Sun Chemical strengthens direct food contact ink portfolio
Sun Chemical expands its direct food contact (DFC) portfolio with the launch of SunPak DFC inPace sheetfed inks, offering a more sustainable, economical, and visually engaging packaging solution.

Sun Chemical expands its direct food contact ink portfolio.
Concurrently, the addition of a new green pigment to the AquaSafe water-based ink portfolio enhances design flexibility while meeting European food safety requirements and sustainability objectives.
SunPak DFC inPace sheetfed inks
SunPak DFC inPace is an advanced sheetfed offset ink system for folding carton applications. It helps packaging manufacturers and brand owners reduce plastic use, improve recyclability, and create engaging consumer experiences without compromising performance.
Powered by Sun Chemical’s proprietary Pace Technology, SunPak DFC inPace and DFC coatings deliver:
• Direct food contact compliance
• Elimination of plastic laminates and inserts
• Simplified recyclable packaging designs
• High bio-based carbon content verified through Carbon-14 testing
• Reduced material usage and production steps
• Potential EPR fee reductions
• Enhanced internal package printing for stronger consumer engagement
AquaSafe water-based DFC inks
Sun Chemical also expanded its AquaSafe water-based DFC ink portfolio with nine new base colors, delivering a broader color gamut, improved vibrancy, and greater color accuracy.
Designed for direct food contact applications, AquaSafe inks are compatible with paper, paperboard, flexible films, and aluminium foil, enabling brands to replace plastic barriers with more sustainable packaging solutions while maintaining food safety and performance.
Expanded Color Gamut
Both SunPak DFC inPace and AquaSafe now feature an extended color gamut, including a newly developed food-compliant green pigment.
The enhanced palette delivers greater design freedom, stronger color impact, and improved print performance for both exterior and interior package graphics.
To accelerate color development, Sun Chemical integrated GamutViewer into SunColorBox, enabling brand owners and packaging manufacturers to verify color achievability before production. This reduces rework, minimizes waste, and improves manufacturing efficiency.