EP2331425B1

EP2331425B1 - Edible container for food or the like

Info

Publication number: EP2331425B1
Application number: EP09736656A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giovanni Canale; Elena Valdetara
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-08-06
Filing date: 2009-08-06
Publication date: 2013-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 2029-08-06
Also published as: WO2010015921A1; PL2331425T3; EP2331425A1; ES2404130T3; ITAL20080017U1

Description

The present invention relates to a disposable container for foods made with an edible material according to the preamble of claim 1, more specifically, to a disposable container made of a material that can be eaten after the use thereof. The present invention finds particular application in household for foods such as dishes, bowls, trays, etc..

Prior art

In order to lower the impact on the environment with respect to disposable containers different solutions have been proposed to date. According to a first solution, there are provided packaging materials and/or containers for food products wherein the material of such packaging or the container itself is a biodegradable material with high biodegradability such as bio-plastic, so as to ensure the whole disposal thereof and after use of the same.
More specifically, the material from which such containers / packagings are made is a kind of biodegradable plastic, as raw materials derived from annually renewable plants. The time of decomposition and composting of the latter is comprised in only a few months, against the 1000 years as required by synthetic plastics derived from petroleum. Examples of bio plastics currently on the market are: Mater-Bi, Ingeo PLA, Biolice, Biotec, Biograd, Cereplast Compostables, and each of them comprise primarily flour or corn starch, wheat, and/or other cereals.
But there is one disadvantage entailed with the use thereof, due to the fact that the manufacturing cycle for this kind of bioplastics nevertheless requires the use of industrial technology with non-zero environmental impact, and to the fact that the containers/packagings so produced fall within the chain of the waste disposing and recycling, otherwise creating volumes of material to be disposed, although being ecological.
On the other hand, it has been proposed a different solution by making containers for food products which are not disposable but reusable, thereby reducing the environmental impact due to the fact that they must not be disposed after the use thereof.
This solution, though intelligent, has the disadvantage in the fact that following the use of container, a thorough cleaning cycle of the same is provided and this is normally done with detergents. This implies the generation of waste material, along with the detergent that is injected into the drain pipes of the city's sewage, and thereafter into the environment.
EP 498 190 discloses a disposable container according to the preamble of claim 1.
Therefore, there is the need of having a more biodegradable and more environmental friendly solution.

Brief description of the invention

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to solve the above disadvantages by providing anedible disposable food container or food products that enable its use and possibly the assimilation thereof, without the subsequent generation of waste products or waste impacting the environment.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a disposable edible container for food or food products which provides the function of containing the food within the same without affecting the organoleptic properties thereof.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a disposable edible container for food products which forms part of the food itself therein contained, so that it is subsequently disposed completely during the consumption of the food contained within the same.
Thus, the present invention provides a disposable container made of edible material according to the annexed claims.

Detailed description of the invention

A detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the disposable edible container of the present invention will now be given, as a non limiting example, and referring to the annexed drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic cross-section view of a first phase of preparation of the disposable edible container of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a schematic cross-section view of a second phase of preparation of the disposable edible container of the present invention;
Figure 3 is a schematic cross-section view of a third phase of preparation of the disposable edible container of the present invention;
Figure 4 is a schematic cross-section view of another phase of preparation of the disposable edible container of the present invention, and
Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating different shapes of different disposable edible food containers obtained according to the present invention.

