Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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- - EGG COLORING XIT
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Backqround Of The Invention
Field Of The Invention
~his invention relates to an improved non-toxic colorant
tablet. More particularly, this invention discloses an
effervescent colorant tablet which may be used to color various
food and other items, such as Easter eggs.
Dewription Of The Prior Art
There have been a number of inventions in which flavorings,
salts and dyes have been prepared in powder or tablet form.
U.S. Patent No. 1,450,865 (Pelc) discloses a pr~cess for
making effervescent and non-effervescent tablets, lozenges,
pills, candies, confections, powders and similar products. These
lS products may contain sugars of different kinds, suspensions,
flavorings, dyes, colorants, phosphates and soluble soaps,
chemicals for photographic purposes and other substances which
are soluble in water. The vehicle with which the active
components are mixed is an intimate mixture of any normal or
hydrogen containing carbonate, i.e. any salt of carbonic acid or
any solid salt of any acid containing hydrogen or of any such
mixtures of these so called effervescing salts which, reacting
in an ordinary chemical way, produce salts soluble in water.
U.S. Patent 2,199,201 (Heden) discloses a composition for
,25 the coloring of eggs. This invention uses acids such as sulfuric
acid and phosphoric acids which form an insoluble calcium
compound on the eggshell, providing a layer which in addition to
readily accepting the dye with uniform coloring effect all over,
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results in a dyed egg which has a high gloss. The dyes or
coloring materials which are water soluble are prepared in a
water solution of a suitable color concentration and there is,
in addition to the above-mentioned acids, a sufficient quantity
of a weak (organic) acid, such as tartaric acid, acetic acid, and
citric acid, plus the sodium or potassium salts of these acids,
so that when the dye material is redissolved, the bath will
contain a buffer solution of a weak acid together with one of its
salts, thus assuring the maintenance of a proper pH value in the
bath. The pH value is within the range of two to four depending
on the particular dye used. The product may be in the form of
a powder or a pellet.
U.S. Patent No. 3,347,682 (Rosenstein) discloses a tablet,
containing colorants and flavorants which dissolve in water. The
lS tablet contains high molecular weight polyethylene glycol,
flavorants, colorants, agglomerated sugars admixed with
conglomerated sugars and primarily comprised of sucrose, organic
or fatty acid components, a buffer, and a filler.
U.S. Patent No. 4,666,707 (Eguchi, et al.) discloses a
weakly acidic bath salt effervescent composition which contains
a moisturizer, which functions to ~eep the carbon dioxide gas in
the water. Typical examples of the moisturizer include organic
acid salts such as sodium lactate, polyhydric alcohols such as
propylene glycol, and water soluble polymers such as polyethylene
glycol. A carbonate salt is incorporated into the weakly acidic
bath salt composition, along with an organic or inorganic acid
which is preferably soluble.
Other methods or products for dyeing Easter eggs require the
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coloring powder or tablet to be mixed into a solution containing
vinegar so that the sodium bicarbonate in the colorant powder or
tablet react with the acetic acid of the vinegar to release
carbon dioxide into the solution. The acetic acid al50 acts to
lower the pH of the solution to assist in the coloring process.
SummarY Of ~he Invention
An object of the present invention is to provide a new and
unique method of egg coloring by the use of effervescent non-
toxic color tablets.
Another object of the invention is to provide a dye tablet
in which all of the required ingredients are provided in a simple
to use dye tablet.
Another object of the invention is to provide a dye tablet
which dissolves in tap water without stirring.
The present invention also provides a unique method of egg
coloring utilizing easy to use nontoxic effervescent color
tablets. The tablet type egg dye contains all of the required
ingredients except water. The tablets may be packaged in self
contained hermetically sealed pouches for extended shelf-life.
As the egg dye is in tablet form, there is no powder or
liquid mess.
The tablet can dissolve in tap water in three minutes or
less. Because of the effervescent qualities of the tablet, no
stirrin~ of the tablet-water solution is required.
The tablet is economical and non-toxic. Consequently, the
tablet is easy for children to handle.
The tablet of the present invention contains a water-soluble
colorant capable of coloring eggs, at least one carbonate salt,
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- which, in the presence of an acid and when placed in water,
releases carbon dioxide, creating the efferves~ent effect; and
an organic carboxylic acid. The tablet may contain a
solubilizinq agent and at least one binder material, used to bind
the ingredients into a tablet. A small but effective amount of
tabletting lubricant is also usually used.
