The adornment or surface decoration of comestibles such as pastries, iced cakes, pasties, ice-cream, cream and meat products has produced very many different ways of applying the adornments.

For example, decorative images and/or other indicia of an informative nature may be transfer printed from a carrier means such as a release membrane, which membrane is brought into overlying relationship with a surface of the comestible product to be decorated or adorned for the transfer to be effected.

The release membrane may conveniently be made from a plastic material with the transfer of the decorative image being effected by the application of heat.

Alternatively, the release membrane may conveniently be made from a cellulose material with the transfer of the decorative image being effected by the application, under light pressure, of moisture to the interface between the release membrane and the surface of the comestible to be decorated or adorned.

Whatever product and process is used the exercise is costly and time consuming, particularly where a manufacturer produces a range of comestible products of a disparate nature with each product requiring a different product and/or process for applying an adornment or decoration to those products.

The present invention seeks to overcome, or at least mitigate the drawbacks of prior arrangements for applying adornment or decoration to the surface of a comestible product.

Thus, the present invention conveniently provides a starch based substrate having an image printed thereon for application to a comestible product, characterised in that the substrate, which is freeze-thaw stable when formed, may be frozen until required for use, said use including the application thereof to an unprocessed or part processed comestible product, the substrate and image exhibiting no deleterious side affects after undergoing a heating process during baking, frying or grilling of an unprocessed, or part processed, comestible product, the substrate and image expanding with the product without loss of image definition as the product becomes fully processed.

Preferably, the starch based substrate comprises as a percentage by weight of the mixture from which the substrate is made: i) up to 2.5% by wt. xanthan gum; ii) up to 15% by wt. rapeseed oil; iii) up to 6% by wt. modified starch; and, iv) up to 3. 5% by wt. lecithin.

In an alternative recipe conveniently provided by the present invention the starch based substrate may also comprises as a percentage by weight of the mixture from which the substrate is made: i) up to 10% by wt. sugar ii) up to 6% by wt. dextrose monohydrate; iii) up to 0.6% by wt. citric acid; and, iv) 5% to 15% by wt. glucose syrup.

The starch based substrate may also conveniently comprise as a percentage by weight of the mixture from which the substrate is made: i) 7% to 20% by wt. maize starch ; ii) up to 11% by wt microcrystalline cellulose; iii) 1% to 17% by wt. gum acacia; iv) up to 4% by wt. titanium dioxide; v) up to 0.4% by wt. potassium sorbate; vi) 28% to 52% by wt. water; vii) up to 10% by wt. glycerine; viii) up to 4. 5% by wt. polysorbate 60; ix) up to 15% by wt. sorbitol; and, x) up to 0. 2% by wt. vanilla flavouring.

The present invention also conveniently provides a method of forming a starch based substrate for application to a comestible product, the method comprising the steps of : i) blending a dry mixture of ingredients comprising as a percentage by weight of the mixture from which the substrate is made: a) 10% to 20% by wt. maize starch; b) up to 11% by wt. microcrystalline cellulose; c) 1% to 17% by wt. gum acacia; d) up to 6% by wt. modified starch; e) up to 2. 5% by wt. xanthan ; and, f) up to 0. 4% by wt. potassium sorbate; ii) blending a liquid mixture of ingredients comprising as a percentage by weight of the mixture from which the substrate is made: a) 28% to 52% by wt. water; b) up to 10% by wt. glycerine; c) up to 4. 5% by wt. polysorbate 60; d) up to 15% by wt. sorbitol; e) up to 0. 2% by wt vanilla flavouring ; and, f) up to 4% by wt. titanium dioxide; iii) heating a fatty phase mixture of ingredients comprising as a percentage by weight of the mixture from which the substrate is made: a) up to 15% by wt. rapeseed oil; and, b) up to 3. 5% by wt. lecithin; iv) dispersing the heated mixture of rape-seed oil and lecithin in the premixed liquid ingredients using a high shear mixer to form an admixture thereof; v) blending the premixed dry ingredients with the admixed liquid and fatty phase ingredients; and, vi) forming a sheet of substrate material from which substrates are delineated.

Preferably the dry ingredients may also comprise as a percentage by weight of the mixture from which the substrate is made: i) up to 10% by wt. sugar; ii) up to 6% by wt. dextrose monohydrate; and, iii) up to 0.6% citric acid.

Conveniently, the liquid ingredients further comprise 5% to 15% by wt. glucose syrup.

The starch based substrate of the present invention may be provided with an image printed thereon using edible inks applied by a silk screen process or by an offset printing process.

Conveniently, the blending of the ingredients at each stage of the method is effected in a high shear mixer.

Preferably, the starch based substrate and the sheet of substrate material from which it is delineated have a thickness of 100 to 600 microns.

The present invention also conveniently provides a comestible product comprising a printed starch based substrate made in accordance with the methods set out in the last five preceding paragraphs, the starch based substrate being attached to the comestible product for the adornment thereof.

The now follows a detailed description of a starch based substrate provided by the invention together with a detailed description of a method for the manufacture thereof.

The many arrangements for applying surface decoration to comestible products leave a lot to be desired in relation to the time consuming and costly processes involved and the standard and quality of the finished products.

However, the starch based substrate provided by the present invention, which substrate is duly printed on an upper surface thereof with an image to be applied to a comestible product, ensures that the decorated end product is of the highest quality and is aesthetically pleasing.

