Chromatic Technologies Inc has expanded its thermochromic ink range to produce pull tabs that show when beverage cans are at the ideal drinking temperature.
When Colorado company, Chromatic Technologies Inc, developed its reveal inks, it was to provide “return to fridge” reminders to such vulnerable products as milk, yoghurt, salsa, pickles and ketchup.
US statistics collected during 2013 suggested that one in six Americans, or nearly 53 million Americans, would get sick from food poisoning that year. An estimated 3,000 would die from its effects.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had also revealed that for the years 2009-2010, 21% of food-borne disease outbreaks occurred in a private home, the cause being undercooking or leaving the food out for too long at an unsafe temperature.
CTI’s reveal inks can be used on printed cans, paper labels, cartons and film and are powered by a combination of thermochromic inks. When the product, such as milk, is at a safe temperature, the message reads “Drink Milk,” but when the carton reaches a target warm temperature (e.g., 40° F. or 4.4° C.), a colour will disappear revealing a “return to fridge” reminder to the consumer. CTI’s process allows the message, which is enabled to be ‘on’ and ‘off’ throughout the life of the package, to be customised.
Now, the thermochromic inks are available for use as pull tabs found on beverage cans worldwide.
The new thermochromic ink tabs are available in three colors: red, green or blue. They are the result of three years of research and development that solved difficult chemistry challenges to ensure that the colour change is
- meaningful to consumers
- affordable for brands
- scalable in a global manufacturing environment at high quality
Thermochromic tabs give brands an additional option for cold guarantee beyond the sidewall and are particularly useful for serving beverages in ice chests and crowded refrigerators.
"CTI has had an explosion of innovation in the last 12 months, and cold-activated tabs are one of the highest-scoring ideas for purchase intent across beer, soda and energy drinks," explained Lyle Small, founder and president of CTI.
"Many brands are spending incremental money on decorative colors for tabs. Our ‘cold-activated tabs’ now give brands the option to make that decoration functional and ensure consumers obtain cold beverages.”
CTI's mission statement is to improve lives “through chemistry that alerts, protects and surprises.” It is the world's largest provider of thermochromic inks, to convey messaging, be it an indication of hot or cold temperatures, or as an extension of the product’s brand. CTI chemistry also provides photochromic, black light, glow-in-the-dark, social media activation, security protection, and is also inventing new methods for bacteria detection and cancer treatment.
Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, Coors, Fanta, Hallmark, Heineken, Monster Energy, Mountain Dew, Pizza Hut, Sprite, The Smart Lid and Tuaca Liqueurs all use CTI products.
