The amazing creativity of edible inks

You would never think of eating the documents that come out of your inkjet printer, but did you know that there are edible inks available?

Think about it. When you try to decorate a cake at home, it looks nothing like what the bakery can do. Why does your creation come out so messy, while the associates in the bakery always get it done so perfectly? It’s because they use edible inks.

Believe it or not, edible inks can be used with the inkjet printer you probably have at home. Inkjet printers and cartridges of edible ink (made primarily of food coloring) help bakers create beautiful food masterpieces. Cartridges of edible ink look like regular ink cartridges. The only difference is what’s inside the cartridges: food-safe ingredients versus ink.

Many edible ink cartridges are made by popular printer companies such as HP, Canon, and Epson. This ink is food safe and approved and regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These inks are typically used with sheets of paper made from rice or some other starch. These are safe to eat as well.

How Is It Done?

Edible printing involves creating an image and printing it onto a cake or other confectionary. Once you have a custom decoration – like a photo, cartoon character, or logo – you simply print onto special paper. Originally, this paper was made of rice, but more modern versions use frosting sheets. This edible paper has no flavor or texture. When placed onto the cake, it looks like the photo was printed onto the icing.
Edible printing makes decorating easy. Bakers do not have to painstakingly recreate every design that a client wants. Instead, they can copy the design onto a computer and print it on the frosting sheets on an edible printer. The printed design can then be placed on the cake or other baked goods. It’s that simple!

Edible Ink Pens

Also called edible markers, edible ink pens are often used in conjunction with edible inks. These pens are very precise and work well for decorating food or writing on cakes. They’re used just like traditional markers. Some pens have two sides – thick and thin – so you can adjust your decoration as you see fit.

Use edible markers in situations when you want to create a personal touch. You can add names, personalized messages, funny faces, shapes, designs, and anything else you want. There are various edible ink pen sets. You might get a variety of colors, such as pink, purple, brown, green, red, blue, yellow, silver and gold. With so many colors, you can create so many designs.

Because edible ink pens come in all these colors, they’re a fun activity for kids. Your kids will enjoy creating their own masterpieces on cookies, cakes, cupcakes, and other foods. You can spice up a boring piece of white bread by drawing funny faces. Because hard-boiled eggs have smooth surfaces, edible pens work well on them. Use them on broccoli, carrots, and other healthy foods that your child typically won’t eat. Edible pens can make it fun to eat healthy food.

You can use them on cookies, donuts, wafers, crackers, marshmallows, and more. You can even use edible markers on plates to write a special message. Anything you write or draw can be eaten. The inks are made of natural food coloring ingredients and contain no harmful chemicals, so you don’t have to worry about safety issues.

Using Your Edible Printer

Interestingly enough, you can use your edible printer for printing on regular paper. You don’t need to buy a separate printer for this use. This saves time and money. Plus, it keeps your printer in regular use so it doesn’t clog.
However, you must use edible ink. You should never use regular ink in a printer used for edible ink. This could cause contamination of the ink to your baked goods and make you ill. Also, note that even though you will use edible ink on paper, your final product will not be edible. You will, however, get a beautiful picture.

Edible printers aren’t reserved for bakers and other food service professionals. Consumers can purchase an edible printer and associated cartridges. If you bake often, it’s a fun appliance and a great investment.

You can use the printer to make beautiful creations for your family or tap into your entrepreneurial side and use the printer to make money. You can do this by making cakes, cookies, and other foods for friends, neighbors, and family members. Wouldn’t it be nice to get paid for making cakes?
There are many opportunities for making cakes and other confectionary treats. Think birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays such as Valentine’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. You could even make tasty treats for Independence Day, Memorial Day, and Halloween. An edible printer will make everything so quick and easy.

Amazing Food Technology

Inkjet printers are amazing pieces of technology. Thanks to edible ink printing, bakers can create the most intricate cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and other baked goods. Those with a mind for business can also use edible ink to create other types of food, such as caviar and sushi.
As printer technology progresses, you may soon be able to make virtually any meal you want. 3D printing technology is already doing this. Many users have created pizzas, chocolate, and other foods. The only limit will be your imagination.

About the author
Tania Longeau serves as the Head of Services for InkJet Superstore. Tania oversees a team of Operations and Customer Service Reps from the Los Angeles headquarters. Before joining InkJet, Tania was a team leader and supervisor working for one of the biggest mortgage and real estate companies in the country. She is a happily married mother of one who enjoys spending time with her family and reading in her leisure hours.

Geek Native was not paid to publish this article.