Additive manufacturing in the food industry: Innovations in customised fabrication and personalised nutrition

The food industry faces significant challenges in meeting the growing demand for personalized nutrition, customised food fabrication, reducing food waste, and creating sustainable production methods. Traditional food manufacturing processes often lack the flexibility and precision needed to address these issues. This review investigates how additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, can potentially revolutionize food production to meet these challenges. This technology has seen rapid adoption across various industries due to its ability to create complex, customized objects layer by layer. While extensively used in sectors like aerospace and healthcare, its application in the food industry is still emerging. This review examines the current state of additive manufacturing in food production, highlighting both established knowledge and emerging debates. This paper also reviews the advantages of additive manufacturing over conventional food production methods, explores current processes and techniques, and examines its potential for customised food fabrication and personalised nutrition. We also identify gaps in the existing literature, such as the need for standardized protocols and consumer acceptance studies, and suggest directions for future research to address these challenges and advance the field. Additionally, we discuss recent breakthroughs and potential future applications of 3D printing in the food sector, highlighting ongoing debates about scalability, regulatory concerns, and nutritional implications.