EP0295255A1 - Cooking indicator - Google Patents
Cooking indicatorInfo
- Publication number
- EP0295255A1 EP0295255A1 EP19870901547 EP87901547A EP0295255A1 EP 0295255 A1 EP0295255 A1 EP 0295255A1 EP 19870901547 EP19870901547 EP 19870901547 EP 87901547 A EP87901547 A EP 87901547A EP 0295255 A1 EP0295255 A1 EP 0295255A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- egg
- food item
- visual
- boiling
- cooking
- 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.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G04—HOROLOGY
- G04F—TIME-INTERVAL MEASURING
- G04F1/00—Apparatus which can be set and started to measure-off predetermined or adjustably-fixed time intervals without driving mechanisms, e.g. egg timers
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01K—MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G01K3/00—Thermometers giving results other than momentary value of temperature
- G01K3/02—Thermometers giving results other than momentary value of temperature giving means values; giving integrated values
- G01K3/04—Thermometers giving results other than momentary value of temperature giving means values; giving integrated values in respect of time
Definitions
- THIS INVENTION relates to the. cooking of foodstuffs by boiling, and it is one object of the invention to provide a means of easy recognition of the point at which a food item has been cooked to a desired degree by boiling.
- the invention is particularly, but not exclusively, applicable to the cooking of eggs in their shells.
- a method of treating a food item, or a package containing a food item, whereby the subsequent cooking of the food item will be facilitated comprising applying, to the surface of the food item or to a package in which the food item is to be cooked, visual indicator means adapted to undergo a perceptible visual change upon being exposed to boiling water for a predetermined period, whereby a cook can ascertain, by visual inspection of the food item being boiled, or of the package in which the item is being boiled, whether or not the food item has been cooked to a desired degree.
- a method of treating eggs whereby the subsequent cooking of the egg, by boiling in its shell, will be facilitated comprising applying, to the surface of the egg, visual indicator means adapted to undergo a perceptible visual change upon being exposed to boiling water for a predetermined period whereby a cook can • ascertain, by visual inspection of the egg being boiled, whether or not the egg has been cooked to a desired degree.
- a method of cooking a food item having visual indicator means applied thereto or to a package in which the item is to be cooked in accordance with the first-noted method of the invention, boiling the food item whilst observing the same and removing the item from the boiling water when the visual indicator means has undergone the appropriate visual change.
- a means for providing a visual indication of the degree to which a food item has been cooked by boiling in water comprising applying to a substrate provided by the food item or by a package therefor, a layer of a sparingly water-soluble substance, having a marked increase in solubility with temperature, and which is of a perceptibly different colour from said substrate, the composition and/or thickness of said coating being selected so that the substrate is disclosed, by dissolving away of the coating material, after the item and coating have been immersed in boiling water for a period of time corresponding to the required cooking time.
- a food item such as an egg
- a substrate having on an exterior surface thereof a substrate and a coating, on such substrate, of a substance which is sparingly soluble in water and has a marked increase in solubility with temperature, and which is of a perceptibly different colour from said substrate, the composition and/or thickness of said coating being selected so that the substrate will be disclosed, by dissolving away of the coating material, after the item and coating have been immersed in boiling water for a period of time corres ⁇ ponding to the required cooking time.
- an indicator means for use in cooking a food item by boiling comprising a body adapted to be boiled with a food item, and adapted to undergo a perceptible visual change when it has been exposed to boiling water for a predetermined time.
- the shells of eggs have applied thereto a substance which will .,-ndergo a marked visual change, for example a marked change from one colour to another, relatively abruptly, when the eggs have been immersed in boiling water for a predetermined period of time, for example three minutes.
- the substance which may be in the form of a dye, may be applied directly to the shells of the eggs in liquid form and allowed to dry or cure to form a water-resistant indicator area on the egg shell.
- Such application may be by any convenient means such as by painting, printing, spraying or the like.
