https://doi.org/10.17113/ftb.63.04.25.8946

Recent Advances in 3D Food Printing: A Review with Focus on Personalized Nutrition and Functional Food Applications

Rasheeda Meembidi^1,2, Mohan Chitradurga Obaiah^1*, Remya Sasikala¹ and Bindu Jaganath¹

¹Fish Processing Division, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, CIFT Junction, Matsyapuri P. O., Kochi, 682029 Kerala, India

²Department of Food Science and Technology, FOST, KUFOS, Panangad Road, Madavana Junction, Kochi, 682506 Kerala, India

Copyright © 2025 This is a Diamond Open Access article published under CC-BY licence. Copyright remains with the authors, who grant third parties the unrestricted right to use, copy, distribute and reproduce the article as long as the original author(s) and source are acknowledged.

Article history:

Received: 11 November 2024

Accepted: 25 July 2025

Keywords:

food printing; extrusion; 3D designs; personalized nutrition; nutrient-rich products

The content of this publication has not been approved by the United Nations and does not reflect the views of the United Nations or its officials or Member States.

Summary:

The 3D printing technique offers immense opportunities to manufacture foods tailored to individual preferences, with added benefits to address malnutrition. Malnutrition is a major public health issue that impedes the development of nations worldwide. Fortification with functional ingredients is a promising approach to combat this problem. However, consumer acceptance of fortified foods remains low due to their bland taste and unfamiliar formats. This situation has created the demand for customized, fortified products made with novel technologies like 3D printing. This review compiles research findings from the last 15 years on 3D printing in food manufacturing. It provides a detailed review on various technological options available for 3D printing, with emphasis on recent research related to functional food. Previous studies have demonstrated that 3D food printing is a highly promising novel technology capable of providing personalized nutrition. 3D food printers primarily use extrusion technology to create nutrient-rich food products in various 3D designs, meeting both the aesthetic and functional preferences of consumers. This technology is expected to revolutionize the functional food industry in the near future, due to its various applications.