Regulatory Framework
Statutory chemical inventories define permitted raw materials and migration limits for food contact packaging inks. In European packaging supply chains, swiss ordinance annex 10 establishes positive lists of evaluated and non-evaluated substances authorized for printing ink formulations on food contact materials. Part A lists fully evaluated substances with specific migration limits, while Part B contains non-evaluated substances requiring non-detectable migration proof.
Ink manufacturers must select binder resins, pigments, and additives strictly from these binding legal lists.
Migration Assessment
Compliance verification requires analytical testing of finished printed packaging to confirm that chemical transfer into food simulant falls below statutory thresholds. Under swiss ordinance annex 10, non-evaluated substances listed in Part B must not migrate above ten parts per billion unless specific toxicological clearance exists. Converting operations mandate analytical certification from ink suppliers to verify compliance before printing food packaging.
Photoinitiators and plasticizers undergo targeted liquid chromatography screening to verify that migration remains within safe boundaries. Functional barriers such as aluminum foil or glass can prevent migrant transfer, altering the compliance testing protocol. Food brand owners audit packaging suppliers against these chemical provisions to prevent illegal chemical transfer into food products.
Legal Scope
Chemical restrictions of this ink annex do not govern direct food contact paper additives such as wet-strength resins or internal sizing agents. Industrial non-food packaging and secondary transport cartons fall outside these specific ink migration rules. Unprinted substrates without applied coatings carry no compliance obligations under this ink registry.
Swiss ordinance annex 10 applies exclusively to printing inks applied onto food packaging materials.
