| Abstract Scope |
Three-dimensional food printing is well-suited for producing foods with desired textural properties for consumers. However, it is difficult to fabricate desirable foods that print accurately and are nutritious. Here, we conduct texture measurements of designed food inks to determine printability and consumer appeal. Food ingredients include soy protein powder, strawberry powder, and cream cheese powder. The texture of food inks, specifically the firmness, was measured by compression testing, and resulted in firmness measurements of 206 g, 99 g, and 53 g, respectively. Strawberry and soy did not print accurately, but when combined homogenously in a 50 % / 50 % mixture, printing accuracy was improved while firmness reduced to 40 g. Consumer assessment experiments revealed that participants rated foods printed with the highest fidelity as the most desirable, which motivates the design of food inks to improve appeal through texture and printability modulation to support future delivery of personalized foods. |