Three‐dimensional printing and its application to legume proteins: A review

Abstract

Additive manufacturing, or three-dimensional printing (3DP) technology, has been recently explored in every field of science and technology for its unique features and ease of operation. 3DP technology has a wide range of applications in the food industry. The technology has enormous potential for the development of functional foods, for food and drug delivery, and for people with special needs, including dysphagia patients. This review envisages the recent interest in plant proteins and the development of food products using additive manufacturing (3DP), which is an exciting opportunity for the food industry and legume producers. The development of the formulation prior to printing requires a thorough rheological characterization for the smooth operation of the printer and fidelity. The steady flow properties and viscoelasticity of legume proteins, as well as their role in 3DP, are elucidated. Finally, this review provides insights into the current state of legume protein-based 3DP and food product development.

Rheology of liquid foods under shear flow conditions: Recently used models

“…An example of application is in modern technologies, such as additive manufacturing or three‐dimensional printing, where regardless of the operating principle (extrusion, inkjet, binder jetting, selective sintering), the product is influenced by the high or low viscosity of bioinks (Le‐Bail et al, 2020). The importance of rheology in bioink formulation was pointed out for legume proteins application (Chakraborty et al, 2022). Thixotropic (Mirazimi et al, 2022; Prithviraj et al, 2022) or shear‐ thinning behavior (Cheng et al, 2023; Outrequin et al, 2023) is necessary to facilitate ink flow through the printing die.…”