Herma develops multi-layer coating to aid low-migration labels

Herma has said that it has developed a new multi-layer method to make food packaging “much less susceptible” to the risk of migration of adhesive constituents, without impairing the adhesive qualities of the labels

The Germany-based self-adhesive technology specialist said that more food producers are willing to avoid migration as far as possible but “many packaging films do not offer effective barrier properties”.

Herma managing director Thomas Baumgärtner said: “From a technical perspective, the solution lies in reducing the proportion of constituents that are capable of migrating, without changing the adhesive properties. This is now possible, by applying a specially formulated second coat to the label material at the same time as the adhesive.”

Germany-based Herma emphasises that adhesives certified for use with food do not contain any toxic or other substances giving cause for concern, and as a general rule, the risks associated with labels are “appreciably lower than those related to inks”.

Baumgärtner added that in the new Herma technology, it is the new second layer alone that is responsible for modifying the migration behaviour.

The adhesive in question, 62DPS, has been tested by the German ISEGA institute and certified for direct contact with dry, moist and fatty foodstuffs (reduction factor 3).

“This new adhesive gives users in the packaging industry the security they need at all times,” said Baumgärtner.

This applies not only to the direct, often unintentional contact that is made with foodstuffs, but also in situations in which the packaging material, such as foil or film, is designed to provide, but is not always capable of ensuring a fully effective protective barrier.

Herma UK division director Colin Phillips added: “If the buyers of packaging materials and consumables ask the right questions, every label printer nowadays can supply very low-migration labels that are no more expensive than comparable single-layer labels.”