New industry group proposes food safe UV certification

UVFoodSafe brings together converting industry supply chain members to promote the safety of UV inks and varnishes for indirect food contact packaging. Among the press suppliers so far represented are Bobst, Gallus, Mark Andy, MPS, Nilpeter and Omet. UVFoodSafe also includes ink suppliers Flint Group and Sun Chemical, and UV lamp suppliers GEW and Phoseon Technology. More suppliers are shortly to join the group, while Labels & Labeling and Labelexpo Global Series, the organizer of Labelexpo trade shows and summits around the world, are also members.

UVFoodSafe aims to persuade brands that certified UV curing with stringent testing as part of a GMP workflow is as safe a process as solvent and water-based inks for printing food packaging. The group has stated that new technology to measure UV dose in-line, in combination with low migration inks and modern flexo press technology, makes UV a safe alternative to wide web solvent and CI flexography, says a new industry group.

The new group is not suggesting UV will compete with wide web gravure and CI flexo technology on long runs. Rather, UV opens up new opportunities for short runs of flexible packaging and with the added benefits of in-line UV decoration technology and a more environmentally sustainable profile.

The first meeting of UVFoodSafe will be at Labelexpo Europe 2017.

Read more about the UVFoodSafe group and its proposed use of certified UV curing in L&L issue 4, 2017, and here