CA2122873A1 - Egg coloring kit - Google Patents

Egg coloring kit

Info

Publication number
CA2122873A1
CA2122873A1 CA 2122873 CA2122873A CA2122873A1 CA 2122873 A1 CA2122873 A1 CA 2122873A1 CA 2122873 CA2122873 CA 2122873 CA 2122873 A CA2122873 A CA 2122873A CA 2122873 A1 CA2122873 A1 CA 2122873A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
tablet
acid
colorant
carbonate
bicarbonate
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA 2122873
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Terry M. Husher
Norman Needleman
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of CA2122873A1 publication Critical patent/CA2122873A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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  • Coloring Foods And Improving Nutritive Qualities (AREA)
  • Cosmetics (AREA)
  • Medicinal Preparation (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT
An effervescent tablet is formed which contains a carbonate, an organic acid, at least one dye, a solubilizing agent, and a binder. The tablet, which is non-toxic, can be dissolved in water, so that a dye is released which can be used to dye Easter eggs.

Description

2i22~73 - - EGG COLORING XIT
'`: ``

Backqround Of The Invention Field Of The Invention ~his invention relates to an improved non-toxic colorant tablet. More particularly, this invention discloses an effervescent colorant tablet which may be used to color various food and other items, such as Easter eggs.
Dewription Of The Prior Art There have been a number of inventions in which flavorings, salts and dyes have been prepared in powder or tablet form.
U.S. Patent No. 1,450,865 (Pelc) discloses a pr~cess for making effervescent and non-effervescent tablets, lozenges, pills, candies, confections, powders and similar products. These lS products may contain sugars of different kinds, suspensions, flavorings, dyes, colorants, phosphates and soluble soaps, chemicals for photographic purposes and other substances which are soluble in water. The vehicle with which the active components are mixed is an intimate mixture of any normal or hydrogen containing carbonate, i.e. any salt of carbonic acid or any solid salt of any acid containing hydrogen or of any such mixtures of these so called effervescing salts which, reacting in an ordinary chemical way, produce salts soluble in water.
U.S. Patent 2,199,201 (Heden) discloses a composition for ,25 the coloring of eggs. This invention uses acids such as sulfuric acid and phosphoric acids which form an insoluble calcium compound on the eggshell, providing a layer which in addition to readily accepting the dye with uniform coloring effect all over, ~1~2~73 results in a dyed egg which has a high gloss. The dyes or coloring materials which are water soluble are prepared in a water solution of a suitable color concentration and there is, in addition to the above-mentioned acids, a sufficient quantity of a weak (organic) acid, such as tartaric acid, acetic acid, and citric acid, plus the sodium or potassium salts of these acids, so that when the dye material is redissolved, the bath will contain a buffer solution of a weak acid together with one of its salts, thus assuring the maintenance of a proper pH value in the bath. The pH value is within the range of two to four depending on the particular dye used. The product may be in the form of a powder or a pellet.
U.S. Patent No. 3,347,682 (Rosenstein) discloses a tablet, containing colorants and flavorants which dissolve in water. The lS tablet contains high molecular weight polyethylene glycol, flavorants, colorants, agglomerated sugars admixed with conglomerated sugars and primarily comprised of sucrose, organic or fatty acid components, a buffer, and a filler.
U.S. Patent No. 4,666,707 (Eguchi, et al.) discloses a weakly acidic bath salt effervescent composition which contains a moisturizer, which functions to ~eep the carbon dioxide gas in the water. Typical examples of the moisturizer include organic acid salts such as sodium lactate, polyhydric alcohols such as propylene glycol, and water soluble polymers such as polyethylene glycol. A carbonate salt is incorporated into the weakly acidic bath salt composition, along with an organic or inorganic acid which is preferably soluble.
Other methods or products for dyeing Easter eggs require the 2~7~
coloring powder or tablet to be mixed into a solution containing vinegar so that the sodium bicarbonate in the colorant powder or tablet react with the acetic acid of the vinegar to release carbon dioxide into the solution. The acetic acid al50 acts to lower the pH of the solution to assist in the coloring process.
SummarY Of ~he Invention An object of the present invention is to provide a new and unique method of egg coloring by the use of effervescent non-toxic color tablets.
Another object of the invention is to provide a dye tablet in which all of the required ingredients are provided in a simple to use dye tablet.
Another object of the invention is to provide a dye tablet which dissolves in tap water without stirring.
The present invention also provides a unique method of egg coloring utilizing easy to use nontoxic effervescent color tablets. The tablet type egg dye contains all of the required ingredients except water. The tablets may be packaged in self contained hermetically sealed pouches for extended shelf-life.
As the egg dye is in tablet form, there is no powder or liquid mess.
The tablet can dissolve in tap water in three minutes or less. Because of the effervescent qualities of the tablet, no stirrin~ of the tablet-water solution is required.
The tablet is economical and non-toxic. Consequently, the tablet is easy for children to handle.
The tablet of the present invention contains a water-soluble colorant capable of coloring eggs, at least one carbonate salt, ~22~73 - which, in the presence of an acid and when placed in water, releases carbon dioxide, creating the efferves~ent effect; and an organic carboxylic acid. The tablet may contain a solubilizinq agent and at least one binder material, used to bind the ingredients into a tablet. A small but effective amount of tabletting lubricant is also usually used.
In a preferred embodiment, the colorant tablet contains:
(a) from about 30 to 65 wt~ of organic acid; ~
(b) from about 20 to 50 wt% of alkali metal or alkaline -earth metal carbonate, bicarbonate or sesquicarbonate;
(c) from about 0.1 to 10 wt% of at least one water-soluble non-toxic food colorant;
(d) from about 0.03 to lo wt% of at least one solubilizing or binding agent, and;
(e) a minor but effective amount of a tabletting lubricant.
The present invention also provides a method for forming a colorant solution by dissolving the colorant tablet in water.
A method for coloring egg shells is also provided in which a colorant solution is first formed from the invention coloring tablet and thereafter the egg is immersed in the colorant solution for a time sufficient to color the egg shell.
Detailed Des¢ription And Preferred Embodiment The effervescent effect of the tablets is a result of the release-of carbon dioxide from the reaction of a salt of a ,25 carbonic acid with an organic carboxylic acid contained within the tablets.
Generally, any non-toxic alkali metal or alkaline earth metal carbonate, bicarbonate or sesquicarbonate may be used.

