Konica Minolta AccurioJet KM-1e series meets requirements for non-transfer of mineral oils to packaging

2024-03-29

Konica Minolta reaches out to printers facing strict European regulations and obtains verified results confirming that its award-winning AccurioJet KM-1e technology meets future requirements covering mineral oil content in food packaging.

Both the KM-1e with HD and the KM-1e models have passed rigorous testing by PiCA (Prüfinstitut Chemische Analytik GmbH). The inks – HS101K, HS101C, HS101M, HS101Y – meet the requirements that will be implemented in the coming years by the French Decree on Mineral Oils in Packaging. The specific regulations are Decree No. 2020-1725 of December 29 defined in Articles C. 543-45-1 and D.543 of the Environmental Code.

Since January 2022, France has banned mineral oils in its packaging, regulations that were extended a year later to unsolicited advertising materials and catalogs for commercial promotions. Starting in January 2025, mineral oils will also be banned in France and will not be used for printing aimed at the general public.

The substances already covered by the ban are aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) from mineral oil that comprise 1 to 7 aromatic rings and saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) from mineral oil with 16 to 35 carbon atoms. These ink regulations will become even more restrictive starting in early 2025.

However, laboratory experts at Berlin-based PiCA have confirmed that the results of tests carried out on several samples of the material from the Konica Minolta AccurioJet KM-1e and KM-1e with HD presses meet these requirements. The report stated: “Neither aliphatic hydrocarbons (MOSH) nor aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) were detected in the specific migration analysis 23-S170-0010B to -0010D. Therefore, no transfer of hydrocarbons from the mineral oil of the material to food is expected.”

Nuno Sacadura, Inkjet Business Development Manager at Konica Minolta Europe, says: “The fact that our AccurioJet KM-1e UV-LED B2+ presses once again meet future requirements for food secondary packaging regulations underlines a “We continue to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to sustainability and our ability to help our customers see the full potential in digital printing for packaging” and added “Printing companies are facing increasingly strict European regulations, many of which which are already in place, and which will negatively affect a growing number of businesses unless they take action. Regulations covering mineral oils in packaging are likely to become more restrictive in other countries as well. “I therefore urge businesses to contact us so we can help them comply with regulations that will become even stricter from next year.”

Konica Minolta’s AccurioJet KM-1e series combines the printing materials and stability features of offset presses with the benefits of the latest digital technology. Awards include international accreditation for safe toys for children from TÜV Rheinland, a pioneering award from Buyers’ Lab International (BLI) and the award for best B2+ color cut-sheet printer from the European Digital Press (EDP). association.