Defects in 3D/4D food printing and their possible solutions: A comprehensive review

Abstract

Abstract3D food printing has recently attracted significant attention, both from academic and industrial researchers, due to its ability to manufacture customized products in such terms as size, shape, texture, color, and nutrition to meet demands of individual consumers. 4D printing, which is a technique that allows evolution of various characteristics/properties of 3D printed objects over time through external stimulation, has also been gaining more attention. In order to produce defect‐free printed objects via both 3D and 4D printing, it is necessary to first identify the causes of defects and then their mitigation strategies. Comprehensive review on these important issues is nevertheless missing. The purpose of this review is to investigate causes and characteristics of defects occurring during and/or after 3D food printing, with a focus on how different factors affect the printing accuracy. Various techniques that can potentially minimize or eliminate printing defects and produce high‐quality 3D/4D printed food products without the need for time‐consuming trial and error printing experiments are critically discussed. Guidelines to avoid defects to improve the efficiency of future 3D/4D printed food production are given.

From bytes to bites: Advancing the food industry with three‐dimensional food printing

“…One of the main issues is that the formulation and optimization of printable food materials require extensive experimentation and trial and error (Phuhongsung et al., 2022). Different ingredients have unique physicochemical properties, such as viscosity, flow characteristics, and solidification behavior, which directly affect the printability and final quality of the printed food (Ahmadzadeh, Lenie, et al., 2023).…”

“…Moreover, these differences do not account for deformations during cooking. This iterative process of recipe development and optimization can be time consuming and costly, adding to the overall challenges of implementation (Phuhongsung et al., 2022). For instance, this difference across food materials may not be compatible in the same environment.…”

The potential of future foods for a sustainable future

“…The global population growth has led to an increasing demand for food. Food 3D printing technology can use new or infrequently used raw materials for food printing, resulting in customized health and nutrition rather than traditional food (Phuhongsung et al, 2022). For instance, use nontraditional food ingredients such as insects, algae, fungi, and nutrients derived from by‐products of agricultural and food processing to broaden the sources of existing food ingredients.…”

Rheology as a Tool for Fine-Tuning the Properties of Printable Bioinspired Gels

“…There are many studies evaluating the performances of different bioinks—a mixture of cells and biomaterials—and many attempts to improve printability. Various materials were investigated as bioinks and they are presented in comprehensive reviews (see for example [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 11 , 12 , 14 , 138 ]). Suitable 3D inks were obtained using polysaccharides and proteins [ 139 , 140 , 141 , 142 ], methacrylic polymers, vinyl derivatives, and glycols [ 44 , 143 , 144 , 145 ], and ceramics or cement [ 6 , 39 , 95 , 146 , 147 , 148 ].…”