Colorcon Introduces No-Tox® AM Inks and Coatings for Food, Medical and Pharmaceutical Antimicrobial Packaging Applications

West Point, PA - Colorcon, No-Tox Products, is pleased to announce recently, the filing of a patent application for No-Tox® AM, a new product line developed by its No-Tox Products business unit. No-Tox Products, a manufacturer of No-Tox® printing inks and coatings for decades, announced the launch of their new No-Tox® AM inks and coatings using the AgION™ antimicrobial technology.

AgION™ Technologies is a Boston-based biotechnology company, engaged in antimicrobial research and development. Its flagship product, sold under the AgION trademark, is an advanced, highly effective antimicrobial compound that can be used in a wide range of materials, including plastics, metals and fibers used in the manufacture of biomedical, industrial, commercial, and consumer goods.

This development positions Colorcon as a key provider of AgION antimicrobial technology suitable for food, medical and pharmaceutical packaging and related items. No-Tox® AM directly addresses a growing concern over microbial growth on the inside surface of packaging films and other commonly used substrates. The AgION antimicrobial delivery system provides for continual slow release of silver, a natural antimicrobial compound, ensuring packaging longevity and integrity.

"We are the first printing ink and coatings manufacturer worldwide to focus on U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) compliant products for this and other applications in the industries we serve", said Michael F. Gettis, Director of Business Development, No-Tox Products. "On June 9th, 2000 the FDA listed the AgION compound for use in all food contact polymers. All No-Tox® inks and coatings are manufactured in a dedicated current Good Manufacturing Process (cGMP) facility. As we expand the application of the AgION antimicrobial technology, we will continue to provide leadership in our industry."

Food packaging engineers and scientists are investigating new ways to provide greater shelf life to today's packaging. Providing physical protection, moisture and oxygen barrier is a given, but in today's consumer anxiety, that may not be enough. Packaging engineers are looking not only to extend the shelf life of their packaged foods, but to also extend the quality and nutritional value of their food items. Colorcon, a company that specializes in food, medical and pharmaceutical coatings, inks and colorants has introduced this series of inks and coatings for packaging applications that may meet many of these demands.

What are antimicrobials?
Microbes that contaminate packaging materials are typically controlled by using heat, steam, and radiation or by the addition of antimicrobial additives. Antimicrobial additives are materials that are able to reduce or eliminate the growth of bacteria, yeasts, and molds. Antimicrobial materials are used for packaging in various forms to prevent microbial growth.

What kind of antimicrobial materials are used in packaging? Among the most common antimicrobial materials are organic acids, and their salts. Potassium sorbate, for example, is commonly used in polyethylene packaging materials for cheese.

Oxygen scavenging systems, such as reduced iron complexes, absorb oxygen gas within the package and reduce oxidation of food components. Reduction of oxygen prevents growth of aerobic microorganisms, such as mold. Flushing the product with selected gases can control mold growth. For example, gas rich in sulfite can prevent or delay fungi development. Sulfites, nitrites and low molecular weight alcohols have antimicrobial properties. Other materials include enzymes, preservatives and sterilizing materials. Among these are antimicrobial peroxides, ozone, eugenol, nisin and lysozyme.

Many of these agents can be incorporated into the packaging materials and will migrate into the food through diffusion. The "silver bullet" used in No-Tox® AM coatings is based on silver ions contained in a zeolite. This is an inorganic material that is incorporated into the coating. The silver ions are released in the presence of surface moisture. Less than 0.001% of the silver is in the coating itself, but it is so effective that its shelf life is typically the life of the package.

Balancing the antimicrobial release and its effectiveness is not only dependent on the packaging materials but the food chemistry. The pH, water content, oxygen availability, etc. provide different environmental conditions to microorganisms in the food. Use of antimicrobial packaging offers a surface that will inhibit bacterial growth. Although most packaged food products are heat sterilized, microbial contamination can and does occur.

Is it more effective to apply the antimicrobial as a coating rather than incorporating it into a film by extrusion?
The application of an antimicrobial to food packaging can take several approaches. One is to put the antimicrobial into the film by adding it in the extruder when the film or co-extrusion is produced. The disadvantage of doing this is poor cost effectiveness since antimicrobial material not exposed to the surface of the film is generally unavailable to provide antimicrobial activity.

An alternative to extrusion or extrusion coating application of antimicrobials is to apply the antimicrobial additives as a coating. This has the advantage of placing the specific antimicrobial additive in a controlled manner where the material is needed and not lost. In addition, the coating can be applied at a later step, minimizing the exposure of the product to contamination.

Packaging engineers are busy designing the best configuration for specific antimicrobial materials. Many incorporate a multi-layer structure for controlling antimicrobial-release. The multi-layer design has the advantage that the antimicrobial can be added in one thin-layer and its migration and release controlled by the thickness of the film layer or coating. In practice, a matrix of several layers are used to control the antimicrobial agent rate of release.

Today's food packages should not only store the contents and prevent it from physical abuse, but actually influence the freshness, taste and control the microbial activity. Use of antimicrobial substances can control the microbial concentration and growth rates on the coating and target specific microbes to provide higher quality food packaging products.

The unique characteristics of Colorcon's No-Tox® AM coatings is that unlike other antimicrobials, these coatings are extremely effective, do not degrade in hostile environments, are long lasting and can be applied with standard coating equipment available to the packaging converter. These coatings can be applied by direct or offset gravure to a variety of substrates. These include paper, Foil, Nylon as well as corona-treated films such as PE, OPP or PET. Coated films, Tyvek® and other substrates can be coated as well.

The antimicrobial performance of No-Tox® AM has reduced a broad spectrum of bacteria and molds below detectable limits in laboratory settings. These unique products offer the packaging engineer the ability to design their package and incorporate an antimicrobial coating to effectively control bacteria in a variety of hostile package configurations.

For More Information contact Michael F. Gettis, Colorcon, No-Tox Products, 215-661-2652 mgettis@colorcon.com