This paper aims to provide comprehensive insights into food printing materials, their characteristics and appropriate selection strategies for personalized nutrition. It also discusses the available printing technologies, critical printing parameters for achieving high-quality food products and the safety, standardization and environmental aspects involved in the food printing process.
The study adopts a systematic review approach, analyzing advancements in 3D food printing technologies, material characteristics and their functional roles. It evaluates extrusion behavior, process parameters and performance across various additive manufacturing (AM) techniques such as fused deposition modeling, selective laser sintering, material jetting and binder jetting. Emphasis is placed on material suitability, print quality and potential for nutritional customization to assess practical feasibility.
Additive manufacturing enables the creation of diverse, customizable food products, including chocolates, pancakes, vegetables and meats, using a variety of edible inks. These innovations cater to the specific dietary needs of children, the elderly, patients, astronauts and defense personnel. However, the field faces challenges, such as limited standardization, safety issues, inconsistent print quality, material constraints and environmental concerns that hinder large-scale adoption.
This work uniquely integrates insights on food material behavior, AM technologies and personalized nutrition in a single framework. The paper contributes by identifying current gaps and offering strategic considerations to promote sustainable and safe implementation of food 3D printing.
