Influence of Flour and Fat Type on Dough Rheology and Technological Characteristics of 3D-Printed Cookies

Tulane Virus Persistence and Microbial Stability in 3D Food Ink under Various Storage Conditions: A Pre- and Post-Printing Analysis

3D food printers facilitate novel customization of the physicochemical properties of food. This study aimed to investigate the impact of storage conditions on the inactivation of the human norovirus surrogate, Tulane virus (TuV), within 3D printed foods. TuV-inoculated protein cookie food ink (∽ 4 log PFU/g) was distributed into 18 3D food printer capsules (50 g each); half immediately underwent extrusion. Storage of the capsules and printed food products at 20 °C (0, 6, 12, and 24 h), 4 °C (0, 1, 3, and 5d), and - 18 °C (0, 1, 3, and 5d) was completed before analysis for TuV via plaque assays in addition to aerobic plate count, yeast and mold counts, and pH and water activity (aw) measurements. A significant 3-way interaction effect was observed between time, temperature, and storage method (capsule/print) (p = 0.006). Significant findings include: (1) A greater reduction in virions was observed in capsules after 24 h at 20 °C and (2) a substantial reduction in virions at 4 °C from day 0 to day 1 was observed, independent of storage method. Microbial indicators remained steady across temperatures, with storage temperature significantly impacting pH and aw. A significant two-way interaction effect (p = 0.006) was found between microorganism type (yeast/aerobic counts) and temperature. This research seeks to provide insights for the food industry and regulatory bodies in crafting guidelines for the safe storage and handling of 3D printed foods and inks.

Transfer rates of Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, and a human norovirus surrogate impacted by macronutrient composition of food inks in 3D food printing systems

3D food printers (3DFPs) allow for the customization of the physiochemical properties of foods in new ways. Transfer kinetics of foodborne pathogens between surfaces and food inks have not been evaluated in 3DFPs. This study aimed to determine if the macromolecular composition of food inks would impact the transfer rate of foodborne pathogens from the stainless steel food ink capsule to the 3D printed food. Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, and a human norovirus surrogate, Tulane virus (TuV), were inoculated onto the interior surface of stainless steel food ink capsules and dried for 30 min. Subsequently, 100 g of one of the following prepared food inks was extruded: (1) pure butter, (2) a powdered sugar solution, (3) a protein powder solution, and (4) a 1:1:1 ratio of all three macromolecules. Pathogen enumeration was completed for both the soiled capsules and the printed food products and resulting transfer rates were estimated using a generalized linear model with quasibinomial errors. A significant two-way interaction effect was found between microorganism type and food ink type (P = 0.0002). Tulane virus was typically transferred the most, and no significant differences between L. monocytogenes and S. Typhimurium were observed for any food matrix or across food matrices. Among food matrices, the complex mixture transferred fewer microorganisms in all instances, while butter, protein, and sugar were all statistically indistinguishable. This research seeks to further develop the field of 3DFP safety and to advance the understanding of the role of macromolecular composition in pathogen transfer kinetics, which have not previously been explored in pure matrices.

Nordic Crops as Alternatives to Soy-An Overview of Nutritional, Sensory, and Functional Properties

Soy (Glycine max) is used in a wide range of products and plays a major role in replacing animal-based products. Since the cultivation of soy is limited by cold climates, this review assessed the nutritional, sensory, and functional properties of three alternative cold-tolerant crops (faba bean (Vicia faba), yellow pea (Pisum sativum), and oat (Avena sativa)). Lower protein quality compared with soy and the presence of anti-nutrients are nutritional problems with all three crops, but different methods to adjust for these problems are available. Off-flavors in all pulses, including soy, and in cereals impair the sensory properties of the resulting food products, and few mitigation methods are successful. The functional properties of faba bean, pea, and oat are comparable to those of soy, which makes them usable for 3D printing, gelation, emulsification, and extrusion. Enzymatic treatment, fermentation, and fibrillation can be applied to improve the nutritional value, sensory attributes, and functional properties of all the three crops assessed, making them suitable for replacing soy in a broad range of products, although more research is needed on all attributes.

Bioprocessing of Wheat and Amaranth Bran for the Reduction of Fructan Levels and Application in 3D-Printed Snacks

Bran can enrich snacks with dietary fibre but contains fructans that trigger symptoms in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This study aimed to investigate the bioprocessing of wheat and amaranth bran for degrading fructans and its application (at 20% flour-based) in 3D-printed snacks. Bran was bioprocessed with Saccharomyces cerevisiae alone or combined with inulinase, Kluyveromyces marxianus, Limosilactobacillus fermentum, or commercial starter LV1 for 24 h. Fructans, fructose, glucose, and mannitol in the bran were analysed enzymatically. Dough rheology, snack printing precision, shrinkage in baking, texture, colour, and sensory attributes were determined. The fructan content of wheat bran was 2.64% dry weight, and in amaranth bran, it was 0.96% dry weight. Bioprocessing reduced fructan content (up to 93%) depending on the bran type and bioprocessing agent, while fructose and mannitol remained below the cut-off value for IBS patients. Bran bioprocessing increased the complex viscosity and yield stress of dough (by up to 43 and 183%, respectively) in addition to printing precision (by up to 13%), while it lessened shrinkage in baking (by 20–69%) and the hardness of the snacks (by 20%). The intensity of snack sensory attributes depended on the bran type and bioprocessing agent, but the liking (“neither like nor dislike”) was similar between samples. In conclusion, snacks can be enriched with fibre while remaining low in fructans by applying bioprocessed wheat or amaranth bran and 3D printing.

