3D Printed Food is The Way of The Future !

[TechFan@ic]

NASA has already invested $125 thousand in a 3D printer that would be used by astronauts in zero gravity to make pizza & is expecting a prototype in 6 months apparently.

 

But Ajan Contractor, the brilliant mechanical engineer with a background in 3D printing behind this, envisions a much more mundane and ultimately more important use for the technology. He sees a day when every kitchen has a 3D printer, and the earth’s 12 billion people feed themselves customized, nutritionally-appropriate meals synthesized one layer at a time, from cartridges of powder and oils they buy at the corner grocery store. Contractor’s vision would mean the end of food waste, because the powder his system will use is shelf-stable for up to 30 years, so that each cartridge, whether it contains sugars, complex carbohydrates, protein or some other basic building block, would be fully exhausted before being returned to the store.

 

Contractor says :

Long distance space travel requires 15-plus years of shelf life. The way we are working on it is, all the carbs, proteins and macro and micro nutrients are in powder form. We take moisture out, and in that form it will last maybe 30 years.

 

Ubiquitous food synthesizers would also create new ways of producing the basic calories on which we all rely. Since a powder is a powder, the inputs could be anything that contain the right organic molecules. We already know that eating meat is environmentally unsustainable, so why not get all our protein from insects?

If eating something spat out by the same kind of 3D printers that are currently being used to make everything from jet engine parts to fine art doesn’t sound too appetizing, that’s only because you can currently afford the good stuff, says Contractor. That might not be the case once the world’s population reaches its peak size, probably sometime near the end of this century.

 

I think, and many economists think, that current food systems can’t supply 12 billion people sufficiently. So we eventually have to change our perception of what we see as food.

 

 

 

Chocolate printing trial :

[Kamil]

It's the end of food delivery companies as we know them.

 

... eventually. Of course, there's probably still going to be a market for the nicer restaurants and some special groups who insist on only eating "natural" foods even if they don't care about organic, but once it becomes commercially viable to just have a machine in your house that spits out whatever food you want on-demand then nobody's going to sit around waiting for delivery. I think this is still pretty far away though.

[YouRezz]

It's the end of food delivery companies as we know them.

 

... eventually. Of course, there's probably still going to be a market for the nicer restaurants and some special groups who insist on only eating "natural" foods even if they don't care about organic, but once it becomes commercially viable to just have a machine in your house that spits out whatever food you want on-demand then nobody's going to sit around waiting for delivery. I think this is still pretty far away though.

Yea but a guess you would still need to buy the capsules and filling for the 3d printer, it cant just summon the particles for food from thin air

[Kamil]

Yea but a guess you would still need to buy the capsules and filling for the 3d printer, it cant just summon the particles for food from thin air

No, really?

 

I know you do need to keep it supplied, and I guess there's always going to be those people who just can't be bothered to go to the future equivalent of a grocery store on a regular basis (or maybe they'll even just stock the cartridges everywhere, head to your nearest anything), but removing the need for skill, effort, or foresight means that you can just pick up a new set of capsules every week (or however long) and never have to go "I had a bad day, I don't want to get home and have to cook" or "I really feel like [insert food type here], I guess I'll get it delivered / go to a restaurant."

[That Norwegian Guy]

What's the bloody point? I can get why it's a useful thing in Zero-G, but really, if you have tubes of goop that is essentially foodstuff, why not just eat the goop and remove the middleman. It's like if you wanted to open a door, tripping a lever to activate a spring that drops a weight onto a pivot that pulls a rope that opens the door!

[Kamil]

What's the bloody point? I can get why it's a useful thing in Zero-G, but really, if you have tubes of goop that is essentially foodstuff, why not just eat the goop and remove the middleman. It's like if you wanted to open a door, tripping a lever to activate a spring that drops a weight onto a pivot that pulls a rope that opens the door!

Because goop doesn't really taste good and has awful texture? I mean, I don't know exactly how flavor will be handled and the early ones will probably not produce anything great, but eventually you'll be able to eat any shape, with any flavor you want, and have it still be nutritious (presumably) and without needing to spend any effort on preparation.

[XiaoPigs]

Uh no. I don't want this in my future. It maybe cheaper in the long run but hell I'm sure artificial food is not actually good for you.

[Lukiose]

Will it even taste the same? I can see how it works but just.. no, i don't wanna be eating food like that

[Wulfgar]

Won't be too long before we can bioengineer any food we want. I guess this is just a mechanical solution to a low-gravity environment xD

[TechFan@ic]

I agree with the general sentiment that this is sort of terrifying having to eat artificial "food", companies that make these cartridges will make billions.

