If your packaging touches food — directly or through a thin wrapper — the regulatory bar rises sharply. This guide covers what buyers of food packaging need to ask, in plain language, before ordering.
When do food-contact rules apply?
Two distinct cases. Indirect contact (a box around a sealed, individually wrapped tea bag or chocolate bar) is the easy case: standard food-grade board and normal printing are typically fine. Direct contact (a box a pastry sits in, a bag of loose tea, bakery tissue) triggers real requirements: food-grade material certification and inks that don't migrate into the food.
What "food-safe ink" means
Conventional offset inks contain mineral oils and photoinitiators that can migrate — especially into fatty foods. Food-safe (low-migration) inks replace those components: water-based or plant-based systems certified for indirect or direct contact. The practical consequence: vividness is slightly limited and cost is a bit higher, but for most food packaging designs the visual difference is negligible.
The questions to ask your factory
1. Is the board food-grade certified? Ask which standard — FDA (US) and EU Regulation 1935/2004 + BfR recommendations (Germany/EU) are the two common references. 2. Are the inks low-migration? Request the ink supplier's declaration, not just a verbal yes. 3. What finish is over the print? Some laminations and coatings are not food-safe; for direct contact use food-approved coatings or a functional barrier layer. 4. Any aroma concerns? Coffee and tea absorb solvent smells — ask about low-odor production, or your packaging will season your product.
Reality check from the factory floor: food packaging is roughly a third of our output — bakery boxes, tea cartons, chocolate rigid boxes. The buyers who avoid trouble are the ones who declare "direct food contact, market = US/EU" in the first email. It changes material, ink, and sometimes structure; discovering it after printing is expensive.
FAQ
Does kraft paper automatically mean food-safe?
No. Kraft describes the paper's color and pulping, not its safety. Food-contact kraft exists and is common — but it must be certified as such, and printed with appropriate inks.
Who is responsible for compliance — the factory or the brand?
Shared, but the brand owns the final product. A factory certifies materials and inks; you ensure the overall package suits your food, market, and claims. Get certificates in writing, per shipment if needed.