2~7~
Examples of carbonates which may be used include potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, sodium sesquicarbonate, potassium sesquicarbonate, ammonium sesquicarbonate, ammonium carbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate, calcium bicarbonate, magnesium carbonate, magnesium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate. The salt of the carbonic acid is preferably sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate. The amount of the carbonaté salt present in the colorant tablet may range from about 20 to about 50 weight percent, with a range of from about 20 to 45 weight percent, especially 25 to 45 weight percent, being preferred and most preferred, respectively.
The organic carboxylic acid component of the tablets functions as a preservative in the tablet and also reacts with the sodium bicarbonate or other carbonate bicarbonate or lS sesquicarbonate salt to release the carbon dioxide of the salt of the carbonic acid. In general, such organic acidulants include ~umaric acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, maleic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, malonic acid, ascorbic acid, lactic acid, etc. and mixtures thereof, with citric acid being preferred.
Other organic acids which may be used alone or in combination with the above mentioned acids include straight-chain aliphatic acids such as dicarboxylic acids such as glutaric acid, pimelic acid, fumaric acid; acidic amino acids such as glutamic ~25 and aspartic acid; hydroxy acids such as hydroxyacrylic acid, tartronic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid (usually up to 0.1%), gluconic acid, benzoic acid (usually up to 0.1%), phenylacetic ¦ acid, nicotinic acid ~niacin~, sorbic acid, pyrrolidonecarboxylic . ,.
, ' ' 2122~73 acid, and combinations thereof.
- Additional organic acids which may be used, generally in smaller quantities, include such non-crystalline acids as acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, a-hydroxybutyric acid, and glyceric acid.
The amount of acidulant employed in formulating the tablets will generally range from about 5 to 65% and preferably from about 30 to 65~, and most preferably from about 45 to 65% by weight based on the total weight of the tablet. The preferred acidulants are fumaric acid or citric acid, although other acidulants may be employed without encountering any untoward results.
As one of the purposes for the tablets of this invention is their use by children to dye Easter eggs, it is important that none of the acids or any other ingredients be toxic.
Additionally, the acids used should not adversely affect the dyes .
The ratio between the carbonate salt and the organic acid in the tablet of the invention should be such that the tablet when dissolved in water, should render the solution slightly acidic. The solution should have a pH of between about 2 and about 7, and preferably a pH of between about 4 and about 7.
The tablet also contains solubilizing and dispersing agents as well as binders. Polyethylene glycols can act as solubilizing as agent as well as a binder. The polyethylene glycols are waxy solids having a melting or softening point of at least about 50~
C. The especially preferred polyethylene glycols are those having an average molecular weight ranging from about 3,000 to 2~2~7~
--?,500. Carbowax 4,000 and Carbowax 6,000, two commercially available high molecular weight polyethylene glycols, have been found particularly suitable in formulating the novel colorant tablets of this invention.
5In accordance with another feature of this invention, the amount of dispersing agent should be selected to achieve the desired rapid dispersion in water. The amount of dispersing or solubilizing agent employed should range from about 0.03% to about 5~, and preferably from about 0.05% to about 2% by weight, 10based on the total weight of the tablet.
Food, drug and cosmetic (FD&C) certified colors are employed and will correspond to the colorant-combinations conventionally used in this area. Illustrative primary colorants include Yellow No. S, Yellow ~o. 6, Red No. 2, Red No. 3, Blue No. 1, and the 15like as well as combinations of these colors. Useful secondary colorants include Green No. 1, Sugar Black, Sky Blue, Cocoa Brown, Bottler's Grape Shade, Fast Mint, Blood Orange, Peach, Brilliant Pink, Burgundy Deep ~iolet, etc. In general, the amount of colorant employed will range from about 0.1% to about 2010%, and preferably from about 1% or 2% to about 6% to 8% by weight, based on the total weight of the tablet.
The colorant tablet may also contain a lubricant material to assist in tablet formation. The preferred lubricant material is a salt of a fatty acid. Generally, saturated or unsaturated 2Sa~iphatic fatty acids having from about 8 to 22 carbon atoms may be used. The preferred salts are the alkali metal (e.g. sodium or potassium) and alkaline earth metal (e.g. magnesium or calcium) salts. Examples of salts of fatty acids that may be , . . .

