Additive manufacturing technology in the development of easy to swallow and digest foods for the elderly

[Display omitted] •Different food inks can produce easy to swallow foods.•Food additions and physical fields contribute to develop easy to swallow/digest foods.•Decrease print costs, increase print speeds and food safety issues need to be addressed. The ageing of the population is a major challenge for the world. The elderly face a number of functional deteriorations in the body during the ageing process. Among these, swallowing and digestion are the two biggest challenges that elderly individuals face. The individualized, customized, and digitized approach to food processing offered using additive manufacturing technology also referred to as 3D printing technology-makes it particularly well-suited to the production of foods that are easy to swallow and digest for the elderly. The application of 3D food printing technology for producing foods that are easy to swallow and digest for the elderly is examined in this article. Meanwhile, it is discussed using some texture-improving techniques for making foods that are easier for the elderly to swallow. Additionally, the challenges and solutions associated with 3D food printing in the manufacturing of foods for the elderly are explored. Overall, this review offers some insights from material classification for the use of 3D food printing technology in the production of foods that are easy to swallow and digestible food for the elderly.