How to control the adhesive? Adhesives (box-gluing adhesives): water-based adhesives (low odor), hot-melt adhesives (depends on the formulation); the “adhesive usage” (application amount) affects the odor. When selecting an adhesive, the guiding principle is “strong adhesion with minimal odor.”
First, identify the source of the odor. Sources of odor: ink (solvent residue), adhesive (binder), cardboard (raw material odor); First, distinguish between “immediate odor” (new box odor) and “residual odor” (solvents) before developing a plan—the immediate odor needs to dissipate, while the residual odor requires testing.
The economics of odor control: Ink controls the source, adhesive controls bonding, and cardboard controls the base odor—once you clearly understand “what’s being packaged and who’s consuming it,” you can allocate odor-control costs to the source materials.
How should testing be conducted? Testing (odor verification): Open the box and smell (sensory evaluation), use instruments to measure (residual odor); verify “food-grade” (odor standards) based on intended use. For testing details, use “no pungent odor upon opening the box” as the benchmark.
How should ink be controlled? Ink (printing layer): water-based ink (low odor), UV ink (fast curing); verify “solvent residue” (testing) against standards. Ink control is guided by the principle of “minimal odor after printing.”
Odor is the “most easily overlooked source of negative feedback” in packaging: the moment a product is opened, if a strong odor is detected, the consumer’s positive impression is immediately diminished—odor control is especially critical for food and cosmetics packaging. This article clearly explains the key points of odor control; clients in the food and high-end packaging industries may refer to it as needed.
How should cardboard be controlled? Cardboard (base paper): unbleached paper (low odor), coated paper (depends on the coating); “storage” (ventilation) requires time for odors to dissipate. Details regarding cardboard should be tailored to its intended use.