~tl2~7~
used include, but are not limited to, sodium stearate, potassium ~ stearate, sodium palmitate, potassium palmitate, calcium palmitate, calcium stearate, magnesium stearate, sodium oleate, potassium oleate, and calcium oleate, with sodium stearate being preferred.
The fatty acid salt lubricant needs to be present in only minor but lubricating effective amounts, generally in an amount of from about 0.05-1.0 weight percent, preferably 0. 2 to O . 8 weight percent of the colorant tablet.
The effervescent colorant tablets are usually formed in dies by conventional means. The metal carbonate, organic acid, and water soluble colorant are thoroughly mixed together. If necessary, these admixtures are initially ground to a size with a range of about 4 to 100 mesh, preferably about 80 mesh, by use of conventional grinding equipment. The resulting admixtures may be then combined with the polyethylene glycol, and the fatty acid salt, such as "dried" sodium stearate, and then reground to a particle size within the range of 5 to 20 mesh, and preferably about 10 mesh. The substantially homogeneous mixture of components are next fed by conventional means to a standard tabletting machine provided with 1/2 to 1 inch die to produce a 10 to 60 gram tablet. The exact shape and nature of the tablet is not critical, although a flat or wafer contoured tablet is preferred to provide the greatest surface area for quick dissolution in water. The preferred colorant tablet can readily dissolve in tap water in less than two minutes where the tap water has a temperature as low as 10C. A higher water temperature of about 20C-40C is preferred with corresponding ~1~.2,~7~
shorter dissolution times.
It will be understood that the colorants employed in the practice of this in~ention will be those approved for food purposes by the Food and Drug Administration, and that each of these components employed need only be in sufficient amounts to impart the desired color to the finished product.
The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following illustrative examples:
EXAMPLE
A substantially homogenous mixture is prepared with each tablet having the formulation:

