Singapore scientists have developed a new method of production and personalization of food using 3D printing. This technological advancement has the potential to revolutionize the approach to nutrition, particularly for individuals with special dietary needs or swallowing difficulties.
3D printing with food ingredients has emerged as a popular technique for creating products with unique structures, textures, and nutrient compositions. It enables the customization of nutrient content, the creation of visually appealing dishes, and the adaptation of food textures to meet individual dietary requirements.
While some food sources, such as Obara (a soybean cake), orange peels, and insects, may elicit disgust due to their appearance and origins, adjusting 3D printing parameters allows researchers to incorporate edible and nutritious ingredients from these unconventional sources while creating aesthetically pleasing dishes.
For the average person, 3D food printing offers a personalized and consistent means of producing daily meals. Individuals with eating disorders or swallowing difficulties can also benefit from this technology to enhance their meal experiences.
Researchers have successfully utilized chocolate, milk, gelatin, and plant ink to 3D print food products. However, current methods face challenges related to smooth transitions between materials, resulting in fragmented prints and complicating the printing process.
One common approach involves using multiple nozzles to store and extrude various food components. This method requires meticulous machine calibration and nozzle alignment, leading to intermittent interfaces and prolonged print times. The researchers proposed an alternative approach inspired by microfluidics, utilizing two inputs and one output to simplify transitions between multiple nozzles and merge food streams during the printing process.
Blending different food inks at intersecting junctions presents a unique challenge due to the fluids’ rheological properties (fluidity and viscosity). To address this issue, scientists redesigned the food printer to widen the Y-shaped output connection and incorporated displacement into the printing algorithm, ensuring efficient flow control.