Patent Your Food – A Look at Edible Patents
I received a call a few days ago from a woman who had a secret family recipe for cake. Her bridge friends said that she should get a patent on it, but she didn’t believe it was patentable.
While most patents are for mechanical designs or other inedible inventions…new food and food products definitely fall under the realm of patentability (that includes everything from creating new strains of corn or wheat…all the way down to new natural and artificial flavors).
With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the food items people have patented over the years.
Giant Gummy Bear Patent
In 1994, Stefan D. Murza et al received patent number 5338245 giving them full ownership of giant gummy bear candy. The patent states this invention is “A giant gummy bear is provided which consists of a pre-molded stretchable bladder in a shape of a bear with a check valve for filling gelatin solution into the bladder.” A child’s dream, come true.
Click here to see the patent – Giant Gummy Bear Patent
Burrito on a Stick Patent
Obviously distraught with wimpy, limp burritos, Eddle L. Bernal’s idea was to “beef up” your average burrito. Patent number 4399156 is a readily portable burrito which now has “the portability…of an ice cream bar or a coated hot dog having a stick impaled in one end”. I’m still holding out for a taco on a stick.
Click here to see the patent – Burrito on a Stick Patent
Chocolate Portrait Patent
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then what is a picture made of chocolate worth? Much, much more if you ask Victor Syrmis, owner of patent number 4455320 a “Method of Making Chocolate Candy Sculpture of Photo Image”. His patent explains how to “adapt a photographic image of a person’s face…onto a transfer medium or die, and then embossing such adapted image onto chocolate candy”
Click here to see the patent – Chocolate Portrait Patent
Beer Pouring Patent
1885 marked a turning point in history when a device was invented that kept beer from turning flat, sour and unsalable! History owes a debt of gratitude to Edward A. Byrne and James P. Lenahan, who is credited with patent number 325316 the Beer Faucet…which kept outside air out of the keg. Now there’s a “real American heroes” commercial for you.
Click here to see the patent – Beer Pouring Patent
Helps You Eat Patent
This one isn’t food, but it’s probably more famous than the other patents combined. The infamous spoon fork combination known as the spork! Applauded by everyone who has ever eaten soup with big chunks of meat, this patent will surely go down in history. Now only if someone would invent the Sporkife I could get rid of all my kitchen utensils!
Click here to see the patent – Helps You Eat Patent
Do you have a food related idea you’d like to patent? If so, contact The Patent Professor patent attorneys at 1-866-433-2288…or visit us at any of our South Florida patent offices.