Ink-jet printing on surface modified edibles and products made

#1. Field of the Invention

#The invention is directed to printing on edibles with ink-jet compatible ink. In particular, the invention is directed to modifying the surface characteristics of edibles to facilitate printing with water-based inks which are typically used in ink-jet printing. The invention has particular applicability to methods of printing high-resolution images on soft panned and hard panned sugar shell confectionery.

#2. Description of the Related Art

#As used herein, “water-based” means containing more water than non-aqueous solvent, which generally is substantially less non-aqueous solvent than conventional food-grade inks referred to as “solvent-based”.

#Water-based inks typically contain some polyols, and may contain organic solvents (such as alcohols) in relatively minor amounts. Solvent-based inks typically contain some water, but much less than water-based inks. Most, but not all, food-grade solvent-based inks are pigmented inks. To those of skill in the art, water-based inks are characterized by a high enough flash point that they can be shipped without a hazardous materials warning label. Solvent-based inks require such labellings.

#Any edible substrate that can be coated with a modified polarity coating to enhance the compatibility of its surface with water-based inks may be used with the invention: including pharmaceuticals, snack foods, confectioneries, and pet foods. The edible substrate may be film-coated. Preferred embodiments are directed to printing on panned sugar shell confectionery, which includes soft panned confectionery, such as jelly beans, which have a sugar shell agglomerated thereon, and hard panned sugar shell confectionery, such as M&M's® brand peanut and chocolate candies. In preferred embodiments the confectionery surface has a non-planar shape, such as a lentil or spheroid shape. These confectionery, as printing substrates, pose a particular problem in the printing of high resolution composite images, particularly where there is some variation in the size and/or shape of the confectioneries.