3D Printed Food: The Future of Food? – Alvaro Ciccia Rodriguez, Whitgift School

3D Printed food is a form of 3D printing that has been recently delved into because it allows manufacturers to change the colour, texture, nutrients, and flavour of the food to whatever they wish. This means that 3D printed food not only interests gourmet or artistic chefs because it allows them to create food with intricate designs whilst maintaining a delicious flavour, but it can also be used to improve our health/ day to day lives. For example, there are existing food companies that specialise in printing 3D food that has a soft texture which allows people who might have trouble chewing to eat food that still tastes good. In addition, 3D food printing can use synthetic animal proteins to create meat that has no need for animal farming. This could mean that instead of clearing more and more forests to make space for cattle farms to produce meat we could use 3D food printers to make that meat which then has a positive impact on the environment.

On the other hand, 3D printed food has some negatives to it as well. 3D printed food has a limited shelf life which means that it must be consumed over a short period of time. The 3D printed food could cause food poisoning if any toxic particles in the air or bacteria enter the 3D printers. This is why you should always 3D print food in a well-ventilated room. In addition, the process for 3D printing food is very slow for mass production, and it takes even longer the more complex the design of the food is. In order to try 3D foods whilst minimising any risks such as food poisoning, I would recommend visiting a restaurant that has expertise in 3D printing food so that you can ensure your safety.

Overall, 3D printed food has some benefits but also some negatives to it because it is still a relatively new area that hasn’t been fully explored yet. Whether or not 3D printed food could replace traditional forms of cooking in the future cannot be decided yet, as only time will tell as more technological advancements concerning 3D food printing take place.