Parts by Inqredients Weiqht ~% bv weiqht) Citric Acid l.Z ~59.5) Sodium Bicarbonate 0.7 (34.8) FD&C Yellow #5 0.1 ~5.0) Carbowax 4000 O.O1 (0.5) Magnesium Stearate 0.004 ~0.2) The mixture is fed into a rotary tabletting machine and subjected to a pressure of about 2S p.s.i.g. to form individual coin shaped tablets. A tablet is added to an eight ounce glass of room temperatures to warm tap water. After two minutes, the tablet is completely dissolved in the water. A hard boiled egg is lowered by hand into the colorant solution, where it "soaks"
for from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. The yellow color on the egg becomes darker the longer the egg is dipped.
Similar results are obtained by replacing all or part of the citric acid with fumaric acid, tartaric acid, ascorbic acid and mixtures thereof.
, 9 212~7~
~- Similar results are also obtained by replacing all or part of the sodium bicarbonate with sodium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, or sodium sesquicarbonate, or mixtures thereof.
By changing the yellow dye with Red No. 2, Blue No. 1, Green No. 1, etc, red, blue, ~reen or other desired colors are obtained.
While particular embodiments of this invention are discussed above, it will be understood that the invention is subject to variations and modifications without departing from its broader aspects.

" "

: ~ 10 ,:
, '

Claims (19)