 

What's the bloody point? I can get why it's a useful thing in Zero-G, but really, if you have tubes of goop that is essentially foodstuff, why not just eat the goop and remove the middleman. It's like if you wanted to open a door, tripping a lever to activate a spring that drops a weight onto a pivot that pulls a rope that opens the door!

Well that's because supposedly these "cartridges" will contain foodstuff in dried/powdered form so they can be preserved for tens of years.

[Glenwing]

We're getting there

 

[Tomasz2048]

tea, earl grey, hot...

[fade]

^ lol I was JUST going to post that and found I was one post too late.

[Hyydrah]

NASA has already invested $125 thousand in a 3D printer that would be used by astronauts in zero gravity to make pizza & is expecting a prototype in 6 months apparently.

 

But Ajan Contractor, the brilliant mechanical engineer with a background in 3D printing behind this, envisions a much more mundane and ultimately more important use for the technology. He sees a day when every kitchen has a 3D printer, and the earth’s 12 billion people feed themselves customized, nutritionally-appropriate meals synthesized one layer at a time, from cartridges of powder and oils they buy at the corner grocery store. Contractor’s vision would mean the end of food waste, because the powder his system will use is shelf-stable for up to 30 years, so that each cartridge, whether it contains sugars, complex carbohydrates, protein or some other basic building block, would be fully exhausted before being returned to the store.

 

Contractor says :

 

Ubiquitous food synthesizers would also create new ways of producing the basic calories on which we all rely. Since a powder is a powder, the inputs could be anything that contain the right organic molecules. We already know that eating meat is environmentally unsustainable, so why not get all our protein from insects?

If eating something spat out by the same kind of 3D printers that are currently being used to make everything from jet engine parts to fine art doesn’t sound too appetizing, that’s only because you can currently afford the good stuff, says Contractor. That might not be the case once the world’s population reaches its peak size, probably sometime near the end of this century.

 

 

 

 

Chocolate printing trial :

So we can have this thing beside our computer and we'd never have to leave the room to eat? Is a 3D printed toilet next?

[Kamil]

Admittedly, the success does kind of depend on how well the printer can replicate flavor and texture. I don't watch Star Trek, but I hear that replicator really can make just about anything perfectly. On the other hand, if no matter what you ask you end up with a substance that is almost, but not entirely, completely unlike tea, then it's a waste of everything.

 

But I have moderately high hopes and no qualms about "not real" food.

[Neutronicsoup]

wow this is amazing and it raises so many questions.

 

For starters how did NASA find money for this project?

 

Are the printers go to be really cheap and the cartridges expensive?

 

This is going to make printer jams a lot nicer. (think about it)

 

You will actually be able to get pirate copies of food. (I see right now is schematic for a McDonald's big Mac) holy crap if that actually happens and it tastes the same that is the end of the restaurant industry, it will become a niche market.  :blink:

[mgsstar]

Looks so sweet! Guess now you can play with your food by creating shapes out of it using this printer. :)

[Nort]

Reminds me of Spy Kids when they "magicked" up a Big Mac, fries and drink from a machine, not so unrealistic anymore :p

[EChondo]

What's the bloody point? I can get why it's a useful thing in Zero-G, but really, if you have tubes of goop that is essentially foodstuff, why not just eat the goop and remove the middleman. It's like if you wanted to open a door, tripping a lever to activate a spring that drops a weight onto a pivot that pulls a rope that opens the door!

So this doesn't appeal to you?

[MIEMEC]

Good article but i think they should have used a diferent tipe of food because printing chocolate it is not the best example in printable food!!!

You could melt chocolate and layer it prety easy this video does not prove anything.

[Glenwing]

Admittedly, the success does kind of depend on how well the printer can replicate flavor and texture. I don't watch Star Trek, but I hear that replicator really can make just about anything perfectly. On the other hand, if no matter what you ask you end up with a substance that is almost, but not entirely, completely unlike tea, then it's a waste of everything.

 

But I have moderately high hopes and no qualms about "not real" food.

Yeah we've got 300 years to perfect it :P

[Deus Ragno]

What's the bloody point? I can get why it's a useful thing in Zero-G, but really, if you have tubes of goop that is essentially foodstuff, why not just eat the goop and remove the middleman. It's like if you wanted to open a door, tripping a lever to activate a spring that drops a weight onto a pivot that pulls a rope that opens the door!

But I like my rube goldberg machine activated door. It's cool. Don't diss mah door bro.

[brownninja97]

Great, food that tastes like diesel, can't wait.

[James_AJ]

Wow, I just hope this actually comes true (I mean, sure it will, but maybe before I die).