Using 3D printer to design and print food is a new but rapidly developing field. According to Quince Market Insights, the 3D printed food market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of about 48% from now until 2030.
3D printed food is made by using a standard 3D printer, but soft edible materials can be extruded through nozzles. The printer follows the computer-generated model and deposits the material layer with high precision to create the final 3D main course. Food researchers must experiment with ingredients and material properties (such as viscosity) to create the required structure, flavor and texture.
Advantages of 3D printing food
1, customized
3D printing allows chefs and chefs to try textures and designs that have never been created before. For example, engineers at Columbia University recently printed a seven-ingredient cheesecake with exquisite internal structure. Spectacular designs, complex colors and shapes, and even detailed signs can be achieved through 3D printing.
Step 2 Reduce food waste
3D printing allows the correct amount of ingredients to be used, so no material is wasted. In other cases, if food is wasted, it can be recycled as a material for 3D printing of food. For example, Upprinting Food collects food destined to be discarded, mixes it and prepares it, and then 3D prints it into delicious biscuits with complicated design.