- the indicator substance may be applied, in advance, to appropriately contrived labels which are then stuck to the shells of the eggs, or may be incorporated in the material of such labels, the material used for the labels and the adhesive used to stick the same to the eggs being, of course, resistant to boiling water.
- the indicator material may be arranged to undergo a succession of colour changes, for example, after exposure to boiling water for different periods of time, so that, for example, after t o minutes in boiling water the indicator material may turn green, after three minutes, red, and after four minutes, blue.
- different treated areas on the surface of the egg may be arranged to undergo their respective perceptible colour change after different periods of cooking so that, for example, the ends of the egg may change colour after two minutes in boiling water, a central band after three minutes and intermediate regions after four minutes.
- the different treated areas marked may be formed as numerals corresponding to the number of minutes cooking at which they change colour.
- a numeral "2" might change colour vividly after two minutes, a numeral "3" after three minutes, a numeral "4" after four' minutes and so on.
- the indicator material When applied directly to the egg shell, the indicator material may be initially transparent, the appropriate colour only appearing after boiling for the appropriate time. If desired, each egg may be coated in its entirety.
- the indicator applied directly to the egg shell is initially trans- parent, it may be arranged to have a matt appearance, when dry, before boiling, so as to be substantially invisible on the shell of the uncooked egg. Not only will this serve to avoid discouraging those potential purchasers who might not find attractive an egg of unusual colouring, but the use of an initially transparent indicator material allows the implementation of various possible schemes for promoting the sales of eggs.
- eggs may thus be invisibly marked with numbers, letters, symbols or the like pertain ⁇ ing to a competition or game, such as a game similar to a lottery, in which a person who had purchased an egg which, on boiling, revealed a particular number, letter or symbol would be entitled to a prize or other reward, on producing at least the shell of the "winning" egg.
- An egg to be cooked by boiling has an area of its shell, such as a band encircling the egg, dyed with a non-toxic dye and this area is then covered with a sparingly soluble non-toxic material in a contrasting colour, for example a layer of caramelised sugar.
- the thickness of the layer is selected so that when the egg is placed in boiling water, after a predetermined cooking time, for example 4 minutes, has passed, the layer of masking material will just have dissolved entirely.
- the eggshell may be provided with different areas dyed different colours and coated with respective different thickness of masking material so that, for example, after boiling for four minutes a first colour will be revealed, after cooking for five minutes an additional colour will also be revealed and so on.
- any suitable masking material may be used, provided that it is non-toxic and has, or can be arranged to have by incorporating an appropriate dye therein, a colour sufficiently dense in an appropriate layer thickness to mask effectively the substrate layer.
- a plurality of superimposed layers of sparingly soluble, non-toxic material, of mutually contrasting colours, and capable of dissolv ⁇ ing away slowly in boiling water is applied to the egg surface, so that during boiling of the egg over a period, successive layers are dissolved away in successive periods of time, again allowing the cook to determine from the colour disclosed, how long the egg has been boiling.
- the invention is not, of course, confined to the boiling of eggs, but may be applied, for example, to "boil-in-bag" foodstuffs, in which case the substrate and masking layer are provided on the exterior of the plastics bag containing the foodstuff which is intended to be inserted into boiling water.
- gelatine incorporating a non-toxic dye.
- the substrate need not be -dyed but may retain its natural colouring, provided, of course, that the masking layer is of a contrasting colouring, as the appearance of the natural colouring of the substrate may equally be used as an indication that the foodstuff item has been adequately boiled.
- the solubility of the masking material in water should increase substantially with increasing temperature through the range from average ambient kitchen temperature to the boiling point of water, so that comparatively little of the masking layer will be dissolved away before the water in which the egg is immersed reaches boiling point, should the egg be immersed in water for cooking before the water has come to the boil, whereby, even in the latter event, serious undercooking will not result from relying upon the colour change provided in accordance with the ' invention.
