Edible products having inorganic coatings

• US 5,741,505 A
• Filed: 01/20/1995
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mars Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mars Incorporated
• Inventors: Jerome, Ralph A., Jach, Theodore E., Zak, Dennis L., Beyer, Daniel L., DeBrincat, Frank P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Seidleck, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williamson, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US08/376,029
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 424/464, 424/474, 424/439, 426/94, 426/93, 426/96, 426/97, 426/98, 426/89, 426/138-140, 426/282, 426/284, 426/289, 426/292, 426/322, 426/654
• US Class Current: 424/439
• CPC Class Codes: A21D 13/26 the coating forming a barrier against migration
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/157 Inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/16 Coating with a protective layer; Compositions or apparatus therefor A23B7/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 9/14 Coating with a protective layer; Compositions or apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 9/30 Inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 2210/00 containing inorganic compounds or water in high or low amount
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 3/20 Apparatus for coating or filling sweetmeats or confectionery
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 3/343 Products for covering, coating, finishing, decorating
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 3/362 containing inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 3/54 Composite products, e.g. layered, coated, filled
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 2/395 in a particular shape or form
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 7/122 Coated, filled, multilayered or hollow ready-to-eat cereals
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 20/10 Coating with edible coatings, e.g. with oils or fats
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 20/12 Apparatus or processes for applying powders or particles to foodstuffs, e.g. for breading; Such apparatus combined with means for pre-moistening or battering
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 20/20 Making of laminated, multi-layered, stuffed or hollow foodstuffs, e.g. by wrapping in preformed edible dough sheets or in edible food containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0056 Mouth soluble or dispersible forms; Suckable, eatable, chewable coherent forms; Forms rapidly disintegrating in the mouth; Lozenges; Lollipops; Bite capsules; Baked products; Baits or other oral forms for animals

Abstract

An edible product having a thin inorganic coating on at least a portion of its surface. The coating preferably forms a moisture/oxygen barrier to result in a coated edible product having an improved shelf-life. The edible products include foods and pharmaceuticals. The inorganic materials used for the coating include SiO₂, SiO, MgO, CaO, TiO₂, ZnO and MnO. Processes and apparatuses for depositing a thin film of inorganic material onto an edible substrate are also disclosed. The preferred processes include sputtering and vapor deposition. The preferred apparatus provides for the continuous production of coated edible products.

Claims

1. A coated edible product comprising:

a. an edible material; and

b. a substantially continuous inorganic coating on a surface of the edible material, wherein said coating covers at least a portion of the edible material and said coating has a thickness ranging from 0.0001 to 0.5 microns.

2. The coated edible product of claim 1, wherein the inorganic coating forms a barrier that reduces the migration of moisture, oxygen or mixtures thereof.

3. The coated edible product of claim 1, wherein the inorganic coating has a thickness of 0.0002 to 0.2 microns.

4. The coated edible product of claim 3, wherein the inorganic coating has a thickness of 0.0002 to 0.1 microns.

5. The coated edible product of claim 4, wherein the inorganic coating has a thickness of 0.0002 to 0.05 microns.

6. The coated edible product of claim 1, wherein the inorganic coating forms a substantially continuous layer on the entire surface area of the edible material.

7. The coated edible product of claim 1, wherein the inorganic coat is at least 95% continuous.

8. The coated edible product of claim 1, wherein the inorganic coating comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of SiO₂, SiO, CaO, ZnO, TiO₂ and MnO.

9. The coated edible product of claim 1, wherein the inorganic coating consists essentially of SiO₂, SiO, CaO, ZnO, TiO₂ or MnO.

10. The coated edible product of claim 1, wherein the inorganic coating consists essentially of a mixture of SiO and SiO₂.

11. The coated edible product of claim 1, wherein the inorganic coating is substantially pure.

12. The coated edible product of claim 1, further comprising a precoating material which is applied onto the edible material before the inorganic coating.

13. The coated edible product of claim 1, wherein the edible material is a water-containing filling and the inorganic coating separates the water-containing filling from an edible outer portion.

14. The coated edible product of claim 1, wherein the coated edible product comprises more than one inorganic coating.

15. The coated edible product of claim 1, wherein the inorganic coating is 0.0001 to 0.05 wt % of the coated edible product.

16. The coated edible product of claim 1, wherein the edible material is substantially solid.

17. The coated edible product of claim 1, wherein the edible material is a gel.

29. A method of producing the edible product of claim 1, which method comprises coating the edible product by plasma deposition or sputtering with a substantially continuous coating of inorganic material that covers at least a portion of the edible product.

18. A coated edible product comprising:

a. an edible material; and

b. an inorganic coating applied onto an outer surface of the edible material, wherein the coating is a substantially uniform film having less than 50% variation in thickness and a thickness ranging from 0.0001 to 0.5 microns.

19. The coated edible product as claimed in claim 18, wherein said uniform film has less than 25% variation in thickness.

20. The coated edible product of claim 18, wherein the inorganic coating comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of SiO₂, SiO, CaO, ZnO, TiO₂ and MnO.

21. The coated edible product of claim 18, wherein the inorganic coating consists essentially of a mixture of SiO and SiO₂.

22. The coated edible product of claim 18, wherein the inorganic coating is at least 95% pure.

23. The coated edible product of claim 18, wherein the inorganic coating is 0.0001 to 0.05 wt % of the coated edible product.

24. The coated edible product of claim 18, wherein said coating is formed atom by atom to form the uniform film.

25. A coated edible product comprising:

a. an edible material; and

b. an inorganic coating applied onto an outer surface of the edible material, wherein the coating is less than 0.05 wt. % of the coated edible product.

26. The coated edible product of claim 25, wherein the inorganic coating has a thickness ranging from 0.0001 to 0.5 microns.

27. The coated edible product of claim 25, wherein the inorganic coating comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of SiO₂, SiO, CaO, ZnO, TiO₂ and MnO.

28. The coated edible product of claim 25, wherein the inorganic coating consists essentially of a mixture of SiO and SiO₂.