Advances in the Potential Application of 3D Food Printing to Enhance Elderly Nutritional Dietary Intake

3D bioprinting: Advancing the future of food production layer by layer

3D bioprinting is an advanced manufacturing technique that involves the precise layer-by-layer deposition of biomaterials, such as cells, growth factors, and biomimetic scaffolds, to create three-dimensional living structures. It essentially combines the complexity of biology with the principles of 3D printing, making it possible to fabricate complex biological structures with extreme control and accuracy. This review discusses how 3D bioprinting is developing as an essential step in the creation of alternative food such as cultured meat and seafood. In light of the growing global issues associated with food sustainability and the ethical challenges raised by conventional animal agriculture, 3D bioprinting is emerging as a key technology that will transform food production in the years to come. This paper also addresses in detail each of the components that make up bioprinting systems, such as the bioinks and scaffolds used, the various types of bioprinter models, and the software systems that control the production process. It offers a thorough examination of the processes involved in printing diverse food items using bioprinting. Beyond the scope of this conversation, 3D bioprinting, which provides superior precision and scalability in tissue engineering, is a crucial node in the broader system of cultured meat and seafood production. But like any emerging technology, 3D bioprinting has its limitations. In light of this, this study emphasizes the necessity of ongoing research and development to advance bioprinting towards widespread use and, ultimately, promote a more resilient, ethical, and sustainable food supply system.

Improved the quality of dietary for older with dysphagia by κ-carrageenan/inulin: Textural, rheological, oral process and 3D printing properties

Many countries have aging populations, which continue to grow. Compound diets based on the nutritional needs of older adults were prepared using mixed grain rice and cooked surimi. The textural, rheological, and 3D-printing properties were regulated through the synergy between carrageenan (CG) and inulin (IN) (The total addition of CG and IN is 1.5 % (w/w) and the ratio between CG and IN was 3/1, 1/1, 1/3(w/w)). The results show that all compound diets have shear thinning behavior, and the apparent viscosity, support properties, and recovery rate increased with increased CG/IN. The compound diets with a 3/1 CG/IN ratio had the best shear recovery rate (80.95 %). Compared with the control group, adding CG/IN increased the yield stress and extrusion force of the compound diets, which decreased with the increased IN ratio. The combination of CG and IN in compound diets could facilitate easier chewing and safer swallowing. When the CG/IN ratio was 3/1or 1/1, the compound diets had the best 3D-printing properties, those which have the highest degree of similarity to the example design graphic and the most pronounced line texture. When the CG and IN were added, the hardness, springiness, and chewiness of the compound diets were enhanced, and the microstructure became denser and more regular. The compound diets are suitable for people with dysphagia and can be classified into levels 5-6 in the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative framework.

Recent advances in 3D food printing: Therapeutic implications, opportunities, potential applications, and challenges in the food industry

3D food printing (3DFP) offers a transformative approach in the food industry, diverging from traditional manufacturing techniques. The integration of food science and nutrition with 3DFP is pioneering personalized, eco-friendly, and nutrient-rich food options, overcoming limitations of traditional manufacturing methods. For the past 10 years, we have been strongly focused on creating innovative, efficient, and functional food products while allowing customization of food based on preferences for nutrition, flavor, texture, mouthfeel, and appearance. Beyond customization, 3DFP demonstrates promise in addressing pressing global challenges including food security, famine, and malnutrition by facilitating the production of fortified, shelf-stable food products suitable for resource- constrained environments. This comprehensive review explores the intersection of 3DFP with food constituents, emphasizing its potential in enhancing customization, sustainability, food safety, and shelf-life extension. Additionally, it discusses the therapeutic potential of 3D printed foods for various diseases, including gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders, and food allergies. Moreover, the review examines potential food applications of 3DFP, such as in space food, food packaging, dairy industry, fruit and vegetable processing, and cereal-based foods. The review also addresses key challenges associated with 3DFP and underscores the importance of four-dimensional food printing (4DFP).

