Scientists 3D print cheesecake

▶ Watch Video: The Sugar Lab prints out some of Los Angeles’ sweetest treats

As 3D printing technology advances, so do the possibilities. The latest innovation is cheesecake. Columbia University’s department of mechanical engineering created a seven-ingredient cake using a 3D printer. They believe printing foods could be a new way to cook and offer many benefits. 

Printing food isn’t as revolutionary as it sounds. Such printers have been used to make organs before, and similar technologies already exist in the food space – like pizza and bread robots, pasta printers and automatic cake decorators, the researchers say in the study, published in the NPJ Science and Food journal. 

The researchers defined printed food as “the controlled deposition of an ingredient; as such, any ingredient that was extruded as a paste (e.g. peanut butter, Nutella, vegetable puree, mustard, ground beef, sausage, chicken nuggets),” and they say many existing processed foods can be considered “printed” by this definition.

To make the 3D-printed peanut-butter-banana cheesecake with cherry drizzle, all ingredients had to be made into paste-like substances.

a The final printed food product (V7). b A cross-sectional cut of the final-printed slice showing internal ingredients. c A 3D model rendering of the final food product. d A cross-sectional view of the cake showing how each of the ingredients are layered. The ingredients used were (1) graham crum cracker paste (2) peanut butter (3) strawberry jam (4) Nutella (5) banana purée (6) cherry drizzle and (7) frosting.

NPJ Science and Food

All the ingredients were purchased from a New York City supermarket. The peanut butter, Nutella and frosting required no extra preparation, while the bananas needed to be mashed with a fork in order to fit through the needle of a syringe. Finally, the graham crackers had to be combined with butter and water to make a paste. 

All seven ingredients were stuffed into the 3D printer, and then printed in layers to form a slice of cheesecake. 

After seven different designs, the researchers found the construction of the print became similar to that of a home with “floors, walls, and ceilings being the foundation (graham cracker) and inner pools (Nutella and peanut butter) holding softer ingredients within (banana and jelly).” 

Researchers believe 3D printing food could allow chefs to control the nutritional content of a meal and allow them to create more customized meals. It reduces the amount of contact between food and people, which could help prevent the spread or food-borne diseases.

Researchers tried seven designs. They concluded that (e), adding graham cracker walls would better support the entire structure and (f), sometimes, the graham crackeder paste could form squiggles due incorrect z height or drying.

NPJ Science and Food

They also see sustainability benefits when printing food. Because ingredients can be easily sourced locally, plant based meals can be made, and the shelf-life of the foods can be extended,

Researchers believe that printing food could help people with digestive problems such as swallowing or other issues by offering new options rather than bland foods. 

Some processed foods have better texture, taste, cleanliness, shelf life, and nutrition. Researchers hope that 3D printing technology will help prevent nutrient loss during food processing. 

Although 3D printers might seem futuristic to some, they’ve been used for years for a wide range of purposes, including the construction of organs and limbs in order to help patients who have needed prosthetics or transplants. 

Engineers at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill created a prosthetic hand for a boy in 2014. In 2019, Researchers at Tel Aviv University created a 3D-printed heart, using a patient’s cells. 

The Sugar Lab in Los Angeles uses 3D printing for candy production. The machines can also be used to help build 3D-printed houses. They lay concrete to create the frame before humans arrive and finish the rest.