# Screen printing on food?



## ffokazak (Feb 23, 2006)

OK so i imagine that instead of ink you'd use dye, or food colouring. 
I am wondering what the saftey of using a duo core diazo emulsion for food is?? 
I know that sheet aint to good for ya when its wet, but when it dries is it safe?
Is there a special emulsion for food?
Vinyl? like the old days?
The logo i need is rather straight forward......

IF anyone has any ideas, thanks!


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

Wow, I think that's the whackiest thread title I've seen here. I mean I don't see why you _couldn't_ now that you bring it up, but I doubt I would have thought of it 

If you don't want to risk the emulsion coming in contact with the food (I don't know if it's safe when dry or not - in theory I would think so, but it could rub off or have a reaction with the food and I don't think I'd ever risk that) you could try cutting a stencil out of acetate and using that under the screen.

I doubt there's a special food emulsion, but is this something commonly done? If it is I guess there might be - you could try contacting a manufacturer directly and asking their opinion.

Using dye on such a porous surface isn't going to give you very good resolution though, surely?


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## monkeylantern (Oct 16, 2005)

I have done this!

Using Gocco mesh (not the cheap cardboard crap avaliable in the US...the real Japanese stuff....not the stuff they were using in 1980...it's also avaliable in Australia easily, and world wide at www.nehoc.com.au)

Using food dye mixed with caster sugar, I sucessfully screenprinted onto a cake, at superb resolution, on a flat layer of marzipan.

It was an image of Yoda, saying something rude about my housemate for her birthday (along the lines of "If celibate 800 year old toad I was not, **** her I would")

Looked like it was done professionally (by a professional baker that is...I am something of a professional printer)


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

monkeylantern said:


> Using Gocco mesh [...] it's also avaliable in Australia easily, and world wide at nehoc.com.au


...for now. Print Gocco is being discontinued by the Japanese manufacturer. While there is some hope the company will sell the rights to someone else to continue manufacture, nothing has actually been said about this (by anyone other than hopeful craft bloggers).

Also, Nehoc don't ship to the US due to contractual terms.


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## monkeylantern (Oct 16, 2005)

Solmu said:


> ...for now. Print Gocco is being discontinued by the Japanese manufacturer. While there is some hope the company will sell the rights to someone else to continue manufacture, nothing has actually been said about this (by anyone other than hopeful craft bloggers).
> 
> Also, Nehoc don't ship to the US due to contractual terms.


They're discontinuing the exposure units. Supplies will be avaliable for many years (I think the statement was 3 in the US, 15 in Australia).

Get your exposure units for cake screenprinting while yoiu still can!


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

monkeylantern said:


> They're discontinuing the exposure units. Supplies will be avaliable for many years (I think the statement was 3 in the US, 15 in Australia).


Hmm, I hadn't heard the 15 in Australia thing. Nehoc originally smugly noted that "this announcement didn't affect them" but I saw they then retracted that.

Crafters are worried that three years will become six months because people will be hoarding supplies. It's possible that was taken into account though. I think they also overestimate their own importance (i.e. it takes more than a couple of hundred hobby artists to keep a business going, which is why they're shutting down production).

Riso are involved in much larger (and presumably far more profitable) businesses, so I don't see the Gocco surviving under them - it's not dead yet, but I think this is the first warning.

Still, it may get picked up by someone else... (and for now... let them print cake!)



monkeylantern said:


> Get your exposure units for cake screenprinting while yoiu still can!


 Now *that* should be their closeout sale slogan.


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## mstonge (Nov 7, 2008)

monkeylantern said:


> I have done this!
> 
> Using Gocco mesh (not the cheap cardboard crap avaliable in the US...the real Japanese stuff....not the stuff they were using in 1980...it's also avaliable in Australia easily, and world wide at RISO & GOCCO products, applications, information and support from NEHOC Australia. SCREEN PRINTING MADE EASY - With over 32 years experience & RISO products we provide you with the most comprehensive English language site for RISO products the net!)
> 
> ...


I have been thinking lately about new ways to use my screens and I wondered too about screen printing onto food. I'm going to test some stuff out for a base to use the food dye in but gelatin seems likely, but sugar also seems good. To be safe I think I'll use reusable paper stencils (made from map making paper). I'll psot pictures if it all wrks out.


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## greasygranny (May 21, 2009)

Speedball Diazo Photo Screen Printing Emulsions - BLICK art materials

That stuff says it is AP Non-toxic, so probably ok for food.

Hope they don't take that link as an advertisement. It's the Speedball Diazo emulsion. I'm sure any emulsion that says AP non Toxic would be fine.


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## jtannerc (Aug 20, 2008)

i am not sure what was really used... but there was an episode on Ace Of Cakes where they did a cake for the cast of Lost. In that one.. they printed through a screen.
I will see if I can find it, and post it.

Here it is.. in the first 20 seconds. They screen print onto gum paste that will be used for the beer cans. Its the Dharma logo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhnJ2-u3WtY


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## mrvixx (Jan 13, 2009)

KopyJet Edible Photo Cake Printer System


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## RichardGreaves (Nov 7, 2006)

*The use of Ulano TZ/CL for Food Decoration*

"Ulano Corp. does not certify that TZ/CL is safe for food preparation."

The decoration of food adds value to many types of food products, such as breads, pastries, and confections. Because it can print almost any "ink" on any surface, screen printing is an ideal method for the decoration of food. Obviously, printable food decoration materials do not contain solvents. They are generally water based, so the stencil material must be water resistant. 

TZ/CL, a water-resistant, diazo sensitized direct emulsion which is manufactured without dye is an excellent emulsion for food decoration. Even so, Ulano recommends that the food manufacturer obtain hygiene-law compliance information from local authorities and conduct actual tests to be certain of full compliance.

For the production of decorated foods, most manufacturers use the "Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points" (HACCP) as a prevention-based method of verifying that they are in control of the healthiness of their products. Using the HACCP method, manufacturers identify and control all points where food can be contaminated, allowing food safety risks to be predicted and prevented before they happen. The premise is simple: if each step of the process is carried out correctly, the end product will be safe.

In recent decades, consumers have come to expect better quality, hygiene, and appearance from food. As a result, food manufacturers have had bring control to their various food processing steps in order to guarantee the dependable, high quality standards that will keep their customers satisfied.
Industrial food production is similar to other kinds of production: managers coordinate resources and activities to produce goods, including production scheduling, staffing, procurement and maintenance of equipment, quality control, inventory control, and the coordination of production activities with those of other departments. Food hygiene legislation requires that all food handlers receive training commensurate with their work activities and that manufacturing hygiene is audited. Success depends on management commitment and a trained and motivated work force.

It is important that the stencils be thoroughly exposed (with molecules fully cross-linked) to avoid contamination of the printed food by the migration of soft, underexposed stencil material (PVA PVAc color, sensitizer). Stencils should be replaced when they begin to show signs of wear, or when quality drops below the established standard. Damaged or rusty screen should never be used.

In addition to stencil-making considerations, food manufacturers should practice basic common-sense rules of food hygiene. They should not use out-of-date food; or broken, chipped, dirty or defective equipment or utensils. They should clean and disinfect work surfaces before preparing food- use separate equipment for cleaning raw food and ready-to-eat food areas; apply safe work procedures monitor the implementation of the food safety plan; train operators; rotate stock; and require workers to wear protective clothing, and to change uniforms and protective clothing daily for sanitary reasons.


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## kriscad (Dec 18, 2006)

pad printing with edible ink


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