With reference now to the figures, it is illustrated therein the disposable edible container of the invention.
According to the invention, a disposable container 1 it is provided which comprises a first layer 2 made of an edible material. Further, a second layer 3 also made of an edible material and similar to material of the first layer 2 it is provided. For the making of the abovementioned edible material which constitutes the layers 1 and 2, there is provided a mixture of flour, preferably cereals, and water in proportions suitable to form a plastic mass, and which after the forming of the mass the same has to be stretched over a mold 4 which is suitable for the cooking thereof, the mold 4 giving the final shape to the container 1.
Between the first layer 2 and the second layer 3 it is provided an intermediate layer 5 of a different edible material, and which gives to the container 1 stability and organoleptic and water resistance properties. The intermediate layer 5 is made of a compound consisting of a mixture of Aloe Vera and a fructose-based substance, such as honey or similar. For the realization of said mixture which constitutes the intermediate layer 5 it is provided a mixture of two parts of a fresh mortar extract of Aloe Vera and one part of honey or the like, the whole being all mixed properly.
The container 1 so assembled can be realized as a pre-cooked or cooked, but prior to its use.
A method for the producing of the container 1 will be now provided here below.
At first, a batter is made by mixing water to different cereal flour instead of wheat flour in order to realize the edible material which will constitute the layers of the container 1. Then, using an oven mold 4 a first layer 2 of edible material obtained from the abovementioned batter made with flour and water (as shown in Figure 1).
Following the arranging of the layer 2 onto the mold 4, a subsequent step is provided by performing a deposition of an edible waterproofing compound 5 made of Aloe Vera and fructose based mixing as above already described, and which will constituted the intermediate layer 5. The deposition of the compound can be performed by applying a small thickness of the same through a brushwork or spatula over the entire surface of the layer 2 (Figure 2).
Once fully covered the surface of the layer 2 with the layer of material 5, a second layer 3 of the same material of the edible layer 2 is then positioned onto the latter (Figure 3).
The two layers of edible material 2 and 3 so arranged with the intermediate layer 5 are joined through suitable pressure at the edges thereof, thus realizing the structure of the container in accordance with the present invention.
Therefore, a following drying or cooking step of the so assembled container it is provided, in order to give the same the appropriate organoleptic characteristics to the container 1 and the typical rigidity for the containing of food within the same. After the pre-cooking or cooking step, the container 1 may be removed from the mold 4 and, therefore, may be used as such (Figure 4).
According to the present invention, the container has many advantages. According to a first advantageous feature of the container of the present invention, it is achieved a disposable edible container that does not generate waste after the use thereof, thereby improving the sustainability of the environment.
According to a second advantageous feature of the container of the present invention, the same provides a disposable edible container that be part integral to the same food contained within the same, while improving the organoleptic characteristics thereof.
According to a third advantageous feature of the container of the present invention, it is provided that the same can be produced and packaged as a large consumption product, by showing features of durability similar to the confectionery or bakery, thus improving the ecosystem in terms of productivity having a low impact to the environment.
According to a fourth advantageous feature of the container of the present invention and as shown in Figure 5, it is provided that the same can be made in a selection of different shapes and embodiments, according to the use thereof or the type of food or dish that is addressed, for example liquids such as soups, creams, etc.. solid foods, cold foods, warm foods, etc. without affecting its functional characteristics and organoleptic properties.
The present invention is susceptible of modifications which fall within the scope of the annexed claims attached. For example, the material of the layers (2) and (3) may be different one to each other, as well as the composition thereof can be made of several flours of vegetable origin.
Similarly, the intermediate layer 5 may include further materials other than those described above with similar chemical and physical features.

Claims

Disposable container (1) made of edible material, comprising:
- a first layer (2) made of edible material;

- a second layer (3) made of edible material, and

- an intermediate layer (5) arranged between said first and second layers (2,3), said intermediate layer being made of edible material and having organoleptic properties of water resistance and stability,
characterized by that
said edible intermediate layer (5) includes a compound with a mixture of Aloe Vera and a fructose-based substance.
Disposable container (1) made of edible material according to the preceding claim, wherein said compound comprises a mixture of two parts of fresh mortar extract of Aloe Vera, and one part of a fructose-based substance such as honey or another with similar organoleptic properties.
Disposable container (1) made of edible material according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one layer of said first layer (2) and second layer (3) is made from a mixture of vegetable flour and water.
Disposable container (1) made of edible material according to the preceding claim, wherein said first layer (2) and said second layer (3) are made of the same material.
Disposable container (1) made of edible material according to the preceding claim, wherein said vegetable flour include cereals flour.
Disposable container (1) made of edible material according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said container (1) is pre-cooked or cooked prior to its use.