The inks and coatings are manufactured at Sun Chemical’s Badalona Centre of Excellence for food packaging. The company said the dedicated operation is intended to support consistent production, regulatory compliance and supply across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

SunPak DFC inPace uses Sun Chemical’s Pace technology platform. The company reports high color strength, reduced misting at elevated press speeds and a high renewable bio-based carbon content verified through Carbon-14 testing. These performance statements are company claims and should be confirmed under each printer’s substrates, press conditions and package construction.

Sun Chemical said direct-food-contact inks and coatings can, in suitable designs, eliminate some plastic laminates and inserts, reduce production steps and support compliance with European packaging requirements. Final food-contact suitability and recyclability will depend on the complete packaging system and its intended use.

The company has also expanded its AquaSafe water-based direct-food-contact ink portfolio with nine base colors. The additions include a newly developed green pigment intended to broaden the available color gamut.

AquaSafe inks are compatible with paper, paperboard, flexible films and aluminum foil. The water-based range is intended for flexographic applications, while SunPak DFC inPace supports sheetfed offset printing.

Sun Chemical also integrated its GamutViewer tool into the SunColorBox platform, allowing package designers and manufacturers to evaluate whether a color can be achieved before production. The company said the capability can help reduce rework and material waste.

Learn more about the direct-food-contact ink and coating portfolio.

The systems are relevant to PCI readers following special-purpose coatings and inks used to provide food-contact compliance, barrier performance and visual properties in packaging.