Trials currently underway at the Co-op include rolling antimicrobial coatings out to fish and raw meat packaging, tissue boxes, nappy packaging and ‘bags for life’, while Tesco is trialing the Bioseal product on tissue, tea, pizza and cereal boxes.

Meanwhile the leading banknote printer is considering the product as an alternative to the antimicrobial silver-based coatings also being tested for use on banknotes.

Chemical Intelligence has also announced the addition of water-based inks and coatings specialist Ultrachem to its roster of distributers, which also includes Druckfarben, Shackell Edwards, AteCe Graphic Products, Pearltec and Epple Druckfarben. 

The company has been demonstrating its Bioseal product on Ultrachem's Ipex stand.

The company's additive can be added, the company says, to any ink, varnish and coating at “negligible cost,” to kill 99.999% of a wide range of bacteria, viruses and fungi “within four minutes”.

The company is currently keen to get as many distributers onboard as possible, explained chief executive Rob Gros. “What everybody’s realising is we need to make this product as open as possible so that awareness about its importance is raised,” he said. “Exclusivity should come later down the line.”

He added that working with a range of distributers covering the same geographical areas was crucial so that the additive could be supplied in water-based products, courtesy of Ultrachem for example, as well as UV and oil-based consumables, supplied by the likes of Druckfarben.

Chemical Intelligence is also currently in talks with Estée Lauder and Starbucks about adding antimicrobial coatings to each brand’s products.

“I would hope that within the next two years you will see widespread usage of antimicrobial coatings on medical, pharmaceutical and food print, and any high-contact print such as paper cups and banknotes,” said Gros. “Really this should be used on everything.”