- the visual indicator is applied to or incorporated in a separate body, for example in the form of a ball or pellet, herein referred to as an indicator pellet, which is placed in the boiling water with the food item to be cooked and which undergoes a clearly perceptible visual change when it has been in the boiling water for a predetermined time.
- the tablet may have a substrate surface thereof, of one colour, covered with a layer of a sparingly soluble non-toxic material in a contrasting colour, in the same way as described above in relation to the visual indicator applied directly to eggs, so that, after the pellet has been boiled for a predetermined time, for example for four minutes in the case of a pellet to be boiled with eggs, the contrasting colour, sparingly-soluble layer will have dissolved entirely away exposing the substrate of the contrasting colour.
- the pellet may be covered by a plurality of superimposed layers of sparingly soluble non-toxic material capable of dissolving away slowly in boiling water, each layer being of a colour contrasting with the layer above and below, so that after boiling for a first predetermined period the outermost layer will be dissolved away disclosing the contrasting colour of the next layer, after boiling for a further predetermined period, the next layer will be dissolved away reveal ⁇ ing the contrasting colour of the next adjacent layer immediately below, and so on.
- the cook may decide for how long he or she wishes to cook the respective food item or items by boiling and may, for example by reference to an appropriate colour chart or the like sold with the indicator pellet, ascertain the corresponding colour to be disclosed and may then simply wait until that colour shows on the pellet before removing the food item or items from the boiling water.
Abstract
On applique sur un aliment, tel qu'un oeuf, ou sur un emballage contenant ledit aliment une marque témoin qui subit un net changement de couleur, lorsque le temps de cuisson requis de l'aliment marqué ou de l'aliment placé dans son emballage marqué dans de l'eau bouillante est terminé. L'utilisateur peut ainsi savoir si l'aliment est cuit par simple contrôle de la couleur de la marque témoin. La marque témoin peut comprendre une matière colorante appliquée sur la surface de l'aliment, par exemple la coquille d'un oeuf, et recouverte par une couche d'un matériau pour masque légèrement soluble dans de l'eau bouillante et beaucoup moins soluble dans de l'eau à températures plus basses, le matériau pour masque ayant une couleur contrastante. Ainsi, lorsque le matériau pour masque a été exposé à de l'eau bouillante pendant une période prédéterminée, il se dissout, découvrant ainsi le substrat coloré. Dans une variante, au lieu d'appliquer une marque sur l'aliment, on applique une pastille témoin destinée à être placée avec au moins un élément prédéterminé dans de l'eau, dans laquelle l'aliment doit être bouilli, le degré de cuisson étant ensuite contrôlé par simple contrôle de la couleur de la pastille témoin.A control mark is applied to a food, such as an egg, or to a packaging containing said food, which undergoes a clear change in color, when the required cooking time of the marked food or of the food placed in its packaging marked in boiling water is finished. The user can thus know if the food is cooked by simple control of the color of the witness mark. The control mark may include a coloring matter applied to the surface of the food, for example the shell of an egg, and covered by a layer of mask material slightly soluble in boiling water and much less soluble in water at lower temperatures, the mask material having a contrasting color. Thus, when the mask material has been exposed to boiling water for a predetermined period, it dissolves, thereby uncovering the colored substrate. In a variant, instead of applying a mark to the food, a control tablet is applied intended to be placed with at least one predetermined element in water, in which the food is to be boiled, the degree of cooking then being controlled by simple control of the color of the control patch.
