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The FDA and U.S. Department of Agriculture can cause concern in the minds of food and drug manufacturers and co-packers. Although these government agencies might be considered demanding at times, they play an important role that ensures there are procedures to protect the safety of the American public. There is an overwhelming amount of project planning and sourcing that goes on in the background of developing a product. Packaging is a large part of that process, which is also highly regulated by the FDA and USDA. 

The global sanitary food and beverage packaging market is likely to grow at a CAGR of nearly 6% during the forecast period 2017-2021, according to Future Market Insights (FMI). Increasing emphasis on maintaining food safety during the supply chain is promoting investments by manufacturers.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program, the domestic baking industry consumes an estimated $800 million worth of purchased fuels and electricity per year, as noted in its guide, "Energy Efficiency Improvement and Cost Saving Opportunities for the Baking Industry" (Nov. 2016 update, available on www.energystar.gov).

Automation, advances in sanitary design, greater worker safety and additional flexibility in packaging have been among the top requests that manufacturers of cutting, slicing and portioning equipment say they've been fielding from their customers this year.

The global ready meals market is expected to grow due to increasing advancement in the packaging industry. Demand for food that is additive-free, minimally processed and with extended shelf life is expected to drive the market. 

Ever since Frank Yiannas of Walmart's Food Safety Leadership published his insightful book "Food Safety Culture" in 2008, the food and beverage industry has embraced the reality that having a strong food safety culture is essential for success.

Key Technology discusses how the evolving needs of food processors push advancements in processing equipment and technology.