Three-Dimensional Printing of Food Foams Stabilized by Hydrocolloids for Hydration in Dysphagia

Abstract

Three-dimensional food printing offers the possibility of modifying the structural design, nutrition, and texture of food, which may be used for consumers with special dietary requirements such as dysphagic patients. One of the food matrices that can be used for liquid delivery to dysphagic patients is food foams. Foams are widely used in different food products to adjust food density, rheological properties, and texture. Foams allow the food to stay in the mouth for sufficient time to provide hydration while minimizing the danger of choking. Our work studies the foam properties and printability of both egg white foams and eggless foams with a strong focus on their foaming properties, rheological properties, printability, and suitability for dysphagic patients. Food hydrocolloid, xanthan gum (XG), is added to improve foam stability and rheological properties so that the inks are printable. Rheological and syneresis properties of the pre-printed foam inks are examined. The texture profile and microstructure properties are studied post-printing. International dysphagia diet standardization initiative tests are carried out to assess the inks’ potential for dysphagic diets. Inks with XG performed better with minimal water seepage, better foam stability, and excellent printability. This suggests that hydrocolloids lead to more stable food foams that are suitable for 3DFP and safe for hydration delivery to dysphagic patients.

Heat and shear stability of particle stabilised foams for application in gluten-free bread

“…4 ) observed for both the foams with and without particles was to be expected. Upon investigating the effect of different additives on foam stability in 3D printing, Lee et al ( 2021 ) found that the addition of xanthan gum to both egg white and vegan foams led to excellent foam stability even allowing complex shapes to be printed. The underlying effect was attributed to the shear thinning behaviour of xanthan gum, which optimally supported the foam structure when exposed to high shear forces in the 3D printing nozzle.…”

Future trends of additive manufacturing in medical applications: An overview

“…Research in food engineering has focused on control applications, with future proposals for 4DP, 5DP, and 6DP technologies [185] . The main objective of using AM for food production is to manipulate the structural design of food, which can impact nutrition and texture, particularly for individuals with special dietary requirements due to medical conditions [206] . Although these fields were not the principal focus of the article, they are mentioned, given their importance and relationship to medical practices, as they involve interaction with the human body.…”

Effect of pH on the Structure, Functional Properties and Rheological Properties of Collagen from Greenfin Horse-Faced Filefish (Thamnaconus septentrionalis) Skin

“…This enhances the adsorption of the protein at the air-water interface, improving the foaming ability of the protein [38,40]. Therefore, by controlling the pH during processing, collagen could be a good candidate for products that require foaming properties, such as food drug delivery foams for consumers with special needs [41,42].…”