Have you ever seen an egg with a logo printed on it and wondered, “If that ink got into my food, would I get sick?” The answer is, no, you probably wouldn’t. The marks on commercially-sold food items, like eggs, are all produced using food-grade ink. In this article, our Richmond marking & labeling equipment company will explain what food-grade ink is, and how it helps keep consumers safe.
What is Food-Grade Ink?
Food-grade ink is ink which will not cause significant harm to those who accidentally ingest it. While it is often printed onto food items, it is more commonly printed onto food packaging items, including wrappers, bags, cartons, “clamshell” containers, and more. It is also used to mark pharmaceutical items. For instance, in the U.S., pills need to be clearly marked with the name of the drug they contain, as well as dosage information. This data is applied with food-grade ink.
Food-grade ink is formulated to be compatible with most industrial inkjet printers. Like other types of ink, it has a fast drying time, sufficient smear resistance, and ideal viscosity for printing. However, it is free from any harmful toxins, metals, or chemicals that could potentially leech into food and harm consumers.
What are food-grade inks made from?
Traditional inks are manufactured with methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), also known as Butanone. This is an industrial solvent used in many applications, like textile and plastic manufacturing, and is toxic if ingested. Food-grade inks, however, typically use food-grade ethanol as their primary solvent. This is an alcohol usually made from starchy or sugary foods, like sugar cane, corn, wheat, or barley. It can also be made from inedible sources, like wood cellulose.
Another ingredient that is common in most food-grade inks is food-grade glycerin. This is a clear, sweet-tasting liquid derived from vegetable fats, which is added to many food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical products. In ink, it is a co-solvent that helps improve consistency for drying.
Why does food packaging require food-grade ink?
Many people are unaware that the words and images printed on their food packaging are made of food-safe ink. However, regulatory guidelines in U.S., Europe, and other countries require this to be the case. This is because it’s possible for ink to migrate through packaging materials and contaminate the food within. Even though printing inks are usually applied on the side of packaging film that faces away from the food, factors like heat, moisture, transport conditions, processing conditions, shelf life, substrate density, and ink density can all cause ink migration to occur.
Ink migration can cause sickness or death, especially in products consumed by children. In 2005, Swiss food multinational Nestlé had to recall its baby milk products after Italian food safety regulators detected ITX, a toxic printing ink, in some batches. Tens of millions of products were ultimately pulled from shelves across Europe.
In other cases, the consequences are far less severe, as the ink will only change the food’s color and flavor, without significantly impacting consumer health. It will, however, damage the brand’s reputation and cause loss of sales. Therefore, any amount of ink migration can be harmful to food manufacturers who have not chosen their ink carefully.
Is food-grade ink the same as edible ink?
Although many consumers, and even some vendors, use the terms interchangeably, edible ink and food-grade ink are not the same thing. Edible inks are specially formulated food coloring that can be printed onto cakes, cookies, and other food items. They are usually made from natural ingredients such as vegetable oil and beet dye, and are intended to be consumed.
Food-grade ink, on the other hand, is primarily used for printing on food packaging materials and labels. While it is odorless and low in toxicity, it is not intended to be eaten. When purchasing ink for cake or cookie decoration, make sure that it is marked as “edible,” not “food-grade.”
What is the best printer for food-grade inks?
If you are in need of a printer that will print food-safe ink, we recommend the ET2neo Continuous Inkjet printer. This printer is very easy to use, with a Windows-based operating system; a color touch display with large operating elements; and a graphics editor. It can be used for food-grade packaging inks, as well as fast-drying solvent inks; temperature-resistant inks; color-changing inks; transfer-resistant inks; and more. It also has a 24-month warranty that will ensure your production stays up and running no matter what.
Get all your ink and printing needs from SSI Packaging
If you are a small business located on the East coast of the U.S., trust SSI Packaging for all your marking, coding, and packaging needs. Our high-quality products are designed to keep your items safe throughout their entire journey, from warehouse to the end customer. If you have any questions about which inks are safe to use, or which printer is the best for a particular purpose, please don’t hesitate to give us a call today.