In its December edition, the German consumer magazine “Öko- Test” presented a major butter comparison where 17 out of 20 products failed, receiving only the grades “poor” or “insufficient.” The CHT Group can contribute to solving this problem with undesired hazardous substances in butter.

The testers criticized above all the contamination by mineral oil. In 19 out of 20 products, the laboratory found mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) which had accumulated in human fatty tissue as well as in lymph nodes or organs such as the liver, spleen, and lungs. The mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) must be distinguished from the saturated ones. According to the testers, they are particularly of concern because some compounds in this substance group are carcinogenic.

But how did the mineral residues get into the butter? Apart from lubricating oils from machines, packaging in wax-laminated aluminum foil was of crucial importance for the contamination with the mineral oil saturated hydrogens. The manufacturer said that the closer the butter was to the expiration date, the higher the MOSH levels were to be expected. Ingredients of the printing inks used on the packaging may have migrated into the food.

The CHT Group supplies products which help solve this contamination problem. How does this work? CHT’s ULTRALUBE additives do not contain MOSH or MOAH, nor do they contain any other substances of concern. This absence of substances of concern is confirmed for each product on a Regulatory Information Statement, so that printing ink formulators can easily see the individual components of the product as well as its compliance with laws and regulations.

CHT produces a wide range of additives for printing inks, overprint varnishes and barrier coatings. Particularly noteworthy are the ULTRALUBE products which improve the scratch and abrasion resistance without changing the gloss level of the resulting coating. Some ULTRALUBE products work as a barrier coating against water vapor, water, and grease.

To meet the demand for more environmentally friendly coating systems, the new ULTRALUBE developments are partly based on renewable raw materials and are free from VOC, APEO, formaldehyde, paraffin, and heavy metals.

With the selection of raw materials, the formulation and process knowledge, the prerequisites for various international requirements, such as FDA 175.300, BfR XIV and XXXVI, Swiss Ordinance, Plastic Directive, etc. are fulfilled.