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HOLLIDAY Pigments food Contact Grades Gain Global Recognition

7/19/2011

Following Holliday Pigments' focus on food contact applications at Chinaplas 2011, the company's Technical Support Manager, Dave Masterman, has developed a white paper that puts into context growing demand for taste and taint free plastics packaging across the Asia Pacific region.

"In the quest for improved productivity, injection moulders are always trying to reduce cycle times, which invariably means using high process temperatures and shear rates - putting polymers and colorant additives under more extreme manufacturing conditions," says Dave Masterman.

Synthetic ultramarine is non-toxic and inherently safe for sensitive applications including cosmetics, children's toys and plastics that come into contact with food stuffs, however, Holliday Pigments recognised it could add value to plastics packaging - and in particular the caps and closure market - by developing a grade that was proven to impart no taste or odour during the production process.

Launched in Europe in 2006, the technology is now becoming popular in China, Japan and South East Asia, where customers are realising the benefits of working with the very best raw materials for more demanding end uses.

"The improvements to our manufacturing process specifically enable the production of pigments proven to impart no organoleptic effects," says Mr. Masterman.

"Ultramarine blue's unique colour is only possible because of sulphur anions within its crystal lattice and under extreme moulding conditions - where the pigment is exposed to high temperatures and shear rates - incorrect grade selection could lead to sulphurous taint in certain beverages."

While there are many factors that could contribute to this issue, Holliday Pigments has invested in improving its manufacturing process to specifically enable the production of pigments, proven to transfer no detectable taste to liquids contained in plastics packaging. Although the company's standard Ultramarines have worldwide health and safety approvals for such applications, this added-value benefit offers its customer base new packaging options at the premium end of the market - capitalising on designer bottled drinks, for example.

Holliday Pigments' Premier BC ranges for severely demanding food contact applications are free from unreacted sulphur and superior performance is ensured by improving the specification for volatiles to 0.05% maximum at 150ºC (standard grades are tested at 105ºC) and the un-reacted sulphur to 20ppm maximum (standard grades 200ppm). After thorough independent testing of bottle caps coloured with this grade and immersed in pure mineral water, no evidence of taint in the water could be detected.

Furthermore, because Ultramarine is also sensitive to attack by acids, which release sulphides, the company has created an encapsulated version of its food contact grade, available as Premier BC-R. Such acids may be present as breakdown products of the polymer (e.g. PVC) or in some foods (e.g. sparkling mineral water and fruit juices). While the polymer may protect standard grades of Ultramarine against weaker acids for a period, it is much better to use an Ultramarine which has its own protective coating to completely resist attack.

Website: www.holliday-pigments.com

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