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Solvent-based gravure and flexo inks used in packaging always retain small amounts of solvent in the final package. When measured and controlled, this is not a problem. However, excess solvent retention will cause the package to have an odor and can spoil the taste of food products.
The human senses of taste and smell are very acute, and residual levels of solvent in the 1-100 parts per million (ppm) range often can be detected readily and found objectionable. Even though there is always a physical barrier between the ink or other coating and the packaged product, the residual solvents can migrate partially into the product headspace or into the product itself.
Having established that solvent retains can be a problem, it is necessary to employ quality measures to guide manufacturing operations. Over the years, the major consumer product companies have come up with limits on acceptable solvent retention.
This standard will have an overall upper cumulative limit for all detected solvents. It also would have limits within this total for individual solvents. Each individual solvent would have a limit based on...