CODE AND CONTAINER OF SYSTEM FOR PREPARING A BEVERAGE OR FOODSTUFF

A container (6) for a foodstuff or beverage preparation machine, the container (6) for containing beverage or foodstuff preparation material and comprising on a surface thereof a code (74) encoding preparation information, the code (74) comprising a reference portion (80) and a data portion (78): the reference portion (80) comprising a linear arrangement of at least two reference units (86) defining a reference line (r); the data portion (78) comprising at least one data unit (82), wherein said data unit (82) is arranged on an encoding line (D) that intersects the reference line (r), the data unit (82) occupies any continuous distance d along the encoding line (D) as a variable to at least partially encode a parameter of the preparation information, whereby said encoding line (D) is circular and is arranged with a tangent thereto orthogonal the reference line (r) at said intersection point (84).