ITX in Inks

Hello everyone

We have received some concern from our European customers over the use of ITX in our printing inks following a scare with baby milk.

We make rigid plastic containers for use in the chiller food industry as well as food for microwave and we decorate some of these containers. The ink we use currently contains ITX.

After studying all the press releases and taking advice from our ink suppliers we are waiting for either a revised migration limit for this or some ITX free inks but are sitting tight on the decision at the moment.

Has anyone else been faced with this issue and if so what is your standing on this - safe or not safe? I realise it depends on the end use of the container but some general info would be really helpful.



Thanks!

Hi Laura,

ITX affects UV inks and I believe some particular colours have much higher levels of ITX than others. Although there was the scare with the baby milk I think everyone quickly realised a ban of UV inks immediately would have closed half the packaging plants in the world. I believe all the major ink suppliers are working on ITX free inks, maybe they will get there or at least minimise ITX to very low levels. Keep the pressure on your ink supplier and keep talking to them; it's their bread and butter so they should be up to speed. Apart from that I've just read all the press releases like you.

If you hear anything let us know and I will do the same.

Regards,
Simon