NON-CONTACT PRINTED EDIBLE PRODUCT AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME

Abstract

The present disclosure provides non-contact printed comestible products and methods for making these products. The comestible products include an edible substrate and an edible ink-indicia on the substrate. An organoleptic component which corresponds to a feature of the edible ink-indicia and/or a feature of the edible substrate is present on the edible substrate. The edible ink-indicia and the organoleptic component increase the consumer appeal for the product.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an apparatus of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a printing device of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a printing device printing on an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a printing device printing on an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a printing device printing on an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a printing device printing on an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a printing device printing on an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6A is a perspective view of a printing device printing on an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a printing device printing on an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an edible product of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a printed edible product in a packaging of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a printing device printing on an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an edible product and a packaging of the present disclosure.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a printing device printing and an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 13A, 13B, and 13C each are a perspective view of an apparatus dispensing an edible material onto an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 14A and 14B are each a perspective view of an apparatus dispensing an edible material onto an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 15A is top perspective view of an event product of the present disclosure.

FIG. 15B is a bottom perspective view of the event product of FIG. 15A.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an event product of the present disclosure.

FIG. 17A is a top perspective view of an event product advertisement of the present disclosure.

FIG. 17B is a bottom perspective view of the event product advertisement of FIG. 17A.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a printing device and an edible substrate of the present disclosure.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a confectionery product having an edible ink printed thereon of the present disclosure.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a confectionery product having an edible ink printed thereon of the present disclosure.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a confectionery product printed with an edible ink of the present disclosure.

FIG. 22 is perspective view of a confectionery product printed with an edible ink of the present disclosure.

FIG. 23 is perspective view of a confectionery product printed with an edible ink of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An edible product comprising: an edible substrate;an edible ink-indicia printed on the edible substrate; andan organoleptic component corresponding to a feature of the edible ink-indicia.

2. The product of claim 1 wherein the edible substrate is selected from the group consisting of a confectionery, a coated confectionery, a chewing gum, a coated chewing gum, a center-filled chewing gum, a coated center-filled chewing gum, and combinations thereof.

3. The product of claim 1 wherein the edible ink-indicia is selected from the group consisting of a word, an image, a color, a symbol, an object, an alpha-numeric representation, a letter, text, a shape, a fanciful shape, a symbol, a logo, a graphic, an advertising indicia, and combinations thereof.

4. The product of claim 1 wherein the organoleptic component is selected from the group consisting of a flavoring agent, a cooling agent, a heating agent, a mouthfeel agent, a tingling agent, a fizzing agent, a sweetening agent, a souring agent, a bittering agent, a teeth whitening agent, a breath freshening agent, an anti-cavity agent, an audible agent, and combinations thereof.

5. The product of claim 1 wherein the feature is selected from the group consisting an element of the ink-indicia, a color of the ink-indicia, a meaning conveyed by the ink-indicia, a perception generated by the ink-indicia, a concept communicated by the ink-indicia, and combinations thereof.

6. The product of claim 1 wherein the edible ink-indicia is a high-resolution image.

7. The product of claim 1 wherein the edible ink-indicia comprises a word and the feature is a meaning of the word.

8. The product of claim 1 wherein the edible ink-indicia is an inkjet-indicia.

9. The product of claim 1 comprising a multicolor edible ink-indicia.

10. The product of claim 1 comprising a plurality of organoleptic components.

11. An edible product comprising: an edible substrate;an edible ink-indicia printed on the edible substrate; and an organoleptic component corresponding to a feature of the edible substrate.

12. The edible substrate of claim 11 wherein the feature is selected from the group consisting of a structure of the edible substrate, a composition of the edible substrate, an ingredient in the edible substrate, a surface texture of the edible substrate, a hardness of the edible substrate, and combinations thereof.

13. The product of claim 11 wherein the edible substrate is a chewing gum and the feature is a center-fill portion of the chewing gum.

14. An edible product comprising: an edible substrate having opposing first and second sides; a first edible ink-indicia on the first side;a second edible ink-indicia on the second side, and wherein a portion of the first edible ink-indicia contacts a portion of the second edible ink-indicia.

15. The edible product of claim 14 wherein the first edible ink-indicia contacts the second edible indicia at an edge of the edible substrate.

16. The edible product of claim 14 wherein the first and second edible ink-indicia are inkjet indicia.

17. The edible product of claim 14 comprising an organoleptic component on the edible substrate.

18. The edible product of claim 14 wherein the first and second edible ink-indicia cover substantially an entire outer surface of the edible substrate.

19. A method for producing an edible product comprising: non-contact printing an edible ink-indicia on an edible substrate; andplacing on the edible substrate an organoleptic component that corresponds to a feature of the edible ink-indicia.

20. The method of claim 19 comprising non-contact printing a word on the edible substrate and the organoleptic component corresponds to a meaning of the word.

21. The method of claim 19 comprising non-contact printing a high-resolution image on the edible substrate.

22. A method for producing an edible product comprising: non-contact printing an edible ink-indicia on an edible substrate; anddispensing on the edible substrate an organoleptic component that corresponds to a feature of the edible substrate.

23. The method of claim 22 comprising forming a surface texture on the edible substrate, the organoleptic component corresponding to the surface texture.

24. A method of preparing an edible product comprising: non-contact printing an edible ink-indicia on an edible substrate; anddispensing a precision dose of an organoleptic component on the edible substrate.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the dispensing further comprises ink jet printing.

26. The method of claim 24 further comprising weighing the edible substrate to determine the precision dose.