Food manufacturers have utilised the retort or autoclave process for years, typically to help preserve vegetables, beans, fruit, soup, sauces, baby food, meat/fish, ready-to-eat meals and pet food. To meet code requirements before, during, and after the retort process, Videojet, a leading company providing in-line printing, coding, and marking products, application-specific fluids, and product life cycle services, has announced its latest ink innovations, V476 and V521, for use with its 1000 Line of Continuous Inkjet (CIJ) printers. The former is qualified for use in Videojet standard 1000 Line printers and the latter for use in its 1000 Line Ultra High Speed models.
Codes produced with these new inks are designed to provide a noticeable colour change from dark red to light red when exposed to heat and moisture during the retort process. The colour change occurs after the material has been retorted for several minutes at 240-250°F (116-121°C). This allows processors to determine whether or not a particular item has been properly exposed to the retort process.
“These new inks are an example of Videojet innovation in fluids for ink jet technology,” states Heidi Wright, business unit manager for supplies at Videojet. “We are continually looking for ways we can deliver unique fluids formulations to meet customer needs and are very excited to bring these products to the industry. These new inks are a result of our dedicated research and development initiatives. Working closely with our customers to determine their production needs, we collect application data that can be used in creating formulations for a specific set of production requirements.”
MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) and methanol-free, the two inks provide a clear colour-change from dark red to light red and offer reduced bleeding of the code as compared to other thermochromic ink offerings. Primary uses for the inks are for processed food containers such as metal cans, glass jars, flexible pouches, plastic bowls, and trays. These inks may also be used in food or pharmaceutical applications where the goal is to reduce certain solvent plant emissions, including MEK.