The starch based substrate, together with the image printed on an upper surface thereof, is unique insofar that it is capable of withstanding a freeze thaw regime without suffering any deleterious affects thereto.

In addition the starch based substrate and the image printed thereon survive baking, frying, and grilling with the added advantage that the substrate and image expand with the comestible on which it has been attached during the heating processes without any discernible reduction in the image quality.

In a first general formulation, provided by the invention, the starch based substrate comprises as percentage by weight of the mixture from which the substrate is made: (a) dry ingredients including; 7% to 17% by wt. gum acacia, 10% to 20% by wt. maize starch, up to 4% by wt. titanium dioxide, up to 6. 5% microcrystalline cellulose, up to 2.5% by wt. xanthan, up to 2.7% by wt. modified starch and up to 0.4% potassium sorbate; and, (b) liquid ingredients including; 32% to 52% by wt. water, 5% to 10% by wt. sorbitol, up to 10% by wt. glycerine, up to 3.5% by wt. polysorbate 60 and up to 0.2% by wt. vanilla flavouring; and, (c) fatty phase ingredients including; 5% to 15% by wt. rapeseed oil and up to 3.5% by wt. lecithin.

In a second general formulation, provided by the invention, the starch based substrate comprises as a percentage by weight of the mixture from which the substrate is made: (a) dry ingredients including; 10% to20% by wt. maize starch, 1% to 11% by wt. microcrystalline cellulose, 1% to 11% by wt. Gum acacia, up to 10% by wt. icing cane sugar, up to 6% by wt. dextrose monohydrate, up to 4% by wt. titanium dioxide, up to 6% by wt. modified starch, up to 0.6% by wt. citric acid, up to 2.5% by wt. xanthan and up to 0. 3% potassium sorbate; and, (b) liquid ingredients including; 28% to 48% by wt. water, 5% to 15% by wt. glucose syrup, 1% to 7% by wt. glycerine, up to 4.5% polysorbate 60, up to 4% by wt. sorbitol and up to 0.2% by wt. vanilla flavouring; and, (c) fatty phase ingredients including; up to 10% by wt. rapeseed oil and up to 1 % by wt. lecithin.

The following are specific examples of formulations for the starch based substrate.

EXAMPLE 1 Dry ingredients % by wt. Wt. in Kg Gum Acacia 14.038 6.060 Maize Starch 13.343 5.760 Microcrystalline Cellulose 1.946 0.840 Xanthan 0.695 0. 300 Titanium Dioxide 2.896 1.250 Modified Starch 0.486 0.210 Potassium Sorbate 0.139 0.060 Liquid Ingredients Water 41.696 18.000 Sorbitol 9.266 4.000 Glycerine 4.633 2.000 Polysorbate 60 0.973 0.420 Vanilla Flavouring 0.116 0.050 Fatty Phase Lecithin 0.510 0.220 Rapeseed Oil 9.266 4.000 Total 100.00 43. 170 EXAMPLE 2 Dry Ingredients % By Wt. Wt. in Kg Maize Starch 14.484 6.912 Microcrystalline Cellulose 6.337 3.024 Gum Acacia 6.236 2.976 Icing Cane Sugar 5.029 2.400 Dextrose Monohydrate 4.225 2.016 Titanium Dioxide 3.152 1.504 Modified Starch 0.503 0.240 Citric Acid 0.302 0.144 Potassium Sorbate 0.084 0.040 Xanthan 0.302 0.144 Liquid Ingredients Water 40.325 19.200 Glucose liquid 9.355 4.464 Glycerine 3.722 1. 776 Polysorbate 60 1.106 0.528 Sorbitol 0.402 0.192 Vanilla flavouring 0.101 0.048 Fatty Phase Rapeseed Oil 4.023 1.920 Lecithin 0.402 0.192 Total 100.00 47.720 The method of making the starch based substrate is as follows: 1. all of the dry ingredients with the exception of the Titanium Dioxide are dry blended in a mixer; 2. all of the liquid ingredients and the polysorbate 60 are blended together, the titanium dioxide being added to the blended mixture and dispersed therein using a high shear mixer for approximately 5 minutes; 3. the fatty phase lecithin and rapeseed oil are heated to between 70-80 degrees Centigrade and added to the blended liquid phase and dispersed therein using a high shear mixer; and, 4. the blended liquid phase is then added to the blended dry ingredients in the mixer and mixed for 5 minutes or until properly mixed.

The mixture is then formed into a sheet of substrate material of 100 to 600 microns in thickness by any suitable process, e. g. by spraying or by rolling.

The sheet of substrate material is then provided with decorative images and/or informative indicia by any suitable process, e. g. a screen printing process, or, by an offset printing process.

Thereafter, the sheet of substrate material is cut to delineate the starch based, printed substrates of the invention.

Obviously, the printing of the images on the sheet of substrate material may be effected after the delineation of the separate starch based substrates; however, it is more advantageous to print the images onto the sheet shortly after it is formed.

The starch based substrates may be utilised for the adornment of a comestible product immediately after being produced; however, it is more likely that they will be stored in a freezer until they are required.

No deleterious effects are suffered by the substrates, or the images printed thereon, while being subjected to the freeze-thaw regime prior to eventual use.

The printed substrate may be used on fresh cream, and cream alternatives without any deleterious side affects.

The printed substrate can also be used in baking applications on unprocessed or part processed comestible products where the printed substrate expands with the comestible as it is heated. Once again, there is no loss of image quality.