According to a report from the American Pet Products Association regarding industry statistics and trends, Americans are pampering their pets by purchasing items for them that go well beyond the bare necessities. Pets now receive gourmet and organic food options with special consideration for allergies, dietary restrictions or a special healthy diet.

X-Rays get a power boost: Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (www.thermoscientific.com) has upgraded its popular Thermo Scientific Xpert C400 X-ray system for detecting metals and other foreign objects in food. By adding an X-ray source with twice the power of the original model, the system is better suited for thicker, denser products and high speed production. The system targets a broad range of food applications including challenging wet and semi-frozen products, as well as metalized packaging structures that do not lend themselves to metal detection.

Designer, Aaron Mickelson has created disappearing packaging. The Disappearing Package project features several innovative packaging ideas that eliminate or greatly reduce the amount of packaging in various products.

Imagine an evening filled with art and new music alongside a cup of fine, imported, loose-leaf green tea. It sounds like an evening at an art gallery or a posh party, but the musicians behind the new project, Tea for Tyrants, want to package this pleasant combination for you to enjoy any time.