Videojet ink for printing on food products

An ink composition suitable for use in ink jet printing of citrus fruits comprising a non-toxic solution of (a) from about 3% to about 8% by weight of shellac, (b) from about 1% to about 3% by weight of a food dye (c) from about 0.3% to about 0.6% by weight of 26.degree. Baume ammonium hydroxide (d) from about 88% to about 95% of a solvent consisting essentially of about 70% to about 75% methanol, ethanol or isopropanol or mixtures thereof;

• from about 10% to about 12% water, 13% to about 15% hexane or 2-heptanone and (e) from about 0% to about 1.0% sodium acetate.

An ink composition suitable for use in jet printing of citrus fruit comprising a non-toxic solution of (a) 275 parts of denatured ethanol, 35 parts of distilled water, 3 parts sodium acetate, 35 parts hexane, 30 parts of a mixture comprising 30 parts shellac and 70 parts ethanol, 2 parts 26.degree. Baume ammonium hydroxide and 7 parts FD&C Red Dye #3.

An ink composition suitable for use in jet printing of citrus fruit comprising a non-toxic solution of about 57.6% ethanol, 10.4% distilled water, 0.5% 26.degree. Baume ammonium hydroxide, 2.4% FD&C Red Dye #3, 13.3% 2-heptanone and 15.8% of a mixture comprising 30% shellac and 70% ethanol.

An ink composition suitable for use in jet printing of citrus fruit comprising a non-toxic solution of 275 parts denatured ethanol, 35 parts distilled water, 3 parts sodium acetate, 2 parts 26.degree. Baume ammonium hydroxide, 30 parts of a mixture of 30% shellac and 70 parts ethanol, 4 parts FD&C Red Dye #3, 4 parts FD&C Blue Dye #1 and 35 parts 2-heptanone.

An ink composition suitable for use in jet printing of citrus fruit comprising a non-toxic solution of 275 parts denatured ethanol, 35 parts distilled water, 3 parts sodium acetate, 2 parts 26.degree. Baume ammonium hydroxide, 30 parts of a mixture comprising 30 parts shellac and 70 parts ethanol, 35 parts hexane and 7 parts FD&C Blue Dye #1.

In a method of marking the surfaces of citrus fruit comprising the step of forming indicia on said fruit surfaces using an ink composition, the improvement which comprises applying said indicia to said fruit surfaces by jet printing an ink composition comprising a non-toxic solution of (a) a soluble binder resin (b) a food dye (c) a solvent for said resin and said dye consisting essentially of an aliphatic alcohol having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, water and an organic compound selected from the group consisting of aliphatic hydrocarbons having 5 to 12 carbon atoms and aliphatic ketones and, optionally, (d) an electrolyte;

In a method of marking the surfaces of citrus fruit comprising the step of forming indicia on said fruit surfaces using an ink composition, the improvement which comprises applying said indicia to said fruit surfaces by jet printing an ink composition comprising a non-toxic solution of 275 parts denatured ethanol, 35 parts of distilled water, 3 parts sodium acetate, 2 parts 26.degree. Baume ammonium hydroxide, 30 parts of a mixture comprising 30 parts shellac and 70 parts ethanol, 35 parts of hexane and 7 parts FD&C Blue Dye #1.

In a method of marking the surfaces of citrus fruit comprising the step of forming indicia on said fruit surfaces using an ink composition, the improvement which comprises applying said indicia to said fruit surfaces by jet printing an ink composition comprising a non-toxic solution of (a) 275 parts of denatured ethanol, 35 parts of distilled water, 3 parts sodium acetate, 35 parts hexane, 30 parts of a mixture comprising 30 parts shellac and 70 parts ethanol, 2 parts 26.degree. Baume ammonium hydroxide and 7 parts FD&C Red Dye #3.

In a method of marking the surfaces of citrus fruit comprising the step of forming indicia on said fruit surfaces using an ink composition, the improvement which comprises applying said indicia to said fruit surfaces by jet printing an ink composition comprising a non-toxic solution of about 57.6% ethanol, 10.4% distilled water, 0.5% 26.degree. Baume ammonium hydroxide, 2.4% FD&C Red Dye #3, 13.3% 2-heptanone and 15.8% of a mixture comprising 30% shellac and 70% ethanol.

In a method of marking the surfaces of citrus fruit comprising the step of forming indicia on said fruit surfaces using an ink composition, the improvement which comprises applying said indicia to said fruit surfaces by jet printing an ink composition comprising a non-toxic solution of 275 parts denatured ethanol, 35 parts distilled water, 3 parts sodium acetate, 2 parts 26.degree. Baume ammonium hydroxide, 30 parts of a mixture comprising 30 parts shellac and 70 parts ethanol, 35 parts 2-heptanone, 4 parts FD&C Red Dye #3 and 4 parts FD&C Blue Dye #1.