The work aims to explore the best formulation of irreversible color-changing ink that can change from colorless to violet with accumulation of time and temperature, so as to indicate the quality change of perishable food. Leucocrystal violet and η6-Cumene hexafluorophosphate ferrocene (I-261) were combined as color-changing component of ink. The composition and proportion of mixed solvent and ink binder were determined by formulation test, and the interaction of solvent, ink binder and water on ink chromatism was explored with D-optimal mixing method. When mixed solution of acetone and ethyl acetate (mass ratio 0.48∶0.52) was used as ink solvent, mixed solvent of waterborne polyurethane 1426 and polyethylene glycol 400 (mass ratio 2∶3) was used as ink binder and the mass ratio of solvent, linker and water accounted for 54.9%, 17.4% and 27.7%, respectively, the printing effect of the ink sample was good and the discoloration effect was the most remarkable. The ink prepared according to the formulation determined by the formulation test has a good discoloration effect, and has a certain response to temperature changes. Therefore, the color development kinetics can be further explored and applied to food quality monitoring.