What Thermal Transfer Ribbon should we choose for applications within the Food & Beverage industry? Fresh produce, deep-freeze goods, processed foods and the packaging and labelling of these products. Where shall one start?
Food traceability is of vital importance in securing food safety and protecting public health. Especially these days, as consumers are ever more interested in the origins and sustainability of the products they consume. That is why assuring that no short or long-term health risks come with the consumption of food and beverage products is a crucial prerequisite for F&B manufacturers.
To aid this, as an obligation, businesses within the European Union are to comply with specific traceability and labelling regulations. These regulations enable quick product recalls and efficient audit checks and ensure consumer safety throughout the production and distribution chain. With an increasingly speedy production process, most F&B items are packaged in flexible packaging. As a result, such production environments require smooth-running print-on-packaging tools to ensure proper identification and traceability.
Find the Thermal Transfer Ribbon that fits your specific needs.
One of the most popular measurements taken for Food & Beverage traceability is lot tracking. In brief, lot tracking can help manufacturers:
Certainly, depending on the printing and durability requirements the technology used for F&B coding and marking can vary, for both print & apply labels or coding on flexible packaging. However, abrasion due to frequent handling, smudging as a result of human contact, exposure to certain chemicals or extreme temperatures would all put variable prints to the test. When it comes to the durability and flexibility that variable printing requires, Thermal Transfer Printing has become one of the most popular technologies to ensure product traceability.
Selecting the right TTR is a critical step when it comes to variable code printing. You can achieve the ultimate results when the combination of substrate, application and printer is well-considered. So before choosing a ribbon to go with, just consider the following factors to make an informed decision:
Again, by harmonising ribbon, substrate, printer settings and application, we can achieve the most optimal print results.
Since the early ’80s, DNP has developed a broad portfolio of Thermal Transfer Ribbons for the print & apply and Thermal Transfer Overprint (TTO) markets to fit your needs. Naturally, all ribbons are produced using stringent quality measurement systems ensuring high-quality Japanese products for the TTR market. The DNP portfolio contains a complete range for the food & beverage industry, including wax, wax resin and resin ribbons.
Obviously, testing new ribbons can be challenging with production running on the side. This is why we offer to help you test products in DNP’s in-house lab or on-site. Let it be a challenging application that you need our help with, or finding the right ribbon and substrate combination, DNP’s knowledgeable product and industry experts are ready to take your requests at any time.
Get in touch with us to receive personalised advice from our TTR experts.
