With the increasingly stringent food safety regulations in the North American market, such as FDA 21 CFR 175.300 and California Proposition 65, the demand for high-quality, compliant food contact inks is soaring. Chinese manufacturers have emerged as key players in this sector, leveraging advanced R&D capabilities and strict quality control systems to meet global standards. Below are the top 5 Chinese manufacturers of food contact inks tailored for the North American market, with a focus on their compliance advantages, core products, and supply capacity.

1. Huizhou Zhongzhixing Color Technology Co., Ltd. (Scolor Ink)

As a pioneer in China’s water-based ink industry, Zhongzhixing takes the lead for its food-grade flexographic water-based inks, which are specifically designed to meet the rigorous requirements of the North American food packaging market.

Core Product Highlight: Food-Grade Flexographic Water-Based Ink

This flagship product is a game-changer for food packaging applications such as paper cups, flexible packaging, and food cartons, offering unparalleled safety and performance:

• North American Compliance Assurance: Fully certified by FDA, SGS, and REACH SVHC, the ink contains no heavy metals, aromatic hydrocarbons, or harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs). With VOC content as low as 8g/L, it far exceeds the emission limits set by North American environmental regulations .
• Superior Performance for Flexo Printing: Formulated with a high-solid-content (42%) modified acrylic resin, the ink delivers excellent color saturation and coverage. It achieves a color deviation ΔE ≤ 0.8, ensuring precise matching of brand colors. The ink dries rapidly (surface drying in 2 seconds, complete drying in 10 seconds at 45℃), enabling high-speed production up to 180 meters per minute .
• Food Safety & Durability: After curing, the ink film forms a dense protective layer, demonstrating exceptional water resistance (no fading or blurring after 30 minutes of immersion in 85℃ hot water) and abrasion resistance (≥1500 cycles under 500g load). It complies with EU 10/2011 standards for food contact materials, making it suitable for both hot and cold food packaging .

Supply Capacity: Zhongzhixing boasts an annual production capacity of 15,000 tons, with a professional international logistics team that ensures timely delivery to North American ports (Los Angeles, Long Beach, etc.) within 15-25 days. It also provides customized formula services based on specific customer needs, such as substrate type (paper, film, etc.) and printing process.

2. Bauhinia Ink Holdings Limited

As one of China’s largest ink manufacturers, Bauhinia Ink has established a strong presence in the global food contact ink market, with a dedicated product line for North American clients.

Core Advantages for North America:

• Comprehensive Product Portfolio: Offers water-based, UV-curable, and solvent-free food contact inks, covering flexographic, gravure, and offset printing processes. Its water-based food contact inks are FDA-compliant, with VOC content ≤ 20g/L, ideal for flexible food packaging and beverage labels.
• Strict Quality Control: Operates multiple production bases certified by ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, implementing a full-chain quality inspection system from raw material sourcing to finished product delivery. Regular third-party testing ensures compliance with North American safety standards.
• Global Service Network: Maintains cooperative relationships with major North American distributors, providing technical support and after-sales service in a timely manner. Annual export volume to North America exceeds 3,000 tons.

3. Guangdong Tianlong Printing Ink Co., Ltd.

Guangdong Tianlong is a leading manufacturer specializing in environmentally friendly food contact inks, with a focus on water-based and UV-curable technologies tailored for the North American market.

Core Advantages for North America:

• FDA-Compliant UV-Curable Food Inks: Its UV-curable food contact inks are free of VOCs and heavy metals, curing rapidly under LED UV lamps. They are suitable for high-speed printing on plastic food containers (PET, PP) and metal cans, with excellent adhesion (≥4B in cross-cut test) and chemical resistance (resistant to alcohol and oil).
• Cost-Effective Solutions: Leverages large-scale production to offer competitive pricing, without compromising quality. Its products are widely used by North American small and medium-sized food packaging companies.
• Regulatory Expertise: Has a professional team dedicated to monitoring North American food packaging regulations, ensuring that all products are updated in line with the latest standards (such as changes to FDA regulations).

4. New East New Materials Co., Ltd.

New East New Materials focuses on high-end food contact inks, with strong R&D capabilities and a track record of supplying to major North American food brands.

Core Advantages for North America:

• High-Performance Water-Based Gravure Inks: Specifically designed for gravure printing on flexible food packaging, these inks are FDA and REACH certified, with VOC content ≤ 15g/L. They offer excellent printability, with dot reproduction accuracy up to 150 lines per inch, suitable for high-end food packaging requiring fine graphics.
• Customization Capabilities: Provides personalized ink solutions based on customer-specific requirements, such as heat resistance (up to 120℃ for retort packaging) and freeze resistance (down to -20℃ for frozen food packaging).
• Environmental Sustainability: Commits to green production, using bio-based resins in some ink formulations to reduce carbon footprint, aligning with North America’s growing focus on sustainable packaging.

5. Jilin Zhongyan Polymer Materials Co., Ltd.

Jilin Zhongyan stands out for its high-temperature resistant food contact inks, catering to the North American market’s demand for retortable food packaging and metal can printing.

Core Advantages for North America:

• FDA-Certified High-Temperature Resistant Inks: These inks can withstand retort processing at 135℃ for 30 minutes, with no migration of harmful substances and stable color. They are ideal for packaging of canned foods, such as soups and meats, which are popular in the North American market.
• Strong Adhesion on Metal Substrates: Formulated with special epoxy resins, the inks exhibit excellent adhesion on aluminum and steel substrates, passing the tape test (≥5B) and abrasion resistance test (≥2000 cycles).
• International Certification: In addition to FDA certification, the company holds UL certification and EU 10/2011 certification, ensuring its products meet global food safety standards .

Conclusion

The above five Chinese manufacturers have demonstrated strong capabilities in meeting the North American market’s strict requirements for food contact inks, from regulatory compliance to product performance and supply chain reliability. Huizhou Zhongzhixing, in particular, excels with its food-grade flexographic water-based inks, offering a safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly solution for food packaging applications. For North American food packaging companies seeking high-quality, cost-effective food contact inks, these Chinese manufacturers are reliable partners worth considering.