3D food printing at industrial scale almost a reality

Gastronology has started construction of a production site for 3D food printing on an industrial scale in collaboration with Budelfood, part of the Budelpack Group. 

Construction of the dedicated '3D food print' production site in Poortvliet started in December 2022 and is expected to be completed by the end of April 2023. The production process will consist of five steps: processing (puree production), 3D food printing on an industrial scale in a conditioned room of up to 6 degrees Celsius, a shock-freeze process, packaging in a similarly conditioned room and frozen storage (-20 degrees Celsius).

The vegetables for the food creams are supplied by wholesalers and processed into a recipe containing an average of 95% fresh, natural ingredients. The rest of the recipe consists of a balanced mix of flavourings, natural colourings and binders.

Food safety

At all steps of the process, food safety is guaranteed by equipping the plant with a Clean-In-Place system (CIP). The internally developed prototype of the 3D industrial food printer was completed in mid-2022 and has since gone through several test cycles to be further refined. According to the current schedule, the production line could be operational just before summer 2023.

This development will allow the food industry to operate more efficiently and sustainably. 3D food printing technology also makes it possible to produce personalised meals that meet the specific needs of individual consumers. This could come in handy, for example, when producing food for people with certain allergies or dietary requirements, or those with chewing and swallowing difficulties.

Gastronology.com