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The color of product packaging plays an important role in brand awareness and consistency. Given the importance of consistent color reproduction, the use of standardized spot colors is essential. However, the reproduction of specific spot colors in offset packaging printing involves additional processes and costs. This study presents an efficient approach to predict the color result of spot color inks in the packaging printing industry, using only the amount of ink involved in the mixing process as an input. Using a neural network-based model, our approach uses the CIEDE2000 color difference formula as a loss function to accurately estimate the final color. This method provides a simplified alternative to traditional color mixing techniques, which often involve subjective judgment and can be resource-intensive. Particularly beneficial for smaller companies, our approach reduces the complexity and cost associated with achieving accurate spot colors. The significance of this work lies in its practical application, providing a simpler, more objective and cost-effective solution for consistent color reproduction in packaging printing.

The main goal of the packaging production process is to ensure quality reproduction of color and design in general, so that the quality of the final product meets all requirements necessary for food packaging. Colors are one of the key components of brand recognition and the creation of an emotional connection with consumers which is the basis of this paper. Aside from conventional packaging materials, more and more food products are marketed in multi-layered flexible packaging. The samples that form the basis of this paper are printed on polyester film (PET) using a rotogravure printing technique. During the finishing phase, the PET layer are laminated on layer of aluminium (Al), oriented polyamide (OPA) and polypropylene (PP) and then, after cross linking, they are die-cut and formed into stand-up pouch. During the graphic reproduction, graphic preparation, printing and finishing processes, colors show various deviations. The main goal of this paper is to examine the influence of the individual phases of these processes on the manner in which red spot color reacts to and determines deviations (ΔE*) in relation to a defined formula and color standard. Color deviations may also occur during the finishing and sterilisation process. In order that colorimetric spot colors may be monitored, it is necessary to define a formula and standard and conduct measuring after each stage of the graphical process in the CIE L*a*b* color space. Based on the measured results, guidelines and recommendations were produced for the correction and control of color reproduction throughout the defined process which aim to reduce deviation to an acceptable level.

The food industry has recognized the important role that multi-layered, flexible packaging materials play and it uses them extensively within the packaging processes. Trends within food processing and packaging continuously encourage manufacturers to develop new technologies which extend a product’s shelf-life. The samples that were the subject of research described in this paper are retort stand-up pouches made of multi-layered flexible material, the layers of which have been bonded with a laminating process that aims to both extend a product’s shelf-life and stability, permitting the final processing of the finished product under aggressive regimes. It is intended that packaging, when subjected to graphic reproduction and high pressure processing, shall remain unchanged in all aspects, in particular the visual aspect that is the subject of the research. The samples were printed on polyester film (PET) using a rotogravure printing technique and laminated on aluminum (Al), oriented polyamide (OPA) and finally on inner polypropylene (PP) layers. The sample was monitored for the Vegeta Blue spot colorimetric difference in the CIE L*a*b* space throughout the individual graphic reproduction phases and the final high pressure processing (HPP) of the finished product. The goal is to determine the size of the spot color colorimetric difference (ΔE*) in relation to the defined formula and the established standard. On the basis of measured results, guidelines and recommendations for the correction and quality assessment of spot color reproduction throughout the entire process were defined, with the goal to minimize any deviation to the lowest possible level.