Food packaging ensures food safety and easy handling and transport by preventing chemical contamination and enhancing shelf life, ensuring consumer convenience. Yet as consumers become increasingly more health conscious, they are increasingly worried about harmful substances transferring from its packaging materials into the food we consume. These concerns have spurred the development of stricter regulations and the search for safer, non-toxic packaging materials that protect both the food and the consumer. 

Recently, regulatory frameworks like The German Printing Ink Ordinance have become crucial drivers for innovation within the ink and packaging industry. These regulations are aimed at ensuring materials used in printing, particularly those with direct contact, meet stringent safety and sustainability standards. Europe remains at the forefront of this movement, mandating higher purity and safety levels for pigments used in food packaging and other sensitive applications. This push toward sustainability and safety has prompted significant advancements in the industry, leading to the development of innovative solutions that not only comply with these regulations but also enhance product performance. 

Ensuring food safety with organic pigments 

Organic azo pigments play a crucial role in the development of high-quality inks, particularly for applications involving direct and indirect food contact. These pigments offer the much sought-after color vibrancy, transparency, stability and gloss. The use of organic azo pigments however may result in inks containing harmful contaminants, such as primary aromatic amines (PAAs) that occur in azo pigments and potentially pose a health risk if they migrate into food from colored packaging and napkin materials. There is therefore a continuous drive to develop high-purity organic azo pigments for companies to produce and use inks that not only deliver superior visual appeal but also meet stringent regulatory requirements, reflecting a commitment to both consumer safety and environmental sustainability.

Vibrantz is a leading global supplier of specialty high-performing organic azo pigments that impart transparency and high tinting strength to establish the most vivid shades for inks applications, as well as high performance azo pigments for coatings and plastics.

Lysopure’s high chemical purity helps keep food packaging safe 

In response to the increasingly stringent regulatory changes, Vibrantz launched Lysopure Yellow 1317C, an organic azo pigment with the highest purity profile available on the market, to minimize the risk of potential exposure to harmful substances. This globally available product is specifically designed for food and sensitive applications, ensuring it meets and exceeds the rigorous standards set by European authorities. The purity of Lysopure Yellow 1317C not only guarantees compliance with the German Printing Ink Ordinance but also assures customers of its safety and reliability for use in both direct and indirect food contact.

The range of pure pigments used in Lysopure is based on a strict selection of raw materials, advanced processing techniques and an internal quality control process performed on every batch. We check each batch for PAAs, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and non-intentionally added substances (NIAS) in the final pigment. Also, Vibrantz validates in-house its novel products internally for regulation compliancy by quantifying the amount of trace impurities transferred into the food via dedicated food-contact simulation tests (e.g. EN 645) and quantification by high-tech equipment. The Lysopure range is therefore ideal for use in tissue ink and bakery paper and can be used in various ink applications where the purity profile is of concern, such as indirect and direct food contact packaging, non-woven materials and a series of plastic applications.

Superior performance with sustainability in mind 

Lysopure Yellow 1317C is particularly recommended for multicolor printing processes such as CMYK, resulting in inks that produce stunning, true-to-life prints. This makes it an ideal choice for food packaging where visual appeal is crucial.

In addition to its superior color performance, Lysopure Yellow 1317C is designed with sustainability in mind. The pigment is derived from organic sources, aligning with the growing demand for eco-friendly products in the market. Its production process minimizes environmental impact, reflecting our commitment to sustainable practices. By choosing Lysopure Yellow 1317C, companies can not only improve the aesthetic quality of their packaging but also contribute to a more sustainable future. 

As the industry continues to evolve under the influence of stringent regulations and growing consumer awareness, Vibrantz remains committed to push the boundaries of what is possible in ink and pigment technology. With its unparalleled purity, vibrant color performance and sustainable credentials, Lysopure Yellow 1317C is poised to make a significant impact on the ink and packaging industry.

Explore our expansive range of pigments in our product guide and on our website here. 

Vincent Devreux

Global Product Manager, Organic Pigments, Bismuth Vanadates and Iron Oxides

Vincent Devreux

Global Product Manager, Organic Pigments, Bismuth Vanadates and Iron Oxides