Functional Barrier Qualification for Mineral Oil Hydrocarbon Migration in Board
Functional barrier qualification requires gas chromatography verification of saturated and aromatic hydrocarbon migration below detection limits on creased board.
Swiss Ordinance Food Contact
Regulatory Framework
National food safety legislation in Switzerland regulates the chemical composition and migration limits of substances used in food packaging materials. The Swiss ordinance food contact establishes a broad legal framework that dictates which printing inks, protective coatings, functional barriers and adhesives can be used on packages sold in the Swiss market. It is widely recognized as the de facto safety standard across Europe for printing inks on food packaging.
Substance List
A central element of this legislation is the positive list of permitted substances, which categorizes chemicals based on their toxicological evaluation. Section A of the list includes fully evaluated substances with specific migration limits, while Section B includes non-evaluated substances that must not migrate above a detection limit of ten parts per billion. This structure prevents the use of untested compounds and requires chemical suppliers to provide detailed declarations of compliance.
Ink manufacturers must formulate their products using only the substances listed under these tables to ensure that their materials can be legally used on food-contact boards.
Packaging Compliance
Converters and brand owners use these regulatory guidelines to audit their supply chains and verify the chemical safety of their printed boxes. Compliance testing involves simulating food contact with solvent extractions to prove that migration remains below the allowed thresholds. Adhering to the Swiss ordinance food contact protects consumers from exposure to hazardous plasticizers, photoinitiators, slip agents and monomers that could migrate from the external print into the packaged food.