Feb 28, 2017 | By Tess

Italian 3D printing company WASP, perhaps best known for its large-scale BigDelta 3D printer, has announced it will be expanding its 3D printing technology into a new field: food 3D printing. More specifically, gluten-free food 3D printing. The initiative is being undertaken in collaboration with chef Francesco Favorito, who specializes in creating pastry mixtures for those with food intolerances.

Anyone who suffers from celiac disease, or even knows someone who does, will have a grasp on how serious the condition can be. Beyond the gluten-free fad diet that has increased in popularity over recent years, celiac is an actual disease that makes it extremely difficult for its sufferers to digest gluten, even in trace amounts. For this reason, people with celiac often have to rid their kitchens entirely of glutenous ingredients, such as flour.

That’s where WASP is hoping to make a difference. By developing a specifically gluten-free 3D printing system, the Italian company is aiming to offer a “portable separate kitchen-corner” that will make it easier to integrate a gluten-free work space into a traditional kitchen.

WASP’s first gluten-free 3D food printer was first made public in late January 2017 at Sigep Rimini 2017, a dessert and sweet trade show, says the company. At the event, the 3D printer—a modified DeltaWASP 20 40 with a screw-extruder heated to 70-80 degrees Celsius—was printing a number of tasty, gluten-free edibles made from a pastry mixture. This gluten-free pastry mixture was specially made for the 3D printer by Francesco Favorito.

According to WASP, by heating the printer’s extruder to between 70 and 80 degrees Celsius, the pastry mixture was pre-cooked as it was extruded, giving it some rigidity. Once printed, the pastry was then cooked in an oven until ready. Understandably, the presentation at Sigep Rimini drew a lot of attention.

Since then, WASP has continued to improve on its food 3D printer and its edible materials. For instance, since testing the technology at Sigep, WASP has learned that adding heated butter to the pastry mixture “helps fluidity and improves the exit from the nozzle.”

More recently, another demonstration of the innovative gluten-free 3D printer took place at Carnival in Opificio Golinelli, where architect and food innovator Francesco Bombardi was present. Bombardi, who founded FabLab Reggio Emilia, is also known as the creator of OffiCucina, an innovation space that combines culinary tools with 3D printers, lasers, sensors, and more.

Food 3D printing , which has grown in popularity and in scope over recent years, offers some specific benefits in the kitchen. From a creative perspective, food 3D printing can open up the possibilities of what shapes, compositions, and forms can be made using edible ingredients. Additionally, and as WASP points out, food 3D printing can help consumers comply more strictly with portion sizes thanks to its on-demand manufacturing. That is, the technology could be used to extrude edibles in specific calorific portions, ultimately reducing waste.

For those whose interest is piqued by WASP’s gluten-free food 3D printing technology, there is no word on when the tech might become commercially available. So far, all the company has said is that they are continuing their research and development of the 3D printer, and must ensure that their extruder complies with sanitary regulations. They have also hinted at the development of a specific software interface for the food 3D printer.

Posted in 3D Printer

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