FR2751451A1 - Placing pictorial images on foodstuffs - Google Patents

Abstract

The desired image is loaded into an information reader and processed in an information work station. It is then printed with food colourings onto the surface of the foodstuff, using a printer controlled by the work station. The work station is in the form of a microcomputer with a central memory programmed to process the image and, if necessary a text processing programme. The image printer is preferably of an ink-jet type, using cartridges filled with food colourings.

Description

DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to the field of food, in particular pastry, confectionery and bakery products, in particular the production of decorations on the surfaces of food, and relates to a process for producing images or other on a food support by means of a computer device.

 Currently, the production of decorations on the surfaces of food such as pastry, confectionery and bakery products is generally carried out manually in the laboratories concerned, either directly on the supports, by direct composition, by transfer or by screen printing, or by provision of a pre-printed support on the food product concerned.

 The direct composition can consist of a sculpture of the dough before passage in the oven or in the production of a decorative pattern, flat or in relief, on one or more surfaces of the product, by an operator using different products and food colors. . Transfer or screen printing techniques allow rapid deposition of a decoration, flat, respectively directly on a food product or on a food support to be applied to a product.

 The direct composition, by sculpture of the dough before passage in the oven or realization of a decorative motif, flat or in relief, is generally a long and tedious work which can only be carried out by a highly qualified specialist and involves significant costs. can be justified only in exceptional circumstances.

 Transfer techniques consist in printing on a food product a decoration reproduced in negative on a flexible support, by using steam. Thus, the decoration produced on the basis of food coloring placed on a sheet of paper or the like for food use is transferred onto the product by application to its surface and application of steam to its support sheet. n results from the implementation of a transfer process, the very fact that the decorations can be produced by printing, the possibility of obtaining a very good definition and fineness of decorative pattern.

 The decoration by screen printing applies to a serial production of a decoration given on identical products or on food supports intended to be attached to a product to be decorated. The decoration of food products according to such a process allows great speed of execution and a possibility of obtaining numerous relatively elaborate decorations at a low cost price.

 However, the decoration by transfer as well as that by screen printing are not suitable for producing specific patterns such as those obtained by direct manual composition and cannot be envisaged economically for this purpose. In addition, these modes of decoration generally do not allow a finesse of lines of great fidelity.

 The present invention aims to overcome the drawbacks of the methods of decorating food products known to date by proposing a method for producing images or the like on a food medium by means of a computer device.

 According to the invention, this method consists in carrying out a computer capture of an image of a decoration to be obtained by means of a computer image reader, in possibly processing this image in a computer workstation, then in printing. said decoration with food coloring, by means of a printer controlled by the computer workstation, on a support made of food material.

 The computer image reader is of the type known under the name scanner and performs, under the control of the computer workstation, a digitization of the image to be reproduced. Thus, it is possible to reproduce as decoration a photograph or other particularly faithful reproduction of an object, a site or a person.

 The computer workstation can advantageously be in the form of a microcomputer, the main memory of which includes image processing software and possibly word processing software. Such a configuration of the computer workstation makes it possible to retouch or modify the image of the decoration, both with regard to its very constitution and its different colors. In addition, the provision of a word processing software gives the possibility of completing the decor by adding a text, such as a quote, a poem, or other.

 The printer controlled by the computer workstation, for printing the decor with food colors, is advantageously of the inkjet type, the cartridges of which are filled with food colors. These dyes are known in the food industry, preferably of the type used with an airbrush.

 According to a characteristic of the invention, the support in food material is advantageously in the form of a sheet of unleavened bread, almond paste, plastic chocolate of ravioli paste or other food product in thin sheet. In the case of such an embodiment, the food support can be fed into the printer in the manner of sheets of paper, that is to say from a magazine provided for this purpose.

 It is also possible to provide for the printing of the surface of large-volume food carriers by arranging the jets of food colorings at an adjustable distance above that of said carriers.

 The method according to the invention makes it possible to capture a photographic, drawn or printed image and to carry out a processing thereof by means of the computer workstation, for example in order to modify or correct the coloring or else to obtain aesthetic effects. new, in particular by mixing several constituent elements of the basic image or of several images. This processing operation can be completed by adding an inscription such as a text, in order to further personalize the decor to be obtained.

Then, said decoration is reproduced, either directly on a final food product, such as a pastry, a confectionery or the like, or on an intermediate support, which will be applied subsequently to the final product to be decorated.

 Thanks to the invention, it is possible to quickly and individually produce an infinite number of decorations with extremely fine lines, on all edible food media. Thus, a decoration could consist of a perfectly faithful photographic reproduction on a support, this reproduction being able to be supplemented by a graphic design or by a personalized inscription.

 Thus, the invention is more particularly applicable in the field of catering trades and in particular pastry, confectionery or bakery, the production of the decoration by means of computer means making it possible to obtain a very low cost price.

 Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described. Modifications remain possible, in particular from the point of view of the production of decorations and / or graphics or inscriptions, without however departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims (6)

 1. A method of producing images or the like on a food medium, characterized in that it consists in carrying out a computer capture of an image of a decoration to be obtained by means of a computer image reader, to be processed possibly this image in a computer work station, then in printing said decoration with food coloring, by means of a printer controlled by the computer work station, on a support in food material.  2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the computer workstation is in the form of a microcomputer, the main memory of which integrates image processing software and possibly word processing software.  3. Method according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the printer controlled by the computer workstation, for printing the decoration with food coloring, is advantageously of the inkjet type , whose cartridges are filled with food coloring.  4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the support in food material is in the form of a sheet of unleavened bread, almond paste, plastic chocolate of ravioli paste or other food product in thin sheet.  5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the food material support is in the form of a large volume support, the arrangement of the food coloring jets of the printer being provided at an adjustable distance above that of said support.  6. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the image processing operation is completed by the addition of an inscription such as a text or a graphic.