In a preferred embodiment, the colorant tablet contains:
(a) from about 30 to 65 wt~ of organic acid; ~
(b) from about 20 to 50 wt% of alkali metal or alkaline -
earth metal carbonate, bicarbonate or sesquicarbonate;
(c) from about 0.1 to 10 wt% of at least one water-soluble
non-toxic food colorant;
(d) from about 0.03 to lo wt% of at least one solubilizing
or binding agent, and;
(e) a minor but effective amount of a tabletting lubricant.
The present invention also provides a method for forming a
colorant solution by dissolving the colorant tablet in water.
A method for coloring egg shells is also provided in which
a colorant solution is first formed from the invention coloring
tablet and thereafter the egg is immersed in the colorant
solution for a time sufficient to color the egg shell.
Detailed Des¢ription And Preferred Embodiment
The effervescent effect of the tablets is a result of the
release-of carbon dioxide from the reaction of a salt of a
,25 carbonic acid with an organic carboxylic acid contained within
the tablets.
Generally, any non-toxic alkali metal or alkaline earth
metal carbonate, bicarbonate or sesquicarbonate may be used.
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Examples of carbonates which may be used include potassium
carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, sodium sesquicarbonate,
potassium sesquicarbonate, ammonium sesquicarbonate, ammonium
carbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate, calcium
bicarbonate, magnesium carbonate, magnesium bicarbonate, sodium
carbonate and sodium bicarbonate. The salt of the carbonic acid
is preferably sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate. The amount
of the carbonaté salt present in the colorant tablet may range
from about 20 to about 50 weight percent, with a range of from
about 20 to 45 weight percent, especially 25 to 45 weight
percent, being preferred and most preferred, respectively.
The organic carboxylic acid component of the tablets
functions as a preservative in the tablet and also reacts with
the sodium bicarbonate or other carbonate bicarbonate or
lS sesquicarbonate salt to release the carbon dioxide of the salt
of the carbonic acid. In general, such organic acidulants
include ~umaric acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid,
maleic acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, malonic acid, ascorbic
acid, lactic acid, etc. and mixtures thereof, with citric acid
being preferred.
Other organic acids which may be used alone or in
combination with the above mentioned acids include straight-chain
aliphatic acids such as dicarboxylic acids such as glutaric acid,
pimelic acid, fumaric acid; acidic amino acids such as glutamic
~25 and aspartic acid; hydroxy acids such as hydroxyacrylic acid,
tartronic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid (usually up to 0.1%),
gluconic acid, benzoic acid (usually up to 0.1%), phenylacetic
¦ acid, nicotinic acid ~niacin~, sorbic acid, pyrrolidonecarboxylic
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acid, and combinations thereof.
- Additional organic acids which may be used, generally in
smaller quantities, include such non-crystalline acids as acetic
acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, a-hydroxybutyric acid, and
glyceric acid.
The amount of acidulant employed in formulating the tablets
will generally range from about 5 to 65% and preferably from
about 30 to 65~, and most preferably from about 45 to 65% by
weight based on the total weight of the tablet. The preferred
acidulants are fumaric acid or citric acid, although other
acidulants may be employed without encountering any untoward
results.
As one of the purposes for the tablets of this invention is
their use by children to dye Easter eggs, it is important that
none of the acids or any other ingredients be toxic.
Additionally, the acids used should not adversely affect the
dyes .
The ratio between the carbonate salt and the organic acid
in the tablet of the invention should be such that the tablet
when dissolved in water, should render the solution slightly
acidic. The solution should have a pH of between about 2 and
about 7, and preferably a pH of between about 4 and about 7.
The tablet also contains solubilizing and dispersing agents
as well as binders. Polyethylene glycols can act as solubilizing
as agent as well as a binder. The polyethylene glycols are waxy
solids having a melting or softening point of at least about 50~
C. The especially preferred polyethylene glycols are those
having an average molecular weight ranging from about 3,000 to
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--?,500. Carbowax 4,000 and Carbowax 6,000, two commercially
available high molecular weight polyethylene glycols, have been
found particularly suitable in formulating the novel colorant
tablets of this invention.
5In accordance with another feature of this invention, the
amount of dispersing agent should be selected to achieve the
desired rapid dispersion in water. The amount of dispersing or
solubilizing agent employed should range from about 0.03% to
about 5~, and preferably from about 0.05% to about 2% by weight,
10based on the total weight of the tablet.
