A drinking straw having an internal coating for delivery of an active agent when the straw is used to consume a beverage is provided. The active agent includes sweetener, flavour, a nutrient and/or a pharmaceutical and optionally colour. The coating is prepared by mixing a modified cellulose with water to form a paste or gel. The coating is then used to coat the inside surface of a drinking straw to a thickness of up to 1 mm. The coating is dried to reduce the water content to less than 5% by weight. Liquid drawn through the straw breaks down the modified cellulose releasing the active agent into the liquid, for consumption.

An edible decoration is laser kiss cut from an edible decorating sheet by optically sensing at least one printed edible design on the edible decorating sheet relative to a laser cutting tool coordinate system and driving a laser along a circuit of cutting locations defined in the laser cutting tool coordinate system. The laser beam forms a separation channel by laser ablation of at least a portion of the edible decorating sheet at the cutting locations while leaving intact the non-adhesive releasable backing upon which the edible decorating sheet rests.

A device for affecting water. The device for affecting water includes a first-end, a second-end, a length from the first end to the second-end and an extruded member. Gemstones, which generate a pleasant subliminal functional aesthetic, and visible messages, which may have positive neurological and meta-physical effects, are included. The device for affecting water is useful for providing trace mineral elements to humans and animals and for producing positive changes to the overall physical health and emotional well-being of a user.

A cooking aid includes a sheet of flexible burn resistant material and a composition disposed on one face of the sheet. The composition contains a mixture of vegetable or animal oil with a melting point below 20 C., vegetable or animal fat with a melting point above 20 C., and one or more herbs, spices and flavor enhancers.

A cooking aid includes a sheet of flexible burn resistant material and a composition disposed on one face of the sheet. The composition contains a mixture of vegetable or animal oil with a melting point below 20 C., vegetable or animal fat with a melting point above 20 C., and one or more herbs, spices and flavor enhancers.

An elongate device for dispersing a paste-like or sticky substance in a liquid for consumption, injection, or topical use has an integral, outwardly directed hook at a first end for suspending the elongate device from the rim of a container such as a glass, cup, bottle or the like into the interior of the container. The elongate device has one or more scale markings at least on an inner face spaced from the second end of the device for indicating an amount of paste-like substance adhered to a second end portion between a scale marking and the second end.

A visit to any well equipped coffee station will show containers of paper sweetner packets, a large, separate sugar container, powdered or liquid creamer/flavoring and stirring devices (plastic or wooden). All the necessary condiments to flavor your coffee to your taste and stir it into your coffee. Customers can't help make a mess as the condiments are added and stirred. Spilled sugar, creamer/flavoring and small bits of paper from opening the sugar packets. A disposal can or wastebasket is usually provided to address the mess and encourage customers to clean up after themselves. Coffee StiX avoids all of this with one sanitary, each portion covered, condiment stick, wooden or plastic. Since all the condiments are on the stirring stick and they are individually protected by a thin paper or plastic film, only the user touches the stick. This is done quickly and easily, avoiding the long lines at coffee stations/bars. No clean up is necessary as there is no mess, freeing up employees to perform other tasks.

A method for assembling a pair of roof panels to inclined upper edges of a front wall and a back wall of a decorative edible structure includes placing a first roof panel and a second roof panel on respective first and second beads of edible adhesive applied to the inclined upper edges of the front and back walls. A retainer having first and second arms inclined relative to each other by a fixed incline angle is mounted to the decorative edible structure such that a first hook surface on the first arm engages a first lower edge of the first roof panel and a second hook surface on the second arm engages a second lower edge of the second roof panel to hold the first and second roof panels in position on the inclined upper edges at least until the first and second beads of edible adhesive has set.

A method for assembling a pair of roof panels to inclined upper edges of a front wall and a back wall of a decorative edible structure includes placing a first roof panel and a second roof panel on respective first and second beads of edible adhesive applied to the inclined upper edges of the front and back walls. A retainer having first and second arms inclined relative to each other by a fixed incline angle is mounted to the decorative edible structure such that a first hook surface on the first arm engages a first lower edge of the first roof panel and a second hook surface on the second arm engages a second lower edge of the second roof panel to hold the first and second roof panels in position on the inclined upper edges at least until the first and second beads of edible adhesive has set.

Food products prepared from whole grain oat flour having soluble components. The soluble whole oat flour maintains its standard of identity as whole grain and thus has the characteristics of whole grain oats. Aspects of the present invention relate to the use of the soluble oat flour in liquid food products such as beverages, semi-solid food products such as yogurt, and solid food products such as bakery items in order to provide enhanced health benefits.