Beverage package

Abstract

The present invention relates to a novel type of beverage infusion package which allows the infusion product contained inside or supported thereon to be identified by a printed logo or brand. In particular the infusion product is coffee or tea. The beverage infusion package is formed of paper or other non-woven material used for beverage packages and can be used in a whole range of coffee and tea beverage filtration packaging such as tea bags, hard pods, soft pods, coffee pouches and systems in which a container incorporates the paper with the tea, coffee or other infusion beverage. The beverage package may be a “one-cup” style bag containing sufficient infusion material, eg tea, for a single serving or may be a “multi-brew” style bag containing sufficient material for more than one serving. The present invention enables printing to be applied to the package without any deleterious effects to the integrity of the package and without the risk of introducing hazardous materials into the product.

1 . A paper web of porous, fibrous, material suitable for producing a beverage infusion package wherein the paper web has a grammage of 9 to 40 gm −2  and wherein the paper web includes a printed region bearing printed matter having a printing ink derived from an infusion beverage.  
   
   
       2 . A paper web according to  claim 1  which has been formed into a beverage infusion package, wherein the package comprises a sealed body having at least one internal compartment, said internal compartment containing an infusion beverage, and wherein the package includes a printed region bearing printed matter in which the printing ink is derived from an infusion beverage.  
   
   
       3 . A paper web according to  claim 2 , wherein one or both sides of the package contain, separately, one or more embossed markings in addition to the printed matter.  
   
   
       4 . A paper web according to  claim 1 , wherein the material forming the paper web is of cellulosic origin.  
   
   
       5 . A paper web according to  claim 2 , wherein the internal compartment contains from 2 to 10 g of the infusion beverage.  
   
   
       6 . A paper web according to  claim 1 , wherein the ink is an aqueous extract of the infusion beverage and the solid extract is dissolved in water to form a solution of from 10 to 80% by weight of the extract.  
   
   
       7 . A paper web according to  claim 2 , wherein the printing ink is derived from the same beverage as the infusion beverage to be contained within the beverage package.  
   
   
       8 . A paper web as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the ink is of tea origin.  
   
   
       9 . A paper web according to  claim 1 , wherein the ink includes a viscosity modifier.  
   
   
       10 . A paper web according to  claim 9 , wherein the viscosity modifier is added in an amount of from 0.1% to 20.0% by weight of the solids content.  
   
   
       11 . A paper web according to  claim 9 , wherein the viscosity modifier is one or more selected from the group consisting of: carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC), xanthan gum, guar gum, locust bean gum and starch.  
   
   
       12 . A paper web according to  claim 2 , wherein the printed region is from 1 to 70% of the external surface area of the beverage package.  
   
   
       13 . A paper web as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the ink is of coffee origin.  
   
   
       14 . A paper web according to  claim 2 , wherein the printing ink is derived from a different beverage as the infusion beverage contained with the beverage package.  
   
   
       15 . A paper web of porous, fibrous, material suitable for producing a beverage infusion package wherein the paper web has a grammage of 9 to 40 gm −2  and wherein the paper web includes a printed region bearing printed matter, in which a printing ink is derived from an infusion beverage, and wherein the package comprises a sealed body having at least one internal compartment, said internal compartment containing an infusion beverage, wherein the printing ink is derived from the same beverage as the infusion beverage to be contained within the beverage package, and the material forming the paper web is of cellulosic origin.  
   
   
       16 . A paper web according to  claim 15 , wherein the infusion beverage and the printing ink are of tea origin.  
   
   
       17 . A method of preparing a beverage package comprising printing a paper web of porous, fibrous material having a grammage of 9 to 40 gm −2  with a printing ink derived from an infusion beverage.  
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 17 , further comprising forming at least one internal compartment containing an infusion beverage.  
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the step of printing the web is prior to the step of forming the internal compartment.  
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the infusion beverage is tea.