Can you imagine eating a 3D printed turkey during Christmas dinner? Or chewing the same pizza at dinner?
This is not as incredible as it might seem at first glance. While the news has largely touted the ability of 3D printers to produce non-food items, they are increasingly being used to create culinary masterpieces.
How 3D printers work
During food production, 3D printers emit a soft liquid edible substance through nozzles that create a new product layer by layer, and are guided by a computer program. Everything from sweets and pastries to cookies, pancakes, pasta, pizza and savory snacks can be created this way.
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Media Reviews
Roundups and industry blogs are very positive about what 3D printing has to offer from products. They covered events such as Michelin-starred chefs who experimented with 3D printers in European restaurants.
The media have also reported on the potential of 3D printing to meet the needs of astronauts, air travelers and people in emergencies.
European nursing homes are offering jelly-textured 3D printed food for those who have trouble chewing and swallowing solid food. Developers of food 3D printers claim that people will soon be able to have these devices in their kitchens, and they will help them prepare delicious and healthy foods at home. The food grade 3D printer was demonstrated in the US at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show.
Alternative sources of protein
But that's not all. There is also a radical idea to use insects and lab-grown meat to prepare 3D printed food as a sustainable alternative to traditional protein sources.
Australia's livestock industry also recently announced that they are looking for ways to use 3D printing to make new meat products to get the most out of animal carcasses.
So, it's not unusual to have a Christmas dinner of 3D printed red meat and poultry dishes, or edible products made from fruit or vegetable puree, sugar, or chocolate.
Do you want to try?
What do you think of 3D printed food? Would you like to try it or suggest it to family members and guests? Despite the enthusiasm of manufacturers and investment in research and development, some scientists have actually asked these questions to consumers.
To explore these issues, a study was conducted with 30 Australians who formed an online focus group. The results point to some interesting complications in the way many people perceive 3D printed products, and what might motivate them to try some of them.
Poll results
First of all, it was discovered that none of the participants had heard of the use of 3D technology for food production. Since 3D printing technologies tend to involve inedible items made from substances such as plastic, gypsum, or metal, it was difficult for participants to understand how they might work with food.
Initially, they were skeptical that this technology could be used for cooking and could not imagine what types of food could be produced. This way of handling food was seen as highly unnatural. Some of the survey participants assumed that the resulting food would somehow "resemble plastic" and, therefore, would be inedible.
In addition, participants were much more positive about the idea of 3D-printed carrots, pasta, pizza, chocolate, and chicken and vegetables (made from "real" mashed potatoes) than sugar, caramel, meat and products made from food waste. and alternative food sources such as algae and insects.
Influence of cultural beliefs about food
Cultural beliefs about which substances are considered tasty and appropriate for human consumption were central to the participants' responses. While substances such as insects and algae met consumer guidelines for natural ingredients, nearly all participants found these products disgusting.
They could not imagine how they could eat them or offer them to others. These materials were classified as inedible according to the cultural norms of the participants, regardless of how they are prepared or processed. Thus, it was not the fact that it was printed on its own that influenced the attitude of the participants in such food, but the ingredients it was made from.
Those participants with ethical concerns about conventionally grown meat loved the idea of 3D printed meat products. But most of the participants believed the process would be like science fiction, especially if it involves the use of laboratory-cultured meat. This ingredient is considered "unnatural".
Safety and Use of Printed Products
The fact that many of the survey participants were unaware of the 3D printing process allowed them to bolster their reservations about the safety of using food materials that would otherwise have been thrown away as waste. They were convinced that there was a risk of food contamination.
For many participants, the usefulness of the products was also an important factor. They had no objection to printed caramel, pizza, or chocolate as potentially edible products. But participants expressed concern that such foods, given their ingredients and how they are prepared, are fast food.
Tips for producers
So, if these results can be generalized and extended to a wider population, it seems that many people are interested in new foods. They will use them if they can be confident in their taste and health safety, and if they understand how these products are processed and what they are made of.
But research shows that manufacturers looking to promote 3D printed food may have some problems. First of all, they may need to educate the public on how the process works and convince consumers that it is safe.
Producers should also emphasize that 3D printed food is delicious, even if it looks fancy or is made with ingredients that are not considered edible by cultural standards. Only then will consumers be able to use 3D printed food such as turkey or pizza for dinner.
Anna Pismenna