3-D food printers
and healthy diet
Scientists from Ewha Woman’s University (South Korea) created a 3-D food printer that
produces food with a specific substance of nutrients and in-advance defined flavoring
properties. Jin-Gu Lee, author of the development, presented his invention at the annual
meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in San Diego on
24 April 2018.
South Korean scientists from Ewha Woman’s University
developed a 3-D printer that turns powdery ingredients
into full-value food products with a specific substance of
nutrients and in-advance defined flavoring properties.
The main nutrients (for example, carbohydrates and
proteins) are chopped into powder at -100 °C. Then
it is heated and turned into porous membrane (skin).
Afterwards a 3-dimensional product is created out of
several membrane layers. The uniqueness of this invention
is that you can get a food product enriched with nutrients
in necessary proportion simply by combining membranes
with various content of proteins, carbohydrates,
microelements and vitamins. Moreover, there is room to
experiment with flavour palette of the products, blending
powdery pear and apple as an example.
“We think that one day any person can purchase cartridges
that contain powdery analogues for various ingredients
that we can ‘put together’ with the help of 3-D printing
and ‘cook a meal’ in accordance with individual needs and
preferences”, -announced Mr Jin-Gu Lee, this invention’s
creator and researcher from the Ewha University.
As per the developers this new technology will
significantly decrease the quantity of food waste
and financial costs for storage and transportation of
products. According to scientists their invention might
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world monitor
also help to satisfy the need of the growing population in
food. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations, the Earth’s population will increase
from the current 7.6 billion people up to 9.8 billion people
in 2050, and will then reach 11.2 billion in 2100.
“If a family provides itself with 3-D printer it might
not be afraid of hunger. We are just in the beginning of
this journey. We keep on optimizing our development to
create individual food products that are stored longer
than the regular ones”, outlined Mr Jin-Gu Lee.
The first ever 3-D food printers appeared in 2015
and could cook a very simple food. One such device
(machines) works at FoodInk 3-D restaurant that
opened in London in 2016. Everything, from products to
furniture and cutlery, in this place is created on the 3-D
printer. The restaurant offers its visitors nine meals on
menu. The used 3-D printer at this restaurant is usual.
Paste made of edible ingredients, for example cottage
cheese and chocolate mousse, plays the role of ink.
According to some nutritionists this development
by Korean scientists will help people to maintain a
healthy diet. However, the experts emphasize that
‘self-treatment’ with the help of 3-D printer is not
recommended. It is better to see the medical specialist
anyways.