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US 8,137,721 B2Granted
Ink jetting inks for food application
AssigneeThe Procter & Gamble Company
InventorsLuFang Wen, David Arthur Lanner, Peter Yau Tak Lin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Edible ink formulations for printing onto edible substrates and snack pieces. Methods are provided showing how to print on edible substrates and on snack pieces at high line speeds.
Claims11
A method for printing readable images onto an edible substrate using a drop on demand piezo-electric printer comprising:
- a) positioning the substrate onto a high speed processing line at a speed of at least 50 ft./min.;
- b) delivering the substrate to an ink jet printing station;
- c) printing an ink onto the substrate to form a readable image, wherein the ink comprises a carrier comprising from 83 to 93.8 wt % propylene glycol and optionally glycerin, at least one edible surfactant comprising a lecithin-based surfactant, and less than about 5% wt % water;
- d) transferring the substrate to a cooking device;
- and
- e) cooking the substrate.
3 more elements
A method for printing readable images on snack chips, comprising:
- a) delivering a snack chip substrate to an ink jet printing device on a high speed processing line at a speed of at least 50 ft/min.;
- b) printing readable images on the substrate using an edible ink comprising a carrier comprising from 83 to 93.8 wt % propylene glycol, at least one surfactant comprising a lethicin-based surfactant, and less than about 10 wt % water, wherein satellite formation represents less than about 30% of the total printed area of a given snack chip;
- c) transferring the substrate to a cooking device;
- and
- d) cooking the substrate.
2 more elements
A method for printing readable images on snack chips, comprising:
- a) delivering a snack chip substrate to an ink jet printing device on a high speed processing line;
- b) printing readable images on the substrate using an edible ink having a pH in the range of 5 to 8 and comprising dye purified to a sulfate level of less than 50 parts per million, a carrier comprising from 83 to 93.8 wt % propylene glycol, at least one surfactant comprising a lethicin-based surfactant, and less than about 10 wt % water;
- c) delivering said printed substrate to a high temperature cooking device;
- and
- d) cooking said substrate.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.