Food, drug and cosmetic (FD&C) certified colors are employed
and will correspond to the colorant-combinations conventionally
used in this area. Illustrative primary colorants include Yellow
No. S, Yellow ~o. 6, Red No. 2, Red No. 3, Blue No. 1, and the
15like as well as combinations of these colors. Useful secondary
colorants include Green No. 1, Sugar Black, Sky Blue, Cocoa
Brown, Bottler's Grape Shade, Fast Mint, Blood Orange, Peach,
Brilliant Pink, Burgundy Deep ~iolet, etc. In general, the
amount of colorant employed will range from about 0.1% to about
2010%, and preferably from about 1% or 2% to about 6% to 8% by
weight, based on the total weight of the tablet.
The colorant tablet may also contain a lubricant material
to assist in tablet formation. The preferred lubricant material
is a salt of a fatty acid. Generally, saturated or unsaturated
2Sa~iphatic fatty acids having from about 8 to 22 carbon atoms may
be used. The preferred salts are the alkali metal (e.g. sodium
or potassium) and alkaline earth metal (e.g. magnesium or
calcium) salts. Examples of salts of fatty acids that may be
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used include, but are not limited to, sodium stearate, potassium
~ stearate, sodium palmitate, potassium palmitate, calcium
palmitate, calcium stearate, magnesium stearate, sodium oleate,
potassium oleate, and calcium oleate, with sodium stearate being
preferred.
The fatty acid salt lubricant needs to be present in only
minor but lubricating effective amounts, generally in an amount
of from about 0.05-1.0 weight percent, preferably 0. 2 to O . 8
weight percent of the colorant tablet.
The effervescent colorant tablets are usually formed in dies
by conventional means. The metal carbonate, organic acid, and
water soluble colorant are thoroughly mixed together. If
necessary, these admixtures are initially ground to a size with
a range of about 4 to 100 mesh, preferably about 80 mesh, by use
of conventional grinding equipment. The resulting admixtures may
be then combined with the polyethylene glycol, and the fatty acid
salt, such as "dried" sodium stearate, and then reground to a
particle size within the range of 5 to 20 mesh, and preferably
about 10 mesh. The substantially homogeneous mixture of
components are next fed by conventional means to a standard
tabletting machine provided with 1/2 to 1 inch die to produce a
10 to 60 gram tablet. The exact shape and nature of the tablet
is not critical, although a flat or wafer contoured tablet is
preferred to provide the greatest surface area for quick
dissolution in water. The preferred colorant tablet can readily
dissolve in tap water in less than two minutes where the tap
water has a temperature as low as 10C. A higher water
temperature of about 20C-40C is preferred with corresponding
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shorter dissolution times.
It will be understood that the colorants employed in the
practice of this in~ention will be those approved for food
purposes by the Food and Drug Administration, and that each of
these components employed need only be in sufficient amounts to
impart the desired color to the finished product.
The invention will be more fully understood by reference to
the following illustrative examples:
EXAMPLE
A substantially homogenous mixture is prepared with each
tablet having the formulation:
Parts by
Inqredients Weiqht ~% bv weiqht)
Citric Acid l.Z ~59.5)
Sodium Bicarbonate 0.7 (34.8)
FD&C Yellow #5 0.1 ~5.0)
Carbowax 4000 O.O1 (0.5)
Magnesium Stearate 0.004 ~0.2)
The mixture is fed into a rotary tabletting machine and
subjected to a pressure of about 2S p.s.i.g. to form individual
coin shaped tablets. A tablet is added to an eight ounce glass
of room temperatures to warm tap water. After two minutes, the
tablet is completely dissolved in the water. A hard boiled egg
is lowered by hand into the colorant solution, where it "soaks"
for from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. The yellow color on the egg
becomes darker the longer the egg is dipped.
Similar results are obtained by replacing all or part of the
citric acid with fumaric acid, tartaric acid, ascorbic acid and
mixtures thereof.
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~- Similar results are also obtained by replacing all or part
of the sodium bicarbonate with sodium carbonate, potassium
bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, or sodium sesquicarbonate, or
mixtures thereof.
By changing the yellow dye with Red No. 2, Blue No. 1, Green
No. 1, etc, red, blue, ~reen or other desired colors are
obtained.
While particular embodiments of this invention are discussed
above, it will be understood that the invention is subject to
variations and modifications without departing from its broader
aspects.
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