3D Printed Food

Sometimes you just have to question where all this is leading, and whether or not we want to follow. 3D printing food is one such example that I have a reluctance to relate to on a personal level.

On a technical level however this makes perfect sense. 3D printing is a great new way to assemble nutrious foodstuff in ways previously unimaginable. No more than you would consider turning up an apple strudel on your lathe (well its just a ridiculous thought), who would have though that a 3d printed burger would be gracing the table any time soon? Equally ridiculous not so long ago.

But is this not the ultimate in food processing – a technology that is reasonably well accepted as being less than ideal and harmful when taken to excess? If the ultimate goal is the measure by which we judge the value of our effort in getting there, then 3D printing food, has to be a low priority. It is about as far as you can get from “fresh-picked in the garden”.

On the other hand, it is possible that this view is a little narrow and discounts the potential benefits that could grow out of 3D printing food. Obviously there is the technological development that would develop in working with multiple materials. There could be developments in the food processing and the formulation of nutritional materials, possible even the biology of artificially creating food stuff materially identical to real meat and vegetable. It could encourage the development of food preservation and storage techniques to balance times abundance and need or for use on very long journeys and rendered edible quickly, efficiently and palatably.

It’s worth learning about and taking ideas that are good into further development or to merge with other ideas for other purposes.

3D printer for food and stem cell meat: The future of food

3D printing was a mind-blowing concept to many of us not too long ago, but as technology often goes, it is hurtling forward, and now promises to revolutionise the way we eat within 10 to 20 years. Hod Lipson, a professor of engineering from Colombia University and co-author of Fabricated: The New World of 3D Printing recently addressed the audience at a symposium hosted by the Institute of Food Technologists in Chicago. Speaking via video link, Professor Lipson said that 3D printing is a good fit for the food industry because it allows manufacturers to bring complexity and variety to consumers at a low cost.

In a weird twist on ‘one with the lot’, Scientists in the Netherlands are refining their cultured ground beef burger patty, which was created by using stem cells from cows to grow muscle fibre shaped like a doughnut. From that process came a burger patty consistent in look, texture and colour. The goal now is to have it tasty enough so that people actually want to eat it. But those that are happy to eat stem cell meat will probably be put off by the current price tag: $400,000 — another issue that the team are now working on. Via news.com.au

3D Food Printers Could Change What You Eat

It’s 2015, and 3D printing, a technology long priced beyond many people’s reach, is quickly undergoing democratization. So much democratization that companies are trying to 3D print all kinds of new things, including food.

Think about the replicators on Star Trek and the many other machines that litter science fiction movies, which prep, cook, and serve meals on command. This could actually be our future. 3D food printing has the potential to revolutionize food production by boosting culinary creativity, food sustainability, and nutritional customizability, but technical and market barriers still face it in the years to come.

3D food printing has the potential to revolutionize food production. Via digitaltrends.com

Katjes 3D Printed Gummies

German candy company Katjes has revealed its new 3D printer for gummies.

Named the Magic Candy Factory, the 3D printer is located at the Cafe Grün-Ohr in Berlin; Katjes claims that it is the first 3D printer for food available to the public.

Via au.ign.com

Crafting the 3D-printed meals of the future

Could 3D printers one day sit in our kitchens alongside the Mixmaster and Thermomix? Blueprint for Living takes a look at the future of 3D-printed food and finds the technology may be particularly useful for the elderly.

There is something of a special alchemy about taking a recipe, carefully measuring the ingredients and preparing a meal from scratch. But what if the food of the future comes via a 3D printer, with our individual dietary needs and taste buds taken into account?

For scientists working in this rapidly expanding field, the future of 3D food is already here. There are ongoing trials involving 3D-printed pasta, chocolates, biscuits and even entire meals. Via abc.net.au

3D Printing: Food in Space

Systems and Materials Research Consultancy will conduct a study for the development of a 3D printed food system for long duration space missions. This food printing technology may result in a phase II study, which still will be several years from being tested on an actual space flight. As NASA ventures farther into space, whether redirecting an asteroid or sending astronauts to Mars, the agency will need to make improvements in life support systems, including how to feed the crew during those long deep space missions.

NASA recognizes in-space and additive manufacturing offers the potential for new mission opportunities, whether “printing” food, tools or entire spacecraft. Via nasa.gov