Cationic UV Curable Coatings: Aspects of Consumer Safety in Food Packaging

Exterior clear coatings based on cationically UV cured epoxy formulations offer product advantages over UV acrylate systems in food packaging applications including low residual odor. This paper presents analytical results from migration and extraction tests for the specific determination of residual coating components. Experimental details and methods of analysis are described. Also included is a description of the toxicological properties of the cationic UV catalyst bis(4-(diphenylsulfonio)phenyl]sulfide-biS-hexafluorophosphate. All findings indicate that cationic UV curable coatings have the potential to offer full compliance with the stringent safety demands of food packaging materials.