Objective To provide suggestions for the safety management of printing inks and the establishment of food safety standard for food contact materials. Methods The laws, regulations and directives related to printing inks from different countries were collected and the differences among different management models were analyzed and compared. Results The safety management models of European Union, Switzerland, Germany, US and Japan were generalized and their experiences in the management measures of printing inks were summarized. Conclusion Safety standard of printing inks for food contact materials should be established on the basis of industry status and the various safety risks of different inks. Management experiences of other countries should be considered and the participation of industry associations should be encouraged.