Printing ink is an essential part of materials and substances intended to come into contact with food. Inks provide a clear product identity and inform the consumer about the content – useful and important information. Of course, it is vital that the printing ink remains outside of the packaging and does not contaminate the food by passing through the packaging.
Printing inks can indirectly contaminate food if the ink passes through the packaging and, during the production process, the non-food contact side of the packaging sticks to the food contact side of the packaging during stacking or wrapping after the printing process. To prevent sticking during the production process, Commission Regulation 2023/2006/EC sets detailed rules for GMP for processes involving printing inks.
There is no specific regulation for printing inks, but the European Council has published a guideline regarding printing inks for the non-food contact side of a material. The guideline mentions a number of substances commonly used in the production of printing inks and the restrictions applied to these substances. The list is not a positive list of authorized substances, but should only be considered as support when assessing the precautions to be taken when the substances are used.
Additionally, the European Printing Ink Association (EuPIA) has published a guideline regarding printing inks to be used on the non-food contact side of a material, and Swiss authorities have published the Swiss Regulation SR 817.023.21, which can also be used as a guideline. The regulation is designed for the printing ink industry and specifies a number of requirements for raw materials used in the production of printing inks. It also provides a list of information that a printing ink manufacturer must provide to their customers to ensure compliance with current regulations regarding materials and substances intended for food contact.
Chemical Laboratory
Our laboratories conduct analyses using advanced technology devices and international methods. Thanks to the fast and reliable equipment, the analysis of all our product groups is completed quickly and accurately.
Our laboratories employ expert staff in the analysis, with the awareness that instrumental analyses affect product quality and human health.
Tests Performed in Our Chemical Laboratory
