SUPD Unveils New Multi-Ingredient Process for Food 3D Printing - 3Dnatives

Food 3D printing is an emerging technology that uses 3D printers to create customized, nutritious and creative foods. It offers advantages such as reduced food waste, sustainability and the ability to create food for specific dietary needs. However, it also has obstacles to overcome, including food safety and consumer acceptance. Despite these challenges, food 3D has the potential to revolutionize the way we produce and consume food in the future.

In the latest advancement in the food industry, a team of researchers from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) has developed a new technique to produce and customize food. Specifically, they designed a multi-material, or in this case, multi-ingredient, 3D printer to incorporate different types of nutrient-rich foods. The applications proposed by the researchers range from the production of aesthetically pleasing food to the customization of food for people with eating disorders and dysphagia, i.e. swallowing difficulties.

The designed two-inlet, single-outlet extruder (left) and a 3D printed edible QR code (photo credits: SUTD).

Existing methods are based on independently controlled single-ink syringes. While this is a technique that gives good results, it has certain limitations. Following this process, it is difficult to align more than one type of ink without cracking, for example. This is where the SUTC scientists’ breakthrough comes in improving the technique.

The team developed a Y-shaped bonding nozzle (3D printed) to change inks without cracking. Basically, the extruder is composed of two inlets and a single outlet to reduce problems with switching between nozzles. In the development of this extruder, special attention was paid to the rheological properties of foodstuffs. These are the way materials deform or flow when force or stress is applied to them. If these properties were not taken into account, there would be a risk that one food would come out faster than another or that they would combine in the nozzles, a phenomenon the researchers describe as “fluid backflow”.

As a solution, the researchers painstakingly designed a 3D printer. First, they chose to widen the output of the printer’s Y-junction so that foods that require more force to extrude will come out without a problem. By limiting the diameter of the outlet, the pressure with which the ingredients are extruded is limited. In turn, this modification provides greater resistance to flow so that the ink does not go up the wrong channel. As for the material, different milk inks were used. These were formulated with a specific viscosity to minimize sedimentation, i.e., solid-fluid separation. Something very likely during the 3D printing process with food.

Singapore University of Technology and Design

Researcher Dr. Lee Cheng Pau further explains, “Our technology can be used to 3D-print foods consisting of multiple materials without compromising the printed structures and appearance. It can be applied in creating meals tailored to individual dietary needs, aesthetically pleasing dishes, and interactive food experiences such as edible QR codes.”

Going forward, the team will optimize the design and technology to integrate more food inputs in order to commercialize the 3D printer. In conclusion, the researchers state that this technology can be applied to meat farming, bioink printing, personalized nutrition and new culinary experiences. This research has been published in the journal Future Foods, if you want to learn more, check out the full research HERE.

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