The current legislation relative to food contact refers to the D.M. 21/03/1973 (and its modifications) that establishes the rules related to the authorization and to the control of the suitability of objects constituted by different materials and intended to come into contact with foodstuffs.
This decree states that…where the coloration is obtained by printing, it cannot be made on the side which has contact with food (Art. 31).
The European Regulation (EC) N. 1935/2004 in force, requires that materials and objects (in their finished state) intended to be brought into contact with foodstuffs must not transfer to packed food components which could:
- Be a danger for human health; or
- Bring about an unacceptable change in the composition of the foodstuffs; or
- Bring about deterioration in organoleptic properties of foodstuffs.
From this point of view, it must be foreseen that the food packaging is designed in a way that the print is not in direct contact with food and that, for the inks, these are produced in compliance with the Good Manufacturing Practices (i.e. they are formulated for the use on non food contact surfaces in food packaging and in the objects intended to come into contact with foodstuffs). Therefore, the inks must be formulated to minimize the potential migration through the substrate or the set-off: the latter is a phenomena which depends on the conditions of the process and the barrier properties of the substrate, therefore, the manufacturer and the filler of the final product have the legal responsibility for the food packaging to be fit for its declared purpose.
Amongst the range of La Sorgente products, Hydral 646 (462 series) inks satisfy the fastness requirements established in the EN 646 and so they resist in the migration tests carried out with four reagents: water, acetic acid, olive oil, sodium carbonate solution.