Flint Group launches low migration ink range for food sector

Flint Group has launched Flexocure Ancora, a new UV flexo ink range designed to provide a very low ink migration potential in compliance with the demands of Swiss Ordinance on Materials and Articles (SR 817.023.21).  

Flexocure Ancora is claimed to provide excellent press performance at high printing speeds, very good adhesion and excellent scratch resistance on synthetic substrates. Niklas Olsson, global brand manager, said: ‘We have been working hard on this development for some time and are very pleased with the results. To be able to offer a UV flexo ink with high performance on press, excellent color strength and adhesion while still meeting lowest possible migration limits, is exactly what our clients have been looking for – which is, no compromise in performance due to low migration properties.’ 

UV inks consist of a range of different ingredients, with the photo-initiators and monomers commonly used being considered as potential migrating substances. When formulating UV curing products for food labels and packaging, careful consideration in regard to ingredients must be made – in order to optimize both overall press performance and produce an ink that can be used on food packaging while meeting stringent requirements. 

Commenting on the migration studies conducted on Flint Group’s new Flexocure Ancora, Christina Eriksson, R&D manager of Flint Group Narrow Web, explained: ‘For this new ink series we have conducted migration tests at several independent institutes, as well as in our own analytical laboratories. The migration measurements have indicated that, when correctly applied on suitable packaging structures, migration levels with Flexocure Ancora are below currently accepted limits. This was verified based on the standard migration test method using the food simulants 95 percent ethanol and Tenax as set out in Commission Directive 97/48/EC. Furthermore, we have the confirmation of leading end users that the ingredients used in Flexocure Ancora are meeting their company guidelines.’ 

Niklas Olsson concluded: ‘All analytical results have been confirmed by printers who applied Flexocure Ancora on actual final packaging constructions: the migration limits are below stipulated limits. Looking at all the tests and the practical results with Flexocure Ancora we can say that this ink series offers a unique combination of low migration and high performance for UV flexo printing in the food segment.’ 

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