Food Packaging Safety - The Siegwerk Approach

Author : Seno Pradono, Robert Finking

Abstract :Food packaging is an essential protective layer and communication tool which provides information about the food. Food packaging protects food from contamination of substances which are hazardous to human health, short term and/or long term. Food packaging itself may contain substances which may migrate into food. The substances can be from the material of the food packaging itself (e.g. plastic, paper, etc) or other chemicals which is on the food packaging material (e.g. printing ink, adhesive, etc). Some cases in Europe, USA and Asia shows that the migrating substances can come from the printing ink or varnish, the contamination during the food is still in raw stage (still as part of plant, animal or others), the contamination during the transportation of the raw food and the contamination during the food processing. Besides the compliance to food packaging safety regulations, some substances which are not prohibited still can trigger scandal if the experts say that the substances are dangerous to human health after being found in food. And we need to take into consideration the effects of social media to enhance a food scandal once it happens. There are three types of migration of printing ink to food : diffusion migration, set-off migration and gas-phase migration. Siegwerk goes beyond the food packaging safety regulations, taken into account brand owner requirements (food and beverage company requirements) and self-commitments. Siegwerk would like to become the safest inks and coatings manufacturer in the world. How to achieve this is through implementation of EuPIA (European Printing Ink Association) Exclusion Policy worldwide, proactive adaptation of the raw material portfolio regarding consumer, occupational safety and environment, globally coordinated raw material selection and approval process which is strict and ensuring legal compliance and brand owner compliance and proactive dissemination of relevant product information throughout the supply chain supports compliance management and sustainability goals

Keywords :Ensuring Food Packaging Safety: Reducing Ink Migration Risks

Conference Name :International Conference on Safety Food Packaging (ICSFP-25)

Conference Place Jakarta Raya, Indonesia

Conference Date 13th Sep 2025