New understanding of ink components migrating from packaging material into foodstuffs

Food packaging is important and for food producers the visual aspect of packaging material is a very powerful medium, so that consumers and competitors consider a brand name as an established value. In the process, the chosen varieties of ink play a crucial role. The choice may not only be based on marketing strategy, but the potential health risks as a result of the migration issues of the ink components have to be taken into account. Printing inks used in food packaging materials contain substances that are able to migrate, such as raw materials and byproducts of hardeners and solvents. So far, the knowledge of migration of specific components from printing inks is limited, therefore public health risk cannot be well assessed.