Description
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (6)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB868604477A GB8604477D0 (en) | 1986-02-24 | 1986-02-24 | Visual indicator means for eggs |
GB8604477 | 1986-02-24 | ||
GB868608518A GB8608518D0 (en) | 1986-04-08 | 1986-04-08 | Visual indicator for eggs |
GB8608518 | 1986-04-08 | ||
GB868630584A GB8630584D0 (en) | 1986-12-22 | 1986-12-22 | Indicating cooking of foodstuffs |
GB8630584 | 1986-12-22 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0295255A1 true EP0295255A1 (en) | 1988-12-21 |
Family
ID=27262932
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP19870901547 Withdrawn EP0295255A1 (en) | 1986-02-24 | 1987-02-20 | Cooking indicator |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0295255A1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU7031587A (en) |
WO (1) | WO1987005102A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4786773A (en) * | 1986-12-18 | 1988-11-22 | Alcan International Limited | Systems and methods for determining doneness of microwave-heated bodies |
GB9106199D0 (en) * | 1991-03-22 | 1991-05-08 | Pilkington Controlled Release | Elapsed time indicator |
Family Cites Families (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4137769A (en) * | 1978-02-06 | 1979-02-06 | Robert Parker | Method and apparatus for determining internal temperature of an object |
US4212153A (en) * | 1978-02-07 | 1980-07-15 | Herculite Protective Fabrics Corporation | Time color indicator |
JPS56100384A (en) * | 1980-01-16 | 1981-08-12 | Dainippon Printing Co Ltd | Constituent having performance of display of elapsed time |
JPS60213881A (en) * | 1984-04-06 | 1985-10-26 | Takahisa Matsushita | Material timer |
-
1987
- 1987-02-20 WO PCT/GB1987/000128 patent/WO1987005102A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1987-02-20 EP EP19870901547 patent/EP0295255A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1987-02-20 AU AU70315/87A patent/AU7031587A/en not_active Abandoned
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
See references of WO8705102A1 * |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
AU7031587A (en) | 1987-09-09 |
WO1987005102A1 (en) | 1987-08-27 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US5083815A (en) | Heat actuated game | |
US6604854B1 (en) | Thin film thermometer with sensors that appear and disappear from respective concealing features according to temperature | |
US5997927A (en) | Indicator, an associated package and associated methods | |
CA2121856C (en) | Instant bingo game card | |
US4790565A (en) | Game | |
US20050218026A1 (en) | Identification system for individual containers | |
KR20010088869A (en) | Heating article comprising a surface coated with a decorative element capable of colour change | |
JP2007518421A (en) | Products containing edible substrates and game elements | |
EP0295255A1 (en) | Cooking indicator | |
EP0487792A1 (en) | Ultra-violet light detector | |
US5612542A (en) | Ultraviolet light intensity monitor | |
CA2015351A1 (en) | Heat actuated game | |
Adam | The Art of Batik-Weaving and Dyeing in Java | |
JPH10167342A (en) | Cup noodle with function to indicate time to eat noodle deliciously | |
US20060076101A1 (en) | Method for decorating eggshells and article on egg decoration | |
JPH11222220A (en) | Multipurpose packing eggshell | |
bin Ahmad | Malay fishermen's superstitions | |
JPH0348050Y2 (en) | ||
WO1997000783A1 (en) | Temperature-sensitive product bearing a representation | |
NZ247280A (en) | "scratch and win" style bingo card game with translucent outer coating | |
GB1580768A (en) | Device carrying concealed information | |
JP2594309Y2 (en) | Container with thermochromic pattern | |
JP4057732B2 (en) | Instant lottery and its printing device | |
JPH04166041A (en) | Edibility display sensor of preserved food | |
TW200922655A (en) | Golf club and golf club head with chameleon effects |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012 |
|
17P | Request for examination filed |
Effective date: 19880811 |
|
AK | Designated contracting states |
Kind code of ref document: A1 Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE FR GB IT LI LU NL SE |
|
17Q | First examination report despatched |
Effective date: 19900103 |
|
STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN |
|
18D | Application deemed to be withdrawn |
Effective date: 19900714 |
|
RIN1 | Information on inventor provided before grant (corrected) |
Inventor name: CHAPMAN, CHRISTOPHER Inventor name: JOHNSON, WILLIAM, NEVIL, HEATON |