Progress in three-dimensional (3D) printed foods for dysphagia patients: Food sources, processing techniques, printability, nutrition, acceptability, and safety aspects

Dysphagia is a deglutition difficulty that is more prevalent among the elderly population. This review focused on progress in the development of 3D-printed foods (3DPFs) for dysphagia patients, specifically, on the type of food sources used, processing techniques involved, and the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) category, nutrition, acceptability, and safety aspects. Due to the unappetizing nature of typical dysphagia meals, 3D food printing (3DFP) is regarded as a promising technology for developing nutritious and appetizing meals for dysphagia patients. The addition of hydrocolloids such as gums, starches, gelatin, and others, during pre-processing, has enabled the use of non-printable food sources that are rich in nutrients and health benefits such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereals, and roots in the development of dysphagia-orientated 3DPFs, along with various processing methods such size reduction operations, mixing techniques, and thermal processes. Together, these processes can enhance printability, IDDSI compliance, and the structural stability of non-printable food materials in the development of 3D-printed dysphagia-orientated diets. However, the acceptability of these meals among dysphagia patients needs to be thoroughly investigated to validate the role of 3DFP for nutrition personalization, and improved acceptance. The food safety risks associated with this technology challenge its practicality as an effective dysphagia management strategy, but through the establishment of regulations, such risks can be mitigated. Collaboration among dysphagia professionals in hospitals and food scientists and technologists is necessary to foster the integration of different expertise for dysphagia management.

Advances in 3D and 4D Printing of Gel-Based Foods: Mechanisms, Applications, and Future Directions

This review examines recent advancements in gel-based 3D and 4D food-printing technologies, with a focus on their applications in personalized nutrition and functional foods. It emphasizes the critical role of tunable rheological and mechanical properties in gels such as starch, protein, and Pickering emulsions, which are essential for successful printing. The review further explores 4D food printing, highlighting stimuli-responsive mechanisms, including color changes and deformation induced by external factors like temperature and pH. These innovations enhance both the sensory and functional properties of printed foods, advancing opportunities for personalization. Key findings from recent studies are presented, demonstrating the potential of various gels to address dietary challenges, such as dysphagia, and to enable precise nutritional customization. The review integrates cutting-edge research, identifies emerging trends and challenges, and underscores the pivotal role of gel-based materials in producing high-quality 3D-printed foods. Additionally, it highlights the potential of Pickering emulsions and lipid gels for expanding functionality and structural diversity. Overall, this work provides a comprehensive foundation for advancing future research and practical applications in gel-based 3D and 4D food printing.

Natural biopolymers in edible coatings: Applications in food preservation

Edible coatings are revolutionizing food preservation by offering a sustainable and effective solution to key industry challenges. Made from natural biopolymers such as proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids, these coatings form a thin, edible layer on food surfaces. This barrier reduces moisture loss, protects against oxidative damage, and limits microbial growth, thereby extending shelf life while preserving food quality. Enhanced with natural additives like essential oils and antioxidants, these coatings offer antimicrobial benefits and contribute to health. Applications span from fresh produce, where they control respiration and moisture, to meat, dairy, and bakery products, maintaining sensory and nutritional properties. Innovations in coating technologies-such as composite materials, nano-emulsions, and bio-nanocomposites-are improving their mechanical strength, barrier properties, and compatibility with other preservation methods like modified atmosphere packaging. Although challenges remain in cost, consumer acceptance, and regulation, edible coatings represent a significant stride towards sustainable food systems and reduced dependence on synthetic packaging.

