agriculture sector,” says NCIAF President & CEO Kallie Wood. “We believe in the importance of creating a community of entrepreneurs, advocates, and partners dedicated to driving innovation across the nation to ultimately expand business growth and foster a more inclusive and dynamic agricultural landscape.”

Bioenterprise, through its national ecosystem partners, will support NCIAF and its partners connect to new opportunities, discover and leverage new funding sources, and access underutilized services that will assist more Indigenous communities and entrepreneurs while also promoting sustainable practices and enhancing food security.

Herndon, Va.; Oct. 24, 2024 – PACK EXPO International 2024 (Nov. 3–6; McCormick Place, Chicago), will showcase a wide array of innovations to help brand owners minimize energy consumption, waste, and carbon footprint and address circularity.

New and expanded education and show navigation resources will help 45,000 attendees efficiently meet their sustainability objectives as they traverse more than 1.3 million square feet of floor space housing 2,700 exhibitors.

“With consumers and regulators paying more attention to sustainability, brand owners must step up their efforts to set and meet goals to increase the sustainability of their operations,” says Laura Thompson, vice president of trade shows at PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, and producer of the PACK EXPO portfolio of trade shows. “Attendees at PACK EXPO International will be able to walk away with the information they need to set and achieve sustainability goals.”

Show resources include the launch of Sustainability Central, the Sustainability Solutions Finder, the PACK EXPO Green program, The Showcase of Packaging Innovations®, and free educational sessions.

Sustainability Central in the West Hall (Booth W-21020) will explore packaging sustainability and what it means to brands. This new show floor destination will provide a look at actionable, sustainable solutions in manufacturing, materials, recovery, logistics, analytics, and design. With over 20 educational sessions, the Sustainability Central stage will deliver critical insights. On Sunday, Nov. 3, at noon, PMMI experts Jorge Izquierdo, vice president, market development, and Rebecca Marquez, director, custom research, will present Navigating Packaging Materials Transitions, an update on PMMI’s 2023 Packaging Compass report and the related Material Transitioning Dashboard, an on-line tool illustrating materials consumer packaged goods companies are using, what they are phasing out, and their likely replacements over the next five years.

Sustainability Central also will feature presentations from experts at Amazon, Conagra, Clorox, Dow, Merck, and the Consumer Brands Association and others, as well as opportunities to learn about the latest planet-friendly innovations, research, and best practices from Virginia Tech, University of Florida, Clemson University, AMERIPEN, and more.

Educational sessions related to sustainability also will be presented at the Reusable Packaging Learning Center (Booth LU-6737) in the Reusable Packaging Pavilion, the Innovation Stage (Booth N-4560, N-4580, and N-4585), the Processing Innovation Stage (Booth LU-7147), and Industry Speaks (Booth N-4544). Topics include technology and materials innovations, the use of recycled content and renewable materials, transformation of waste, circularity, refill/reuse options, life cycle assessment, sustainable package design, reduction in emissions, extended producer responsibility, and data collection.  

At the Reusable Packaging Pavilion, members of the Reusable Packaging Association will demonstrate ways to reduce waste, cut costs, and gain supply chain efficiency. Visitors to the pavilion also will be able to explore reusable transport packaging products and services as well as learn about innovative reuse options.

Showgoers can locate sustainability resources quickly by using the Sustainability Solutions Finder kiosk located in Sustainability Central. This professionally vetted and searchable tool identifies exhibitors with environmentally friendly products and machinery. Sustainable materials and machinery suppliers and service providers also are identified by the PACK EXPO Green icon signage on the show floor. The logo also indicates which educational sessions explore sustainability topics.

Real-world examples of sustainable packaging from around the world may be found at The Showcase of Packaging Innovations®, sponsored by Smurfit WestRock and located within the Containers and Materials Pavilion in the West Hall (Booth W-21030).

At the venue, PMMI is working with Dow, the Official Sustainability Partner and the Official Sponsor of Show Floor Recycling at PACK EXPO International, to minimize the environmental impact of the event and divert as much waste as possible from landfills. Recyclable items include paper, paperboard, and corrugated; metal cans; unbroken glass containers; 01-PET and 02-HDPE containers; and name badges (look for badge collection bins at shuttle bus areas). PMMI also proudly notes that McCormick Place itself has been recognized for its innovative strategies to reduce its carbon footprint and has received official acknowledgment by independent third-party organizations such as LEED, APEX, Green Seal, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Learn more about PACK EXPO International’s Sustainability Commitment here. For more information and to register for the show, visit packexpointernational.com.

There are trillions of bacteria in the human gut microbiome. When we eat fruits and vegetables, some of these bacteria break down the dietary fiber and provide us with metabolites, small molecules our body can use for energy or cell repair.

Researchers from the University of British Columbia (UBC) used the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan to study a particular bacterium commonly found in the gut of people who eat a plant-rich diet.

The specifics of how bacteria break down our food is still a “black box,” according to Dr. Harry Brumer, the UBC professor who led this research. “Our team is trying to determine what molecular machinery the bacteria have that give them the unique ability to break down dietary fiber,” he said.

Using ultrabright synchrotron X-rays at the CLS and the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource in California, Brumer and colleagues determined the three-dimensional structure and function of the proteins and enzymes this bacterium uses to break down food, and the details of that process.

“The CLS made it possible for us to study these mechanics on the atomic level,” said Brumer. “It's really cool to understand how gut bacteria perform those complex processes and contribute to our health.” The team published their findings in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

As scientists continue to learn more about how the microbiome works, says Brumer, they might uncover how to influence it to improve health.

“Ultimately, we’d like to know how to alter a diet to increase the population of good bacteria, perhaps to the detriment of harmful bacteria,” Brumer said. “There's a huge population of bacteria like the one we researched that might eventually make good probiotics. And by changing their abundance in the gut, we might be able to make people healthier, reduce disease, and improve nutrition.”