A “cutting-edge” AI-assisted 3D food printing solution developed by researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) aims to redefine how food is personalized, prepared, and consumed. 

As plant-based lifestyles and clean label trends become increasingly mainstream, HKUST’s technology combines AI with infrared cooking to maintain freshness while enabling precise and cleaner nutrition.

“Our on-demand 3D food printing system creates food ink from fresh materials, including plant-based proteins. With our nano heating technology, we reduce additives while maintaining the final printed food quality and shape, and minimize bacteria through rapid cooking functions,” the research team, led by Mitch Li Guijun, assistant professor of Integrative Systems and Design, tells Food Ingredients First.

A unique feature is the system’s integrated “real-time” cooking functionality, which allows food, including intricate starch-based foods, to be printed and cooked simultaneously. The online process prevents exposure to air and contamination risks, offering “key improvements” for food safety over conventional 3D food printing, which involves post-processing steps.

“The real-time cooking feature emits high temperatures to inhibit bacterial growth, and we can customize cooking paths and areas based on each food’s unique profile, enhancing safety and quality.”

Therapeutic nutrition and commercial scale

The platform shows promise across various textures and ingredient bases, especially those aligned with healthier food trends. The team says that starch-based foods like cookies and batters are strong candidates in a process that produces baking-like performance with significantly lower energy consumption.

“The method provides a crispy texture based on cooking parameters. We have also tested with healthier ingredients such as sweet purple potato ink, pumpkin ink, vegetable ink, and proteins, optimizing the cooking process for these materials.”

HKUST’s system also addresses a growing need for therapeutic nutrition, especially for people with swallowing difficulties and other health conditions requiring specifically adapted meals.

“By focusing on soft meals with precise nutrition and appealing shapes, we enhance the dining experience for patients with swallowing difficulties. Our AI-driven approach facilitates creating visually appealing and aromatic food, beneficial for individuals with specific dietary requirements, including children with selecive eating habits.”

As the world’s population ages and “food as medicine” gathers steam, scaling customized F&B can be challenging even though market reports project exponential growth for the sector in the coming years.

The research team is gearing for the 3D food printing system to be deployed in commercial settings and busy kitchens in elderly care homes and restaurant central kitchens by the end of this year with support from governmental organizations and NGOs.

“The designed system will be scaled to cater to production capacity by introducing multiple print heads printing platforms with certified food-safe machinery. We are in collaboration with chefs, dietitians, and speech therapists to introduce innovative menu items and soft meals for dysphagia patients.”

The scientists plan to further develop the technology by examining the preservation of heat-sensitive vitamins and improving starch digestibility.

Refining the food waste narrative

Another potential use case for the enhanced 3D printing tech in an urban setting is enabling cities to crack down on food waste “significantly.”

Food Ingredients First unpacked the barriers to the adoption of upcycled food earlier this week with experts from EIT Food, who noted that consumers associate repurposed ingredients with low-cost inputs, while popular narratives in the food waste space, such as “wonky vegetables,” can also reinforce the idea that imperfect produce is lower in value.

However, new research has posited that 3D food printing can help drive acceptance of food waste (such as discarded jackfruit seeds) as edible food by developing new products that are familiar in taste and possibly “beautiful” in form.

HKUST researchers share how this is reflected in their food solutions: “By producing food on demand and accommodating specific dietary requirements like sugar levels, saltiness, precise macronutrient compositions, and textures for diverse populations, we minimize excess production and promote sustainability in food consumption practices.”