Brand owners have long been concerned about food packaging; one look at the impact of the Nestle baby milk scare due to ITX, and the damage the brand took as a result, shows what can happen. With the presence of social media ramping up attention and concerns over packaging, ink companies are reporting that they are receiving increased inquiries for compliance assurance relative to food packaging safety.

“Food packaging safety is a primary concern for brands/CPG’s and has been for decades,” George Fuchs, NAPIM’s director of regulatory affairs and technology, observed. “Each entity within the food packaging supply chain plays a critical role in assuring that the food package ultimately complies with US FDA and other global regulatory schemes. It is very important to note that the finished package itself (use of FDA compliant ink systems notwithstanding) is what must comply with the regulatory requirements. Accordingly, individual supply chain members (ink manufacturers, substrate suppliers, etc.) cannot themselves provide this assurance.”

Siegwerk CTO Ralph Detsch said that food packaging safety remains a very important topic for the whole packaging industry, which is fostered by various regulatory initiatives all over the globe.

“India and Japan just issued new food contact material regulations while China is currently preparing new regulations especially for food packaging inks,” Detsch pointed out. “Moreover, updates to the Swiss Ordinance for food packaging inks as well as the U.S. Food Safety Alliance for Packaging initiative (FSAP) and its self-commitments are having a clear impact on ink requirements for food packaging.

“Due to today’s existing and upcoming regulations for food related applications, you can definitely note an increased demand for safe ink solutions and especially low migration ink systems,” Detsch continued. “Product safety remains an important and challenging aspect in packaging. Transparency along the packaging value chain is indispensable. In the context of the Circular Economy we will see new challenges going forward as it won’t only be about inks but also about targeting food safe recyclates.”

“As the concern for food packaging safety has grown over the past five to 10 years, our regulatory department has seen a major uptick in the number of requests for compliance assurance relative to consumer safety,” Evan Benbow, director of R&D at Wikoff Color. reported. “We are routinely asked to complete compliance questionnaires and send assurance letters to customers. Some customers have also outlined specific compositional requirements regarding what raw materials are permitted in the inks they use.”

“Every day we receive requests in regards to food packaging safety,” said Rebecca Lipscomb, assistant director of global regulatory affairs for INX International Ink Co.

“Of course, within the food packaging industry itself, compliance is a fundamental requirement – but brands and converters are certainly becoming far more aware of the needs in this area and expect a baseline level of knowledge from their ink supplier,” said Simon Daplyn, marketing manager, Sensient Imaging Technologies. “When it comes to food packaging, we’re also seeing a large shift away from UV inks towards water-based inks.

“However, a lot of work is still needed to ensure compliance of materials, ink and the final product itself,” Daplyn added. “In the global marketplace, it’s critical to understand the nuances of regional legislation and the differences in what may or may not be accepted for primary food packaging. By having a base in Switzerland where the Swiss Ordinance was created – which is the basis for many of the new legislations – our regulatory and R&D teams are at the focal point for the development for new test procedures and the latest developments when it comes to safety legislation.”

“Our customers have an expectation that our inks and solutions will be compliant to all important global regulations for food packaging safety worldwide. Requests on compliance and safety data from our customers are now commonplace. We continue to feel confident in our procurement, supply chain, manufacturing, and technology teams, which we position to effectively research and secure safe and sustainable sourcing opportunities,” said Robert O’Boyle, senior key account manager, sustainable products, Sun Chemical. “As the regulations of the industry vary across the globe, we are committed to proactively approaching situations in a manner that optimizes value and protects our supply chain by developing reliable contingencies across all our product lines. We continue to strive for open communication with our customers by keeping them up to date on global regulatory measures.”

“Many of Memjet’s OEM partners develop packaging solutions, so yes, we get a lot of requests about food safety. Often, customers are asking about compliance: Are you Swiss Ordinance compliant? Nestle certified?,” John Ortiz, Memjet’s VP of inks and materials, noted. “But the answers to food safety questions are much more nuanced: what kind of barriers are you using? What type of food is going in the package? How will it be transported? Will it be heated?

“With so many variables at play, any package or label should start with the safest ink possible: water-based inks. These inks contain less harmful chemicals, are safer to use, and are more environmentally friendly than UV, solvent, or liquid toner inks,” Ortiz added. “When a label and package producer choose water-based ink, it gives them the confidence of knowing that fewer harmful chemicals can migrate and affect food safety or change the look, taste, and or food efficacy.”

“Food packaging safety is a different, but loosely related, topic and has been on the discussion table for several years,” Deanna Klemesrud, global marketing director-brand & promo, packaging inks and resins for Flint Group, said. “The conversation is still active but evolving. It is an expectation that leading ink and coating suppliers already have products that are compliant for food packaging; it is now a matter of keeping up to date with regional and global regulatory requirements and ensuring that products remain compliant. Our objective moving forward is to ensure this is the case now and into the future in all areas of the world.”

“These kinds of inquiries are our daily business in the segment of food packaging printing,” Bernd Groh, hubergroup’s global product and portfolio manager SF/UV, reported. “We guarantee that from the printed ink layer of packaging produced according to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) with MGA NATURA inks, there will be no transfer of substances to the packed food in excess of applicable limits.”

Ortiz said that CPGs and brands who want to produce their own packaging also need to take a critical look at where they are producing those labels.

“UV, solvent, and toner inks require ventilation, proper handling, and specialized equipment. These factors are usually not a problem for responsible commercial suppliers, but these types of inks can be hazardous to workers in regions that lack proper safety and occupational health standards.Human rights advocates are taking a more thoughtful look at process chemicals in companies’ supply chains. It is only a matter of time before packaging inks will be considered,” noted Ortiz. “As with any ink, the best way to ensure no ink migrates from packaging to food is to use a barrier between the food and the printed label or package. Test labs can conduct migration studies for specific applications and use cases.”