CCDG Dinner Lecture: Food packaging and LCMS risk analysis

Join us for a dinner and networking event Wednesday December 4, 2024 at the Westwood Tavern in Schaumburg, IL. The lecure, presented by Natasha Hausler Banke PhD, will cover learnings and insights on In-Situ analysis of the presence of a photoinitiator after curing.

Over the past few years, regulatory reclassifications have continued to change how ink  manufacturers world-wide formulate UV cured inks. Adding a chemical to the European Chemicals  Agency (ECHA) Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) list triggers changes in regulatory  reporting. Manufacturers and importers of articles which contain the SVHC become legally required to  notify customers/consumers if the concentration is greater than 0.1% w/w. In addition, ECHA must be  notified if the total amount of SVHC imported into an EU country is greater than 1 metric ton/ year. While inclusion on the list is not a ban on use, it has this effect for ink manufacturers. For example,  member companies of the European Printing Ink Association (EuPIA) agree to abide by the Exclusion  Policy, which requires formulating inks away from the use of an SVHC. Additionally, brand owners  may have similar requirements for packaging and printing inks. Under general exclusions for ink  formulations, the Nestlé guidance states an SVHC “must not be used where suitable alternatives exist.”  In contrast to some European regulations, the USFDA does not explicitly regulate the contents of  printing ink. However, the USFDA does regulate the food additives. Subsequently, it is the  responsibility of the manufacturer of a food contact substance (FCS) to ensure the FCM is consistent  with applicable authorizations and does not adulterate food. 

Differing regulations between Europe and the US frequently lead to fit-for-use questions of ink  formulations. We are commonly asked what substances are acceptable for use and what residual ink  components are present in the matrix of the cured print. In response to previous customer questions and  regulatory changes, INX has undertaken several studies to evaluate exposure of an SVHC during the  manufacturing process. As an extension of previously completed work, the current study evaluates the  presence of residual PI369 in a cured print and determine if that print contains levels of the residual  SVHC above labeling requirements in the EU (0.1%). 

Natasha Hausler Banke, PhD - Director, Analytical R&D INX International Ink Company

Host or Publisher Chicago Chromatography Discussion Group