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Introduction to Food Printing Technology
CHAPTER MENU
1.1 Introduction
Integrating food personalization with additive manufacturing (AM) has been a notable breakthrough in the culinary industry lately. Implementing AM technologies, such as three-dimensional (3D) printing in the food industry, has greatly expanded the potential for culinary creativity beyond traditional boundaries. AM facilitates the precise fabrication of 3D foods by utilizing digital models, enabling consumers to create attractive shapes and structures of food products that were yet unachievable through conventional food manufacturing techniques. Integrating novel technologies and gastronomy science enables intricate customization of food products, accommodating individual preferences spanning from flavor and consistency to nutritional composition. In contemporary times, food scientists modify specific components at a molecular scale, enabling them to augment food's taste and nutritional composition to cater to individuals' dietary needs and preferences.
Moreover, controlling food texture through 3D printing parameters presents new possibilities for sensory exploration, offering experiences beyond traditional cooking methods' capabilities (D'Souza et al., 2024). Customizing food products to meet specific nutritional requirements can revolutionize dietary practices by offering personalized solutions for health concerns such as allergies, intolerances, and dietary restrictions. Additionally, 3D printing can enhance sustainability in food production by reducing waste and optimizing resources (Chen et al., 2023; Hooi Chuan Wong et al., 2022). Integrating 3D printing with culinary arts represents a substantial shift in our perception and interaction with food beyond basic technological advancements. This chapter examines the evolving environment where innovation and gourmet experiences converge, providing a valuable understanding of the future trajectory of personalizing food through novel manufacturing techniques.
1.2 Advances in Food Customization
Food customization refers to modifying food to conform to a consumer's specific requirements or preferences; it can accommodate a wide range of tastes and nutrition based on dietary requirements. It guarantees contentment and inclusiveness by enabling individuals to customize their dining experience based on their preferences and dietary needs. Customization accommodates diverse dietary preferences as well as limitations (Anandharamakrishnan et al., 2022). Whether an individual follows a vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, or allergy diet, the ability to customize allows restaurants and food services to provide appropriate choices that provide to these requirements. In addition to improving customer satisfaction, this practice fosters inclusivity by enabling all individuals to engage in dining experiences easily. This phenomenon also exemplifies the need for customized experiences in the consumer market. The demand for customized solutions that correspond to consumers' unique preferences and lifestyles is growing sharply.
For instance, customization enables restaurants to distinguish themselves and appeal to a wider range of customers (Hwang et al., 2021). Culinary professionals and food innovators are urged to engage in the exploration of various ingredients, flavors, and cooking methods in order to supply to the varied demands of their customers. This dynamic strategy ensures that menus remain continually updated and captivating, encouraging customers to return and generate positive word-of-mouth recommendations. The essence of food customization lies in its adaptability and ability to address the demands of customers promptly. It not only improves the eating experience by guaranteeing that meals are pleasurable and appropriate but also fosters a more inclusive and customer-focused methodology within the food sector. Consequently, personalization has emerged as a fundamental element of contemporary food service, enhancing customer pleasure and economic performance (Kolb et al., 2014). In recent decades, it has been predominantly utilized to formulate specialized diets for dysphagia patients, astronauts, athletes, parturients, youngsters, military people (Subhasri et al., 2023) and for any other specific job or age requirements.
1.2.1 Customization Approaches
There are diverse approaches encountered to customize foods; conventional approaches, such as the addition of additives, can enhance flavor, color and textures, packaging, and plating modification to attract consumers (Derossi et al., 2020). Alternatively, food structuring techniques have gained prominent focus in food customization. Structuring techniques are gelation, spherification, multidimensional food printing, micronization, encapsulation, texturization, and sous-vide cooking (Figure 1.1). A concise summary of these processes is presented below:
