About 3D printing
3D priting
Use in Gastronomy
3D printers in the food industry use frozen and dehydrated powdered ingredients contained in capsules that contain micro-nutrients. These ingredients are combined with oils and water to create ready-to-eat foods. The food is created layer by layer, making it possible to prepare dishes with fillings. The printer, resembling a microwave oven, is controlled by consumers through a remote device or sensor controls directly on the printer.
The first 3D food printer emerged as part of a project by a group of scientists and students at Cornell University. The initial inspiration for this project came from the university initiative Far@Home, and its development began in 2005. The first printed food was created at the university in 2011, in the form of cake decorations. In 2013, NASA started funding the development of 3D food printers for producing food for astronauts on long space missions. Micro-nutrients with a shelf life of up to 15 years were developed as a result.
Later, in 2014, the first 3D food printer was introduced to the market by 3D Systems in collaboration with Hershey. The printer was named ChefJet and it could produce confectionery and candy made of milk chocolate or sugar with flavours like mint, cherry, or apple. The printer could create 100 pieces of candy per hour.
Currently, chocolate 3D printers are commonplace. The Choc Edge printer, for instance, can use high-quality Belgian chocolate for printing. Chocolate is applied in layers onto a substrate. Another example is pizza, the preparation of which is similar in principle to regular 3D printing. However, after printing, it must be baked on a special platform. In 2014, the company Natural Machines introduced the prototype of the Foodini printer, which can print not only chocolate but also pasta like ravioli.
A true challenge is printing foods like meat, fruits, and vegetables. Attempts to print bananas, apples, or meat required ingredients to be thoroughly ground, and the resulting food usually didn't resemble its real shape. However, the company Modern Meadow is working on creating lab-grown meat and refining it into its real form using 3D printing. The principle involves cloning stem cells, which can be replicated in a laboratory. After multiplication, the cells are placed in a bio-cartridge. In the printer, this substance is ground, and then a piece of synthetic meat is printed. This printing method can also be used in producing leather or cultivating living human organs.