Leading packaging innovator, Parkside, has collaborated with high-tech surface protection suppliers, Touchguard^TM, to launch a new packaging solution incorporating an antibacterial coating. The new development enables brands to protect consumers against potentially harmful bacteria.

By incorporating the new Touchguard over lacquer, Parkside said the innovative anti-bacterial design delivers a surface finish that inhibits the growth of bacteria. Utilizing a silver-based technology, the coating can be applied as a water- or solvent-based finish and is ideal for a range of packaging formats including flow wraps, lidding films and pouches.

At Parkside, the Touchguard technology is applied during the print finishing process as a component of a specially formulated solvent-based over lacquer. As a result, it enables brands to keep print costs down. According to Parkside, Touchguard is also proven to reduce the growth of MRSA by 99.97% and E. coli by 99.96%, making it an ideal solution for food packaging.

The coated packaging solution, according to Parkside, has been thoroughly tested in lab applications and is seen to be stable and exhibit an environment which, following the current U.K. Government and varying chemical society guidelines, will render the Covid-19 virus inactive. The coating has been independently assessed and certified for anti-bacterial performance to ISO 22196:2011.

“This latest packaging development from Parkside and Touchguard in no way replaces the need for careful hand washing. However, it is an innovative solution which can inhibit the spread of cross-contamination on packaging substrates that are not usually subject to any cleaning or infection control procedures, " said Mark ShawNew product development technical manager at Parkside.