SPICE MARKING METHODS FOR FOODSTUFFS

1 . A method of transferring an edible image to a substrate comprising:

mounting a printing plate having an image thereon to a roller;

depositing an edible adhesive onto the printing plate;

transferring the edible adhesive from the orienting plate to a substrate; and

depositing an edible coating on the substrate thereby forming the edible image on the substrate, wherein the edible image comprises the edible adhesive and the edible coating.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of transferring the edible image to a substrate comprises contacting the printing plate having the edible adhesive to the substrate; and using the edible adhesive to transfer the image from the printing plate to the substrate;

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

placing the edible image in contact with foodstuff; and

applying greater than atmospheric pressure the edible image to transfer the edible image to the foodstuff.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the foodstuff is selected from the group consisting of protein, cheese, candy, fruit, vegetable, baked goods, bread, pastry, cake, and dough.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a doctor blade, a tension controller, an anilox roller, or a combination thereof determines the amount of edible adhesive placed on the image.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the printing plate is a flexographic printing plate.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the printing plate is mounted to the roller using tape, magnets, straps, or a combination thereof.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the edible adhesive is clear, colored, flavored, or combinations thereof.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the edible coating is formed from a particulate.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the edible coating comprises sugar, spice, seasoning, color, or combinations thereof.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the edible coating comprises starch, salt, vegetable protein, animal protein, yeast, vegetable powder, garlic, garlic powder, fat, gums, preservatives, natural flavors, artificial flavors, and combinations thereof.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the edible coating has a flavor selected from the group consisting of mesquite, lemon, pepper, peppercorn, Caribbean jerk, buffalo, chipotle, garlic, sesame ginger, Szechuan, teriyaki and combinations thereof.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a mandrel delivers the edible coating in metered quantities to the substrate.

14 . A method of transferring an edible image to foodstuff comprising:

mounting a printing plate having an image thereon to a roller;

depositing an edible adhesive onto the image;

transferring the edible adhesive from the printing plate to a substrate thereby transferring a mirror copy of the image onto the substrate;

depositing an edible coating onto the edible adhesive, wherein the mirror copy of the image comprises the edible adhesive and the edible coating;

contacting the substrate with foodstuff; and

subjecting the foodstuff to a vacuum until at least a portion of the image transfers to the foodstuff.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the image is substantially transferred to the foodstuff.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the substrate is removed before cooking the foodstuff.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the substrate is not removed before cooking the foodstuff.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the foodstuff is selected from the group consisting of protein, cheese, candy, fruit, vegetable, baked goods, bread, pastry, cake, and dough.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the edible adhesive is clear, colored, flavored, or combinations thereof.

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the edible coating comprises sugar, spice, seasoning, color, or combinations thereof.