PFFC - October 2007 - (Page 141)

David J. Bentley, Jr., Editor TAPPI, 15 Technology Parkway South, Norcross, GA 30092; 770-446-1400; 800-332-8686 (US); 800-446-9431 (Canada); FAX 770-446-6947 E X E C U T I V E S U M M A RY Transinformative Thermographic Barcode Matrix That USDA has estimated that 73% of food microbial contamination is the result of Archivally Monitors The Safety Of Food, Drug, & Biologicals: improper preparation and holding temperatures. Comprehensive monitoring A Fungible Line Item & Carton TTI Sentinel System of the temperature of food and pharmaceutical products from production to by Brett l. Lucht, University of Rhode Island, and Robert Goldsmith, SIRA Technologies APPLICATION: A barcode “data-in-data-out” paradigm can evolve into a transinformative mechanism by using recently developed thermographic printing ink. One such barcode can transforming the message of all other UPC codes. Universal Product Codes (UPC) barcodes are quintessential for food packaging and are legislatively mandated to soon appear on drugs and pharmaceuticals. Data acquired from barcode readers is the greatest necessary source of information used to conduct our commercial and societal affairs. The safety and quality of many food and pharmaceutical products is highly dependent upon the thermal history of the products. Products stored at the appropriate temperature during production, storage, and distribution have shelf lives corresponding to the expiration dates. When products are not stored at the appropriate temperatures, the expiration dates become meaningless. The consumption is therefore critical for maintaining safety and quality. While time temperature indicator (TTI) tags have been used for this process, currently available TTIs are expensive and have significant limitations. Current TTIs are derived from one of three types of materials: the time-dependent diffusion of dyed fatty esters through porous material, controlled enzymatic hydrolysis of lipids, and solid state polymerization of uncolored acetylenic monomers that produce highly colored polymers. TTIs are designed as retrievable sensors of the shelf life of products and provide a good correlation to microbial growth, but the cost of TTIs is high and the irreversible colorants cannot be readily incorporated into inks. A new Universal Product Code (UPC) barcode allows archiving and transforming messages to indicate thermal stress. This technology is enabled by a double barcode matrix consisting of a standard UPC barcode and a monitoring barcode that when activated will transform the normal product data into an automated food safety alert. E X E C U T I V E S U M M A RY Low Extractable, Low Odor, Energy Curable Products For Food Packaging Applications by JoAnn Arceneaux et al., Cytec Specialty Chemicals APPLICATION: Food packaging applications have shown a sustained interest in and use of energy curable technology in inks and coatings due to the many beneficial aspects in productivity, performance, and ecology. Due to the numerous advantages (high gloss, excellent resistance properties, high printing speed, immediate further processing, zero or low VOC, and low system cost) provided over other technologies, energy curing technologies have already made significant inroads into non-food packaging applications. The penetration of energy curing technologies into food packaging applications is generally still limited to offset inks and overprint varnishes (OPVs). Very limited penetration has occurred in the fast growing flexographic food packaging ink segment. The constraints preventing full penetration into food packaging applications are the potential for odor and taste transfer, the potential for migration of existing raw materials, the lack of a cost-effective migraTo obtain the complete version of these papers, go to www.tappi.org, and select “the PLACE” under the Publications/Bookstore heading. WWW.PFFC-ONLINE.COM tion testing protocol, the poor adhesion to uncoated polyolefins, and the limited availability of UV equipment for wide web printing. Raw material suppliers and ink makers have until now primarily focused on solving odor and taste issues. The future tightening of food contact regulations especially in Europe will oblige them to consider more thoroughly impurity profiles and migration levels. Following an approach discussed in the paper, five low extractable/low odor resins are now available. These include a trifunctional acrylate diluent having performance characteristics similar to ethoxylated trimethylolpropane triacrylate but with significantly improved odor-release and migration properties and a low viscosity amine-modified polyether acrylate. A new range of products specifically designed for indirect food contact applications is now available. These products will help ink makers formulate inks and varnishes for food packaging that meet the most stringent legal requirements regarding organoleptic properties and migration levels. Methods to determine odor and migration of inks and varnishes have also been developed to assist in the evaluation of these food packaging products. Submit manuscripts for publication to dbentley@tappi.org. Obtain information about the PLACE Division from www.tappi.org OCTOBER 2007 | 141 http://www.tappi.org http://www.tappi.org http://WWW.PFFC-ONLINE.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of PFFC - October 2007

PFFC - October 2007 Contents First Glance From the Editor Calendar of Events Web Lines Process Management Package Converting News Clips Narrow Web & Label Reporter Narrow Web & Label What’s New Products Bagmaking Slitting/Rewinding Digital Printing EB Flexo Web Handling Paperboard Packaging Security Packaging Business Transactions What’s New Products Focus: Unwinds & Rewinds Trade Show in Print Services Directory Classified Marketplace Equipment Buyers & Sellers Advertisers Index thePLACE Experience Speaks

PFFC - October 2007

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