Digital food printing: new possibilities for personalisation
Digital food printing makes it possible to print designs, text, logos and variable data directly onto edible products. Biscuits, pastries, confectionery, chocolates and sugar-based products can become surfaces for creative expression and communication.
This technology opens up new possibilities for the food industry: strengthening brand identity, creating personalised batches, developing limited editions and producing designs that vary from one product to the next.
How does food printing work?
Inkjet printing works by depositing precisely controlled microdroplets onto the surface of a product. Because the process is contactless, the printhead does not touch the biscuit during printing.
This makes it possible to print on delicate products, as well as on surfaces with some porosity or an uneven texture. Each design is sent digitally to the printer, so it can change from one product to the next without changing any tooling.
Digital printing can meet a range of needs:
- Reproducing a logo or brand identity;
- Personalising small and medium production runs;
- Creating seasonal or event-themed collections;
- Printing multiple designs within the same production run;
- Developing distinctive products with greater added value.
Printing trials on different food products and materials
Ardeje Printing has carried out inkjet printing trials on a range of products and materials.
These examples show why printing parameters need to be adapted to each surface. The texture of a biscuit, the composition of nougat, sugar crystals and the fibrous structure of a sachet all affect how the ink is absorbed and spreads, as well as the sharpness of the printed image. The volume deposited, printhead-to-product distance and product positioning also affect the consistency of the result.
These examples are technical feasibility trials. For any application intended for production, the ink formulation, the product or material, and the entire process must be assessed under actual operating conditions.
An application governed by specific requirements
Printing directly onto food requires full control of the process. The substances in the ink must be suitable for the intended use and comply with the regulations applicable to food products.
The assessment of each application also covers:
- Compatibility of the ink with the food product;
- Selection of materials used in production areas;
- Prevention of contamination;
- Cleaning of fluid circuits and surfaces;
- Traceability of consumables;
- Stability and repeatability of ink deposition;
- Preservation of the product’s sensory properties.
Equipment and surfaces that come into contact with food must also meet general hygiene requirements and present no risk of contamination.
Each application therefore requires a specific assessment that takes account of the product, the ink formulation, the production environment and the desired result.
From feasibility testing to industrial deployment
Developing a food printing process begins with laboratory trials. This first stage characterises the product surface, assesses ink compatibility and establishes suitable printing parameters.
The trials assess:
- Print quality and legibility;
- Control of the volume deposited;
- Ink absorption and spread;
- Positioning accuracy;
- Consistency from one product to the next;
- Achievable printing speed;
- Cleaning and production changeover procedures.
Once the process has been characterised, industrial deployment must account for the production line’s requirements: product handling, detection, automation, throughput, quality control and hygiene conditions.
Exploring new applications for food printing
Digital food printing demonstrates the ability of drop-on-demand (DOD) inkjet technology to deposit functional or decorative fluids onto complex surfaces. It opens up new possibilities for decoration and personalisation, from feasibility studies through to integration into a production line.
Ardeje Printing supports manufacturers in characterising their products and materials, conducting printing trials and developing processes tailored to their production requirements.
Would you like to test printing on a food product or an unconventional material
Contact our team to assess the feasibility of your application.