The alert can identify tamper evidence in labels and packaging for food products including dairy to stop theft and counterfeiting.
Activation window
Lyle Small, CEO, CTI, said the technology is a breakthrough in tamper-evidence providing customers with a tight activation window where the alert transitions from colorless to full color within a range of 10°C.
Traditional irreversible technologies require a transition window between 30° to 50° C. (86° F. to 122° F.). This results in weak color activation and detection at lower temperatures.
The Tamper Alert technology is available in target activation temperatures of 50° C. (122° F.), 60° C. (140° F.), 70° C. (158° F.) and 80° C. (176° F.).
“For much of our 24-year-history, CTI has produced inks that change ‘back and forth’ based on temperature or sunlight,” said Small.
“Now, we’ve perfected an ink that goes only one-way. It’s irreversible and it’s used to show a product that has been tampered with, or has undergone temperature changes that impact the product’s quality.”
The Tamper Alert invention also incorporates CTI’s “Turbo” color technology creating the strongest color alert in tamper evidence in blue, green, black and red.
Stronger color
“CTI receives 30 calls every year from across the world looking for improved tamper evidence technology,” added Small.
“We’re constantly asked, ‘Do you have something that activates in a tighter temperature window and has a stronger color?’ It was involved a lot of tough chemistry to figure it out, but the team finally did it.”
At present, Tamper Alert is available only in water-based applications.
CTI produces thermochromic ink and manufactures other environmentally reactive technology, such as photochromic, pressure-activated, irreversible, reveal and glow-in-the dark.