Epson Commercial Label Printer Inks Reach Major Milestones in Food Contact Materials Compliance

Epson Inks Comply with Regulations from the EuPIA and United States Food and Drug Administration, and Meet FCM and GMP Standards

Long Beach, Calif. – April 9, 2019 – Epson today announced that ink used in its SurePress® digital inkjet label presses and ColorWorks® on-demand color label printers are compliant with EU Regulation framework (EC) No. 1935/2004, Good Manufacturing Practices Regulation (GMP) (EC) No. 2023/2006, Plastics Implementation Measure Regulation (EU) 10/2011 and included in Swiss Ordinance (RS 817.023.21) on Food Contact Materials for food packaging printing inks. Epson demonstrates its long-term commitment to the food and beverage label and packaging industry by the level of investment it has applied in its pursuit of regulatory compliance.

“Epson’s SurePress and ColorWorks printers are used worldwide by converters and end-users for the food and beverage industry,” said Victor Gomez, director of industrial labels, Epson America, Inc. “Our customers can continue to deliver jobs with confidence knowing that the printers they have installed in their manufacturing facilities are compliant with Food Contact Materials regulations. Gaining compliance is an important milestone that further demonstrates Epson’s leadership in the digital production of food and beverage labels and packaging.”

Epson’s Investment in Ink

Unique among digital inkjet press and printer manufacturers, Epson produces its own ink.  Epson invests directly in systems and hygienic processes to produce ink for its SurePress and ColorWorks solutions. Our facilities meet the internationally recognized Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standards (EC) No. 2023/2006 EU Regulations and corresponding United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cGMP. In addition, Epson SurePress and ColorWorks inks are manufactured with food grade hygiene management, implementing Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) risk assessment at each stage of production.

Epson Ink Materials and Additional Regulations

Epson’s inks comply with Swiss Ordinance on Materials and Articles in Contact with Food (RS817.023.21) and their ingredients have been registered or submitted to the Swiss Positive Lists A and B, published by Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) approved for food labeling and packaging printing.

Epson is a member of EuPIA and adheres to the guidelines on printing inks applied to the food packaging materials and articles, according to GMP (EC) No. 2023/2006 under European Framework Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004.

Non-Food Contact Surface Printing

In compliance with EU Regulation framework (EC) No. 1935/2004, Epson SurePress and ColorWorks inks are not intended for direct food contact applications. When using Epson SurePress and ColorWorks inks, it is recommended the non-food contact side of pressure-sensitive food labels is separated by aluminum, glass, plastic or other materials that acts as a functional barrier, as defined by local regulations, preventing migration of the ink components to the food.

For additional information about Epson’s SurePress line of digital label presses, visit www.epson.com/surepress. For additional information about Epson’s ColorWorks on-demand color label printers, visit www.epson.com/colorworks.

About Epson

Epson is a global technology leader dedicated to connecting people, things and information with its original efficient, compact and precision technologies. With a lineup that ranges from inkjet printers and digital printing systems to 3LCD projectors, watches and industrial robots, the company is focused on driving innovations and exceeding customer expectations in inkjet, visual communications, wearables and robotics.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the Epson Group comprises more than 81,000 employees in 85 companies around the world, and is proud of its contributions to the communities in which it operates and its ongoing efforts to reduce environmental impacts.

Epson America, Inc., based in Long Beach, Calif., is Epson’s regional headquarters for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. To learn more about Epson, please visit: epson.com. You may also connect with Epson America on Facebook (facebook.com/Epson), Twitter (twitter.com/EpsonAmerica), YouTube (youtube.com/EpsonAmerica), and Instagram (instagram.com/EpsonAmerica).

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