Food contact pigments

Additional regulations that provide specific requirements for color additives in foods are found in other parts of the CFR. Labeling of food products is found at 21 CFR 101.22(k). Color additives are sometimes called artificial colors or artificial colorings [21 CFR 101.22(a) (4)]. From a regulatory standpoint, a colorant is a dye or pigment used in a food contact material such as a polymer that does not migrate to food. Such materials are regulated as food additives [21 CFR 178.3297(a)], not as color additives. ... 

Whilst the pigment has a favourable toxicity profile and a long history of application in sensitive applications such as cosmetics and in food-contact applications, in order to meet the requirements of discerning customers practice sustainable procurement and look for products with a beneficial life cycle analysis. This paper, therefore, outlines the results of a study which shows how a commitment to sustainable manufacture is an essential addition to the favourable toxicity profile. Areas for improvement are recognised and options for renewable energy resources are discussed. 

Over the past decades there has been a big increase in chemical legislation this is also true for regulations governing the use of colourants for food-contact applications. The various food-contact regulations worldwide are briefly examined from a pigment manufacturer s point of view. The advantages of getting a product listed by FDA are discussed in detail, not only from the perspective of USA sales but also from that of the supply into other markets. 

A comprehensive study, performed in the USA by DCMA has shown, that the metal impurity in organic pigments is markedly below legal standards [8]. Recently ETAD (see footnote p. 590) and VdMi (German Association of inorganic pigments) have published a review on colorants for food contact plastics [9],... 

A large fraction of the substances used in inks will not permeate through the printed substrate because their molecular size is large and so diffusion is slow. These substances will not come into contact with (and possibly contaminate) the packaged food unless set-off occurs when the printed surface touches the food-contact surface, such as when films are stored on reels or when printed containers are stored stacked or nested. Of course, printers constantly inspect the quality of their work and are alert to the possibility of set-off. But visual examination will detect only the coloured pigments and dyes. The uncoloured, invisible, components of inks go undetected and there is a need to minimise any set-off of these invisible components onto the food contact surface of the packaging material. 

The hardened, light stable, lightly pigmented food contact materials are not susceptible to stress cracking, but are resistant to alcohols, ethers, hydrocarbons, fats, and can be used with weak acids and boiling water. Typical applications are beverage containers and silos for foodstuffs. 

An increasing number of colored inorganic pigments are FDA-compliant. Historically, yellow iron oxide, red iron oxide, black iron oxide, zinc ferrite, burnt umber, raw and burnt sienna, channel carbon black, chromium oxide green, ultramarine blue, cobalt blue and copper chrome black have enjoyed FDA—compliant status, under 21 CFR 178.3297, Colorants for Polymers . More recently, the FDA has been successfully petitioned with regard to nickel titanium yellow, chrome titanium yellow, and cobalt green under 21 CFR 170.39, Threshold of Regulation for Substances Used in Food-Contact Articles . 

Colorant systems to be used in food contact, cosmetics, toys, pharmaceutical, and medical applications fall under various governmental regulations. The colorist needs to be familiar with these regulations and select colorants accordingly. Also, some states regulate the use of heavy metal pigments in packaging applications. 

Regulated Colorants That Are FDA Approved. It often seems a contradiction that many of the colorants that are suitable for use in food contact applications must also appear on an MSDS as a reportable or hazardous material. Examples include zinc oxide and zinc sulfide, both zinc compounds chromium oxide green (pigment green 17), a chromium compound carbon black and cobalt aluminate blue (pigment blue 28), which is not only reportable because of its cobalt content but is also a suspected carcinogen. 

Pigment Brown 45 (MnWTi). As it has become apparent that antimony is not bio-available from doped rutiles, the trend for such substitutions with respect to food contact applications has strongly diminished. A more scientific survey on colored titanium MMO pigments is given by Maloney [3.93]. 

Fluoropolymer resins are covered by Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, 21 CFR 177.1380 177.1550 in the United States and EC Directive 90/128 in the European Union. The US Food and Drug Administration has approved many fluoropolymers (e.g., PTFE, PFA, and FEP) for food contact. Additives such as pigments, stabilizers, antioxidants, and others must be approved under a food additive regulation if they do not have prior clearance. 

Colorants Colorants can be critical as far as their possible extractions and toxicities are concerned. As for pigments, azoic yellows are known to be safe and suitable for food contact applications. New mixed-phase rutile yellow pigments also satisfy a number of food-contact requirements. Novel blue-red azo can be used as an alternative to high performance organics, and meets FDA requirements. 

Uses Wax additive for use in adhesives, inks, personai care prods., wax biends pigment dispersant PS coior cones. geiiant for oiis in personai care prods. fiim-former oii or fragrance encapsuiator nonirritating abrasive emoiiient heat stabiiizer food pkg. adhesives, coatings, paper/ paperboard, ceiiophane, rubber articies, textiies, iubricants defoamer in food-contact coatings/paper... 

Uses Plastics lubricant and processing aid pigment dispersant internal lubricant for PVC, nylon 6, nylon color cones. for adhesives, floor finishes, personal care, plastics, wax blends gellant for oils in personal care prods., pharmaceuticals film-former oil or fragrance encapsulator nonirritating abrasive emollient heat stabilizer food pkg. adhesives, coatings, paper/paperboard, cellophane, rubber articles, lubricants, textiles food-contact defoamer... 

Uses Dispersant, stabilizer for high solids min. slurries thickener for nat. rubber latex coatings pigment dispersant in coatings food-contact paper/paperboard... 

Chem. Descrip. Blend of hydrocarbons, waxes, and nonionic emulsifiers Uses Defoamer for emulsion polymers, water-dilutable systems, pigmented and unpigmented systems, coating colors for paper prod. in resinous/polymeric food-contact coatings food-contact paper/paperboard Features Silicone-free... 

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