A Familiar Hurdle
UV/EB inks seem to do it all, but will they ever become FDA-approved for direct food packaging?
October 2007 by Missy Smith
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What can’t UV and EB (electron beam) inks do? They cure fast. They allow for high print quality. They’re nice to look at. And, they’re kind to Mother Nature. No wonder they are becoming common in the package-printing industry. According to Don Duncan, director of research, Wikoff Color Corporation, more than 90 percent of all EB inks and at least half of all UV inks are used in packaging.
“As it relates to UV offset inks, the newer ink technologies have a wider operating window, which allows UV offset printers to print using very high screens without having issues relative to water-balance. New UV offset inks are also being used for UV letterpress applications, which allows printers to satisfy both print technology needs while only having the inventory of one ink technology,” says Deanna Whelan, marketing manager, XSYS Print Solutions. “Specialty print techniques such as cold foils and holographic foils are used in conjunction with UV inks and the curing process on press; these effects provide new options for packaging designs and shelf appeal.”
Both UV and EB inks are mostly used in flexographic printing. “EB inks are very well-suited for the flexo printing process and work best in long-run applications where multiple cleanups are not necessary. UV inks can also be advantageous for long runs due to the fact that they require less maintenance than most conventional ink products,” says Ron Zessack, manager of energy-curable products, Environmental Inks and Coatings. “The use of UV/EB inks in flexo printing markets has been increasing at a steady pace and we anticipate this trend to continue with UV/EB becoming a larger part of our business and product mix.”
Not quite there yet. . .
It seems as though everything is “made in the shade” for UV/EB inks. But, one area in which these inks are having difficulty moving is direct food packaging. UV/EB inks are quite common in food packaging, that is non-direct food applications. Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not acknowledge UV/EB inks as acceptable for direct food contact, although it will consider approval for inks on a case-by-case basis.
“The FDA-compliance issue is two-fold: concern for very small migrations of ink components through the packaging material and into contact with the food/pharmaceutical product and subsequently altering the taste of the product. More importantly, the major concern is these small particulates becoming a health risk,” explains Robert Waddington, general manager, UVitec. He says the inks that are FDA-compliant for direct contact with food are water-based and are “manufactured with relatively benign components.”
“As it relates to UV offset inks, the newer ink technologies have a wider operating window, which allows UV offset printers to print using very high screens without having issues relative to water-balance. New UV offset inks are also being used for UV letterpress applications, which allows printers to satisfy both print technology needs while only having the inventory of one ink technology,” says Deanna Whelan, marketing manager, XSYS Print Solutions. “Specialty print techniques such as cold foils and holographic foils are used in conjunction with UV inks and the curing process on press; these effects provide new options for packaging designs and shelf appeal.”
Both UV and EB inks are mostly used in flexographic printing. “EB inks are very well-suited for the flexo printing process and work best in long-run applications where multiple cleanups are not necessary. UV inks can also be advantageous for long runs due to the fact that they require less maintenance than most conventional ink products,” says Ron Zessack, manager of energy-curable products, Environmental Inks and Coatings. “The use of UV/EB inks in flexo printing markets has been increasing at a steady pace and we anticipate this trend to continue with UV/EB becoming a larger part of our business and product mix.”
Not quite there yet. . .
It seems as though everything is “made in the shade” for UV/EB inks. But, one area in which these inks are having difficulty moving is direct food packaging. UV/EB inks are quite common in food packaging, that is non-direct food applications. Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not acknowledge UV/EB inks as acceptable for direct food contact, although it will consider approval for inks on a case-by-case basis.
“The FDA-compliance issue is two-fold: concern for very small migrations of ink components through the packaging material and into contact with the food/pharmaceutical product and subsequently altering the taste of the product. More importantly, the major concern is these small particulates becoming a health risk,” explains Robert Waddington, general manager, UVitec. He says the inks that are FDA-compliant for direct contact with food are water-based and are “manufactured with relatively benign components.”
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