1. A non-toxic effervescent tablet for coloring eggs, said tablet comprising:
at least one water-soluble non-toxic food colorant;
at least one solubilizing or binding agent;
at least one organic acid;
at least one salt of carbonic acid; and at least one lubricant material.
2. The tablet of claim 1, wherein said at least one colorant is selected from the group consisting of Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Red No. 2, Red No. 3, Blue No. 1, Green No. 1, Super Black, Sky Blue, Cocoa Brown Bottler's Grape Shade, Fast Mint, Blood Orange, Peach, Brilliant Pink, Burgundy Deep Violet, and combinations thereof.
3. The tablet of claim 2, wherein the amount of said at least one colorant ranges from about 0.1 to about 10 wt% of the coloring tablet.
4. The tablet of claim 1, wherein said at least one solubilizing or binder agent is a polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight of from about 3,000 to about 7,500.
5. The tablet of claim 1, wherein the total amount of said solubilizing and binder agent is from about 0.5 to about 10 weight percent of said colorant tablet.
6. The tablet of claim 1, wherein said at least one salt of carbonic acid is selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, ammonium carbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate, calcium bicarbonate, magnesium carbonate, magnesium bicarbonate, sodium sesquicarbonate, potassium sesquicarbonate, ammonium sesquicarbonate, and mixtures thereof.
7. The tablet of claim 1, wherein the total amount of salt of carbonic acid comprises form about 20 to about 50 weight percent of said tablet.
8. The tablet of claim 1, wherein said at least one lubricant is an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salt of a fatty carboxylic acid having from 8 to 22 carbon atoms.
9. The tablet of claim 8, wherein said lubricant is selected from the group consisting of sodium stearate, potassium stearate, calcium stearate, sodium palmitate, potassium palmitate, calcium palmitate, sodium oleate, potassium oleate, and calcium oleate.
10. The tablet of claim 8, which comprises form about 0.05 to about 1.0 weight percent of said fatty acid salt based on the weight of said tablet.
11. The tablet of claim 1, wherein said at least one organic acid component is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, fumaric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, maleic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, malonic acid, ascorbic acid, lactic acid and mixtures thereof.
12. The tablet of claim 1, which comprises form about 50 to about 60 weight percent of the tablet of said organic acid.
13. The tablet of claim 1, wherein an aqueous solution of the coloring tablet has a pH of from about 4 to about 7.
14. The tablet of claim 1 comprising:
(a) from about 30 to 65 wt% of organic acid;
(b) form about 20 to 50 wt% of alkali metal or alkaline earth metal carbonate, bicarbonate or sesquicarbonate;
(c) from about 0.1 to 10 wt% of at least one water-solule non-toxic food colorant;
(d) from about 0.03 to 10 wt% of at least one solubilizer or binding agent, and;
(e) a minor but effective amount of a tabletting lubricant.
15. The tablet of claim 14 comprising:
(a) from about 45 to 65 wt% of citric acid or fumaric acid;
(b) from about 30 to 40 wt% of sodium bicarbonate or sodium bicarbonate;
(c) non-toxic food coloring in amount of 2.0 to 8.0 wt%;
(d) from about 0.05 to 2.0 wt% of polyethylene glycol; and (e) from about 0.05 to 1.0 wt% of a salt of a fatty acid and having from 8 to 22 carbon atoms.
16. A method of forming a colorant solution suitable for dying eggs, comprising dissolving an effervescent colorant tablet in water, said tablet comprising:
at least one water soluble non-toxic food colorant;
at least one solubilizing or binding agent;
at least on organic acid; and at least one carbonate salt.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein said water in which said tablet is dissolved has a temperature of from about 10°C to about 40°C.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein said colorant solution has a pH of from about 4 to about 7.
19. A method of coloring the shell of an egg comprising (A) forming a colorant solution by dissolving in water an effervescent colorant tablet comprising (a) from about 30 to 65 wt% of an organic acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, fumaric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, maleic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, malonic acid, ascorbic acid, lactic acid, and mixtures thereof, (b) form about 25 to 45 wt% of at least one alkali metal or alkaline earth metal carbonate, bicarbonate or sesquicarbonate, (c) from about 0.1 to 10 wt% of at least one water-soluble non-toxic food colorant;
(d) from about 0.05 to 5 wt% of at least one solubilizing or binding agent; and (e) a minor but effective amount of a tabletting lubricant;
said colorant solution having a pH of from about 4 to 7 and a temperature of from about 10°C to 40°C;
and (B) contacting said egg in said colorant solution for a sufficient time to color said egg shell.
CA 2122873 1993-05-04 1994-05-04 Egg coloring kit Abandoned CA2122873A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US5679993A 1993-05-04 1993-05-04
US08/056,799 1993-05-04

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2122873A1 true CA2122873A1 (en) 1994-11-05

Family

ID=22006636

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA 2122873 Abandoned CA2122873A1 (en) 1993-05-04 1994-05-04 Egg coloring kit

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA2122873A1 (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2003000800A3 (en) * 2001-06-22 2003-03-20 Color Sa Coloring agents which are soluble in aqueous media and method for the production thereof
EP1655276A1 (en) * 2004-11-04 2006-05-10 Jan Overwater Effervescent tablet comprising a colorant
WO2008012245A2 (en) * 2006-07-24 2008-01-31 Basf Se Pigment preparations in pellet form

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2003000800A3 (en) * 2001-06-22 2003-03-20 Color Sa Coloring agents which are soluble in aqueous media and method for the production thereof
EP1655276A1 (en) * 2004-11-04 2006-05-10 Jan Overwater Effervescent tablet comprising a colorant
WO2006048444A1 (en) 2004-11-04 2006-05-11 Jan Overwater Effervescent tablet comprising a colorant
WO2008012245A2 (en) * 2006-07-24 2008-01-31 Basf Se Pigment preparations in pellet form
WO2008012245A3 (en) * 2006-07-24 2008-04-24 Basf Se Pigment preparations in pellet form

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