Toyo Ink makes safe ink suitable for inkjet printing

Toyo Ink Mfg. Co. has developed an ink that is safe for inkjet printing on eggshells. The company intends to produce five metric tons of the ink annually at a new plant built on the grounds of its Kawagoe factory in Saitama Prefecture.

The ink will be used for printing use-by dates and other information on eggs. It is hoped that sales will expand to include the use of this ink for printing on fruit and other similar purposes.

Already authorised as a food additive, the ink is made by mixing natural plant pigments with a resin taken from the shells of crustaceans with water or ethanol. It will not come out even when washed in water because the pigment combines with the calcium contained in eggshells.

Though inks that do not do any harm when eaten do exist, this new ink is the first one that can be used in non-contact inkjet printers. In order to prevent the nozzle used to spray the ink from clogging, Toyo Ink has reduced the ink’s viscosity. The ingredients of the ink will not change for at least half a year at ambient temperatures of 10-40ºC.