Potential of 3D printing in development of foods for special medical purpose: A review

Nutritional management has emerged as an effective strategy to mitigate the risks of malnutrition and disease-related mortality among patients. The emergence of novel food types, particularly foods for special medical purposes (FSMPs), has garnered increasing attention from researchers and businesses. 3D printing (3DP) technology, alternatively known as food additive manufacturing, has gained popularity among novel food developers due to its distinct capabilities in tailoring nutrition, appearance, texture, and enhancing overall edible quality. This review examines current market trends, product forms, and unique characteristics of FSMPs, highlighting the progress made in applying 3DP to the development of functional foods and drugs. Despite its potential medical benefits, there are limited instances of direct utilization of 3DP in the production of such specialized food type. Currently, the FSMP market faces several challenges, including limited product diversity, inadequate formula design, and a lack of product appeal. 3DP offers significant advantages in catering to the unique needs of special patients, encompassing both physiological medical benefits and enhanced sensory as well as psychological eating experiences. It holds great promise in promoting precision medicine and personalized home-based FSMPs preparations. This review will delve into the development strategies and feasibility of 3DP in creating specialized medical food for patients with unique conditions and across different age groups. Additionally, it explores the potential challenges of applying 3DP to the FSMP sector, such as regulatory frameworks, patient acceptance, cost of 3D-printed FSMPs, and the improvement of 3DP.

Pathways in formulating foods for the elderly

The growth of the elderly population worldwide is posing significant challenges to human society. The progressive physical and physiological changes occur with aging, including decreased appetite, incomplete digestion, and reduced absorption of nutrients. A common feature of many elderly people's diets is a deficiency in proteins (especially easily digestible ones) and micronutrients (e.g., vitamins, zinc, iron, and calcium). One of the solutions to this problem is the incorporation of these components into suitably texture-modified foods. There is a dearth of products that meet the needs of the elderly with special medical/health conditions such as dysphagia, osteoporosis, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, as well as those who are in hospital and palliative care. Future research and development of foods for the elderly must address specific dietary needs of different subgroups of elderly people with underlying health conditions. The existence of different physical and physiological stages of the elderly means that their specific dietary requirements must be considered. This review summarizes current knowledge on nutritional requirements including those with underlying health problems and outlines the research and innovation pathways for developing new foods considering nutrition, texture, flavor, and other sensory aspects.

Protein-stabilized Pickering emulsion interacting with inulin, xanthan gum and chitosan: Rheological behavior and 3D printing

Physical stability and lipid digestion of protein-stabilized Pickering emulsions interacting with polysaccharides have been emphasized in our previous investigation. However, the polysaccharide coating and micelle protection of protein-based stable Pickering emulsion and its three-dimensional (3D) printing properties have not been thoroughly studied. The rheological properties and 3D printing properties of gelatin-catechin nanoparticles (GCNPs) stabilized Pickering emulsion were studied by using different charged polysaccharides, such as inulin (neutral), Xanthan gum (XG, anion), and chitosan (cation) as stable materials. The microstructure analysis of polysaccharide-stabilized Pickering emulsion (PSPE) showed that the order of pore wall thickness was GC-Chitosan > GC-XG > GC-Inulin. The network structure of GC-Chitosan was thickened, allowing the 3D printed product to have a good surface texture and adequate support. Rheological analysis showed that PSPEs in extrusion (shear thinning), self-support (rigid structure), and recovery (the outstanding thixotropy) of the three stages exhibited good potential of 3D printing. 3D printing results also showed that GC-Chitosan had the best printing performance. Therefore, polysaccharide-stabilized Pickering emulsions can provide a basis for the development of 3D printed food products.

A review of high internal phase Pickering emulsions: Stabilization, rheology, and 3D printing application

