Is 3D-printed food the future of the culinary world?

GlobalData’s latest report estimates that the 3D printing market will be worth $70.8bn by 2030. Credit: foto_diego / Shutterstock.

Chocolate, sugar, and pasta are just some of the ingredients that can currently be 3D printed to create edible food products. After years of development, 3D printing’s ability to quickly produce complex, lightweight, and robust structures has provided the culinary world with yet another creative tool.

What is 3D-printed food?

Additive manufacturing (AM), more commonly known as 3D printing, refers to the process of joining materials to make three-dimensional objects, usually layer-by-layer. Fused deposition modelling (FDM) is the simplest, cheapest, and most popular AM technology and is by far the most common process for 3D-printed food. It is an extrusion-based 3D printing method where the material is melted and selectively dispensed through a nozzle, much like an automated version of a hot glue gun. After a layer is completed, the print head moves up (or the build platform moves down), and the next layer is extruded and adhered to the previous layer.

3D-printed food is still a relatively small niche sector. However, the technology has been around for a while. In 2006, a team at Cornell University built the first 3D food printer, the Fab@Home, and began creating chocolate and cheese designs. 3D food printers do not cook the food. Instead, the chocolate or cheese is piped in a liquid or paste form and then hardens as the piece is constructed. The CocEdge Choc Creator and the byFlow Focus for chocolate creations are just some of the 3D food printers commercially available, with a starting price of $2,000.

Beyond chocolate and cheese, chefs and researchers have started using other materials. In 2014, pasta-maker Barilla organised a contest to choose the best 3D model design for a new Barilla pasta. Designers from 20 different countries submitted 216 pasta proposals, with the winning design sold by Barilla as a new product.

3D-printed alternative meat

More recently, 3D-printing technologies have been adopted to elevate vegetarian and vegan offerings. Redefine Meat, an Israel-based alternative meat producer, is utilizing 3D printing to create a series of alternative beef, lamb, and pork products. The products are 100% plant-based using a mix of soy, pea protein, chickpeas, and other legumes. The company claims that 3D printing replicates the muscle structure of animal flesh, therefore, providing the texture and flavour of ‘real’ meat. In January 2022, the company received a $135m investment to expand its production lines in Israel and The Netherlands. Other start-ups, such as Mooji Meats, are also investing in 3D printing technology to create alternative meat products and compete with industry giants Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat.

The food of the future?

GlobalData’s latest report estimates that the 3D printing market will be worth $70.8bn by 2030, having grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18% between 2021 and 2030. Will this translate to the culinary world? It is unlikely. Although the technology is growing in popularity, 3D-printed foods will remain relatively uncommon. It is a costly and resource-intensive process not suitable for large-scale food production. The printers are not sophisticated and require around-the-clock assistance from an experienced user. Automation will eventually help reduce operational costs which, in turn, will increase its adoption. In the meantime, 3D-printed food will remain a novelty product used f

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