New deep-freeze adhesive from HERMA Self-adhesive Materials: Keep cool and don't worry about the fat

• The new HERMA deep-freeze adhesive 62K is unconditionally approved for use even with fatty foods – without compromising either adhesion or processing.
• At deep-freeze temperatures, it offers tack and final adhesion attributes that were previously available only with hot-melt adhesives.
• Its properties originate from an entirely new polymer developed by HERMA in its own laboratory.

The reliable labelling of deep-frozen products has thus far presented a considerable challenge, especially in the case of fatty foods such as meat, fish or dairy ice-cream. Furthermore, some deep-freeze adhesives are not approved at all for use with these products. Although some such adhesives can be used up to a certain fat content, problems can arise with moist and icy surfaces, and when produced to labels. Self-adhesive specialist HERMA is now in a position to offer the best of both worlds. Its new deep-freeze adhesive 62K for labels satisfies two requirements that are generally mutually exclusive. First, the labels can be securely applied even at minus 20 degrees Celsius, and second, the adhesive has been granted unconditional ISEGA approval for dry, moist and, in particular, fatty foods. Its properties originate from an entirely new polymer created in HERMA's own laboratory. "We can therefore systematically dispense with the additives that were required to achieve satisfactory initial tack in the presence of very low temperatures. These additives were also associated with certain side-effects," says Dr. Ulli Nägele, HERMA's head of development. 62K offers tack and final adhesion attributes that were previously available only with hot-melt adhesives.

Extremely low-migration adhesive
62K is thus an extremely low-migration adhesive for very low temperatures that also offers supreme adhesive and processing properties. As a consequence, label printers deciding in favour of this adhesive and, in turn, users in the food industry no longer have to concern themselves with correction factors. These factors measure the quantity of constituents migrating from the adhesive and indicate its application limit with foods, expressed as a maximum fat content. "The unconditional approval granted by ISEGA to our 62K adhesive gives label printers and users a high degree of security. 62K is the right choice in practically all circumstances," insists Dr. Nägele. "Other adhesives are generally subject to compromises in one way or another." Despite its outstanding anti-migration and deep-freeze properties, however, 62K offers very good tack and final adhesion at normal temperatures as well – even in conjunction with challenging surfaces that are popular in the food industry, such as PE and PP films. Curved surfaces likewise fail to pose a problem. The new deep-freeze adhesive even performs well with moist or icy surfaces. "62K is therefore ideally equipped to emerge as an all-rounder for deep-freeze applications," concludes Dr. Nägele.