3D-printed cereal foods

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is an up-and-coming production technology based on layer-by-layer deposition of material to reproduce a computer-generated 3D design. Additive manufacturing is a collective term used for a variety of technologies, such as fused deposition modeling (FDM), inkjet printing (IJP), powder bed printing (PBP), and selective laser sintering (SLS). Owing to the unique opportunities it provides for flexible manufacturing of items based on digital designs, 3D printing has found many applications in a variety of industries, including automotive, aerospace, medical, pharma, and dental and, more recently, food production. 3D printing technology enables the creation of interesting new shapes and offers new opportunities to create food products with greater freedom in composition, structure, texture, and taste. Mechanical properties such as fracture behavior can be designed by controlling food structure at various length scales independently. Innovative food textures, e.g., dynamic breakdown of composite materials or anisotropic textures, can be created. Taste perception and sensory sensations can be modulated using precise local deposition of material to control the spatial arrangements of foods. Moreover, 3D printing can be considered a disruptive technology that offers new business opportunities for the food industry and new value chains, consumer experiences, and possibilities for consumer interactions.