rfid in bottle cap biodegradable steamer pouch absorbent pads to retain meat color rfid for cigarette packs flexible beer packagingrfid in bottle captwo japanese companies have succeeded in developing a plastic bottle cap embedded with an radio frequency identification rfid tag.according to reports, the development would allow beverage manufacturers to continue to use their existing manufacturing equipment even if they shift to the new cap.  nec corp. and container company toyo seikan kaisha, ltd. said they have managed to fit a built in chip and a micro antenna inside the plastic cap, according to various japanese media reports.no information on the rfid cap was available in english. mami akasaka of techon journal said the cap is embedded with a passive 2.45 ghz rfid tag with a communication range extends to 10 cm.  the companies claimed that the design of the 24mm diameter, butterflyshaped tag, prevents interference with the rfid signal from any moisture released by the drink. the rfid tag used in the bottle cap was developed by nec electronics.  steamer pouch made out of biodegradable plaa new steamer pouch for the microwave is made of biodegradable polylactic acid pla.scotlandbased rockwell solutions claims its biosteam selfventing pouch is compostable, heat sealable and peelable against itself after it has been microwaved.rockwell said its steamer pouch is the first of its kind to be made out of pla. the polymer is made out of corn and is produced in the us by natureworks, a conagra subsidiary.biosteam selfvents in about 40 seconds without any preinserted valve or vent, the company claimed. the result is a superior tasting product that is evenly cooked throughout the pouch, without over cooking or drying out in the corners of the pack, stated rockwell. it can be used for steaming frozen vegetables, proteins and carbohydrates. absorbent pads to retain packaged meat colour  a new absorbent pad prevents meat discolouration while retaining moisture in packaging, its manufacturer claims.sirane claims its drifresh resolve absorbent meat pad uses a highly developed surface that makes packaged products more appealing to customers over the shelf life of the product. to make packaged meat more appealing to consumers, absorbent pads are added to soak up leaking blood. however, these can become dry, which in turn dries the meat leading to discolouration.sirane claims to have solved the problem. drifresh resolve contains a breathable surface that allows oxygen to interact with the base of the meat, which tends to go brown if deprived of air contact.  the pad controls the surface moisture of the meat which ensures the underneath looks as good as the top, the company claims.sirane said pads are manufactured without adhesives or bonding materials, and as such are completely food safe. no loss of absorbency occurs during the packaging lifespan and the pads absorbent layers do not delaminate, claims the company. drifresh is available in absorbency levels of 800, 1700 and 3000ccm2 and comes in range of colours, shapes and sizes to suit all applications.rfid  for cigarette packets rfid is an option to cut cigarette counterfeiting. fitting radio frequency identification rfid chips inside cigarette packets to combat counterfeiting is one option being considered by hm revenue and customs hmrc.the department has yet to make any decision about how it will identify individual packets, but says rfid is one possibility. it was announced in the budget that we will work with the cigarette industry to develop covert markings on packs, said a hmrc spokesman. the embedding of rfid tags would allow customs officials to scan cigarette packets with a handheld reader to determine if duty has been paid.the tobacco manufacturers association is reported to support the technology to cut the number of counterfeit products sold in uk retailers. about three per cent of cigarettes smoked in britain were counterfeit, it says.flexible beer packaging scholle packaging, partnering with keykeg, has announced an innovative new way to flexibly package beer in an environmentallyfriendly, disposable container.  the keykeg is designed according the baginball principle the highquality, pressurized pet polyethylene terephthalate houses a speciallydeveloped flexible inner bag, provided by scholle packaging, which contains the beverage.  instead of pressurizing the space between the bag and ball with costly co2, the content beer is dispensed with air.  the ball has been designed to withstand the anticipated internal pressures, as well as abusive handling throughout the supply chain. this unique concept is accompanied by a completely new system for filling, logistics and dispensing. for more information on the keykeg, please visit www.keykeg.com. special announcementlast date for free copy of annual issue of good morning packaging 2006 is 7th april 2007. please email your requirements to news2006@packagingconnections.com indian institute of packaging alumni annual meet in may 2008. there are more than 600 alumnus. for sponsorshipadvertising opportunities, contact sponsor@iipalumni.com press releasethe els servo press from aquaflex
