Printable edible ink based on Hibiscus for food safety and sustainable packaging, and printing

Abstract The investigation in this article focused on developing Hibiscus (Hb)‐based edible ink, and the effect of the addition of citric acid (CA) on the colouring agent Hb and binding agent guar gum (GG) was analysed. The characteristics of the inks were evaluated with different physicochemical characteristics such as colour strength ( K/S ) of printed ink, K/S for rub resistance colour, antioxidant activity, and pH. Among the different percentages of CA (1%, 3%, and 5% w/w), the Hb/GG/CA‐3 exhibited an excellent K/S value for the printed ink of 3.1 ± 0.2 and a rubbing resistance of 1.7 ± 0.1. The degree of colour change after the rub resistance was minimal due to the strong adhesive property of GG (binder) with the colouring pigment, which improved the ink's physical quality. The incorporation of CA in the ink resulted in a smoother surface and enhanced colour characteristics. The highest antioxidant activity of 62.23 ± 0.53% and a pH value of 2.26 ± 0.08 were reported in Hb/GG/CA‐3. The overall results after screen printing revealed that the developed ink exhibited excellent printing properties and has the potential to significantly impact the food packaging and printing field, inspiring a new wave of innovation and sustainability.