Regulatory mechanisms governing collagen peptides and their 3D printing application for frozen surimi

Myofibrillar proteins (MPs) are important to the gel formation that occurs in frozen surimi. Importantly, their unique gel-forming ability indicates that surimi may be a promising material for use in 3D printing. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of collagen peptides on the cryoprotection of MPs during freeze-thaw (FT) cycles and the subsequent printability of surimi. The results showed that the collagen peptide had both protective and destructive actions during the tested FT cycles. The addition of 1.0% collagen peptide provided significant cryoprotection to the MPs. This addition effectively maintained the structural stability of MPs while also weakening FT effects on bound water and its mobility. We also assessed the rheological and 3D-printing characteristics of surimi with 1.0% collagen peptide. The rheological results indicated that the surimi with collagen peptides had better characteristics, including shear-thinning behavior, better recovery, and improved mechanical properties. Combined with the actual printing effect, materials with good shear-thinning behavior, high apparent viscosity, and high recovery might be more suitable for 3D printing. Moreover, the high G' contributed to good structural maintenance after printing. Collectively, these results indicated that collagen peptide may serve as a new, low-sugar cryoprotectant for use in surimi. Moreover, that its use would result in a healthier system that has increased stability, precision, and formability with applications in extrusion-based 3D printing. The results of this study provide theoretical reference for the development of new surimi materials with freezing stability and good 3D printing performance. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study confirmed the protective action of 1.0% collagen peptides for surimi and the contribution of it to well printing precision and structure maintenance for 3D printing, providing a firm foundation for the use of collagen peptide as a low-sugar cryoprotectant and developed a new type of surimi as a food material for 3D printing.

Assessing Functionality of Alternative Sweeteners in Rolled “Sugar” Cookies

Sucrose contributes to the key physical and sensory characteristics of cookies. Due to the negative health effects associated with excess sucrose consumption, the replacement of sucrose in baking applications is of interest. In this study, nine variations of rolled cookies were prepared (n = 3) using a sucrose control (C), Splenda for baking (SB), Equal for baking (EB), Truvia (TR), Sweet’N Low (SNL), and 1:1 (wt%) mixtures of sweeteners and sucrose (S). The cookies were characterized by a width-to-thickness (W/T) ratio, moisture loss, color, hardness, and fracturability. The W/T ratios of TR (5.7) and TR + sucrose (6.6) were similar, the closest to C (7.7), and bigger than (p < 0.05) all other treatments. Color was not affected (p > 0.05) by the sugar type or concentration. C showed the greatest hardness (5268 N), and SNL had the greatest fracturability (8667 N). Overall, regarding physiochemical characteristics, TR + sucrose (1:1 replacement) and SB (100% replacement) were the closest to the control.

Effects of Shortening Replacement with Extra Virgin Olive Oil on the Physical–Chemical–Sensory Properties of Italian Cantuccini Biscuits

Olive oil is recognised for its beneficial effects on human health, mainly due to it containing oleic acid (a monounsaturated fatty acid), whereas fats of animal origin or margarine, which are often used in recipes for biscuit production, contain mainly saturated fatty acids. The aim of this study was to evaluate the shelf-life and physicochemical properties of biscuits and of the fats contained in original recipe Italian Cantuccini biscuits (50% cow’s butter and 50% margarine). Additionally, the sensory properties of the biscuits were evaluated, including their colour, appearance, taste, flavour, texture and overall acceptability. At the same time, the fat composition of the original recipe was also modified to contain 30% cow’s butter and 70% extra virgin olive oil, in order to replace an aliquot of the saturated fatty acid content with unsaturated fatty acids, in particular with one monounsaturated fatty acid, oleic acid. Colour (CIELab), water activity, relative humidity, hardness and fracturability analyses were conducted on Cantuccini biscuits. Colour (CIELab), free acidity, spectrophotometric characteristics, DPPH assay and fatty acid methyl ester (FAMEs) analyses were conducted on the fat extracted from Cantuccini biscuits prepared from both the original and modified recipes.

What can biofabrication do for space and what can space do for biofabrication?

Biofabrication in space is one of the novel promising and prospective research directions in the rapidly emerging field of space STEM. There are several advantages of biofabrication in space. Under microgravity, it is possible to engineer constructs using more fluidic channels and thus more biocompatible bioinks. Microgravity enables biofabrication of tissue and organ constructs of more complex geometries, thus facilitating novel scaffold-, label-, and nozzle-free technologies based on multi-levitation principles. However, when exposed to microgravity and cosmic radiation, biofabricated tissues could be used to study pathophysiological phenomena that will be useful on Earth and for deep space manned missions. Here, we provide leading concepts about the potential mutual benefits of the application of biofabrication technologies in space.