High internal phase Pickering emulsion (HIPPE) is renowned for its exceptionally high-volume fraction of internal phase, leading to flocculated yet deformed emulsion droplets and unique rheological behaviors such as shear-thinning property, viscoelasticity, and thixotropic recovery. Alongside the inherent features of regular emulsion systems, such as large interfacial area and well-mixture of two immiscible liquids, the HIPPEs have been emerging as building blocks to construct three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds with customized structures and programmable functions using an extrusion-based 3D printing technique, making 3D-printed HIPPE-based scaffolds attract widespread interest from various fields such as food science, biotechnology, environmental science, and energy transfer. Herein, the recent advances in preparing suitable HIPPEs as 3D printing inks for various applied fields are reviewed. This work begins with the stabilization mechanism of HIPPEs, followed by introducing the origin of their distinctive rheological behaviors and strategies to adjust the rheological behaviors to prepare more eligible HIPPEs as printing inks. Then, the compatibility between extrusion-based 3D printing and HIPPEs as building blocks was discussed, followed by a summary of the potential applications using 3D-printed HIPPE-based scaffolds. Finally, limitations and future perspectives on preparing HIPPE-based materials using extrusion-based 3D printing were presented.

Recent advances in 3D printing properties of natural food gels: Application of innovative food additives

Recent advances in 3D printing technology have provided a new avenue for food manufacturing. However, one challenge in 3D printing food is the limited availability of printable materials that can mimic the properties of real food. This review focused on the various 3DFP methodologies, as well as the reinforcement of natural food gel for improving printing features in 3D printed food. Also covered is the use of hydrogel-based 3D printing in the development of 3D printed food. Different 3D printing techniques can be employed to print hydrogel-based inks, each with its advantages and limitations. 3D printing of food using hydrogel-based inks has potential for customized food products development. In summary, the utilization of hydrogel-based inks in 3D printing offers a promising avenue for the development of customized food products. Although there are still challenges to overcome, such as improving the printability and mechanical properties of hydrogel-based inks, the potential benefits of this technology make it an exciting area of research.

Printability of Nixtamalized Corn Dough during Screw-Based Three-Dimensional Food Printing

This study aimed to analyze the printability of corn-based dough during screw-based three-dimensional (3D) food printing (3DFP) by relating its rheological and mechanical properties to its screw-based 3DFP performance, with the objective of providing insights into the utilization of corn-based dough to produce 3D-printed foods. Screw-based 3DFP was performed using seven corn-based doughs with different nixtamalized corn flour (NCF) and water contents. Afterward, their rheological and mechanical properties were analyzed and associated with their screw-based 3DFP performance. The results showed that stable printability was obtained within a specific range of NCF content in the dough (30-32.5 wt%). Below this range, the 3D-printed foods flattened, while above it, the extrudability of the dough was affected. The printability of the dough was influenced by different rheological and mechanical properties, depending on the stage of the screw-based 3DFP process. During the extrusion stage, the loss tangent at nozzle strain, yield stress, apparent viscosity, and adhesiveness mainly affected the extrudability of the dough. In contrast, the loss tangent at minimum strain, elastic modulus, Young's modulus, and hardness influenced the self-supporting stage. Therefore, it is important to find a balance between all of these properties, where stable extrudability and self-supporting of the 3D structure are achieved.

Food Processing and Nutrition Strategies for Improving the Health of Elderly People with Dysphagia: A Review of Recent Developments

Dysphagia, or swallowing difficulty, is a common morbidity affecting 10% to 33% of the elderly population. Individuals with dysphagia can experience appetite, reduction, weight loss, and malnutrition as well as even aspiration, dehydration, and long-term healthcare issues. However, current therapies to treat dysphagia can routinely cause discomfort and pain to patients. To prevent these risks, a non-traumatic and effective treatment of diet modification for safe chewing and swallowing is urgently needed for the elderly. This review mainly summarizes the chewing and swallowing changes in the elderly, as well as important risk factors and potential consequences of dysphagia. In addition, three texture-modified food processing strategies to prepare special foods for the aged, as well as the current statuses and future trends of such foods, are discussed. Nonthermal food technologies, gelation, and 3D printing techniques have been developed to prepare soft, moist, and palatable texture-modified foods for chewing and swallowing safety in elderly individuals. In addition, flavor enhancement and nutrition enrichment are also considered to compensate for the loss of sensory experience and nutrients. Given the trend of population aging, multidisciplinary cooperation for dysphagia management should be a top priority.