Introduction
While it's unlikely that you'll ever be asked to print packaging for food and beverage, it's important to understand how safe printing inks are for direct contact with food and drink. In this article, we explore the different types of printing inks used on food packaging as well as their migration from paper or board materials into foods and beverages. We also discuss how you can determine that your ink is safe for direct contact with food by following the FDA guidelines outlined below:
Are all printing inks safe for food packaging?
Not all printing inks are safe for food packaging. Some inks are not suitable for direct food contact, and may migrate to food and beverages. Some inks are not FDA compliant or FDA approved. They may also be unregistered with the FDA, meaning they have not been reviewed by the federal agency that oversees product safety in the United States.
Does the FDA regulate printing inks used on food packaging?
Does the FDA regulate printing inks used on food packaging?
No. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve or evaluate printing inks for use on food packaging. This is because these substances are not intended to be consumed, but they only actually contact your body, perhaps when handling them. The issues is that they come into contact with the foods you eat and drink.
What is a food and beverage package printer's responsibility?
As a food and beverage package printer, it's your responsibility to ensure that your inks are safe for use on consumable products. You must have documentation proving this, as well as training programs in place to educate your employees.
Your company may be held liable if you don't take the appropriate safety measures. In fact, some manufacturers will even refuse to work with printers who don't comply with regulations regarding ink safety.
Do printing ink constituents migrate from paper or board to foods and beverages?
Most printing ink constituents will not migrate from paper or board to foods and beverages. This is a concern for both food packaging and food contact paper (such as labels).
The potential migration of printing ink constituents into foods or beverages depends on the type of ink, its composition and concentration, the specific substrate used in the process of printing, as well as the manufacturing process.
How can I determine that my printing ink is safe for direct food contact?
The best way to determine whether your ink will be safe for direct food contact is if it's certified by the FDA and/or the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
To ensure that a particular ink meets these standards, you should work with a printer who:
uses FDA-approved inks
is certified by the FDA as an approved food packaging printer
has been audited by an independent third party who has verified that they use only ISO-certified printing equipment in their production facility
For more information.
If you'd like to learn more about food packaging, check out this link:
The FDA also has a webpage dedicated to labelling safety here.
Review your packaging.
Use a food packaging printer that is FDA-registered.
Use a printing ink that is FDA-registered.
Use a food packaging printer that has a food safety program.
Conclusion
While it's true that the FDA does not regulate printing inks used on food packaging, they do provide guidelines and recommendations for safe use. You should always consult your packaging supplier to ensure that you are using products that have been tested by an independent laboratory.
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