3D printing technology is a promising technology with the possibility of use for developing personalised food. To make this technology easier, and readily available for consumers, greater knowledge of the printing conditions and characteristics of food-ink is needed. This paper investigates the printability of gels based on syrup, xanthan, and konjac gums, while affecting printing variables. Those variables include the printing temperature (25 °C and 50 °C) and the composition of the product analysed using rheological and textural characterisation techniques. Also, the link between rheological and textural properties of gels, and printability was analysed. The higher values of G′, G″ and η* correlated to the mixtures with lower syrup concentration, and higher values of xanthan and konjac gum. Syrup, xanthan gum and konjac gum content influenced the textural properties. With the increase of syrup content, the Fmax, Fmean, Area, and slope showed reductions giving more weak gels. Rheological and textural values can define composition of formulations that give rise to valid 3D printed figures.

Industrial relevance

There is an increasing market need for customized food products. Three-dimensional (3D) food printing will be developed in the coming years. Undoubtedly, food printing can have many advantages, but whether the market is ready for such a big change and the technology will grow fast enough are the questions. Also it seems to be the right solution to meet the needs of today's consumers who increasingly have too little time to prepare meals on their own, especially in small or single-person households. In the future, ready, healthy meal, tailored to their individual needs, will be waiting when coming home. 3D printed gels can contribute to develop personalised food with specific nutritional characteristics. For example, this kind of gels can be used to manufacture soft foods for the elderly who have problems to swallow.

中文翻译：

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基于黄原胶/ konjac胶的3D打印凝胶

3D打印技术是一种很有前途的技术，可以用于开发个性化食品。为了使这项技术更容易且容易为消费者所用，需要对印刷条件和食品油墨特性有更多的了解。本文研究了基于糖浆，黄原胶和魔芋胶的凝胶的可印刷性，同时影响印刷变量。这些变量包括印刷温度（25°C和50°C）以及使用流变和纹理表征技术分析的产品组成。此外，分析了凝胶的流变学和质地特性与可印刷性之间的联系。G′，G″和η*的较高值与具有较低糖浆浓度和较高的黄原胶和魔芋胶的混合物相关。糖浆，黄原胶和魔芋胶的含量影响质地。随着糖浆含量的增加，Fmax，Fmean，面积和斜率显示出降低，从而给出了更弱的凝胶。流变和纹理值可以定义产生有效3D打印图形的配方组成。

行业相关性

市场对定制食品的需求不断增长。未来几年将开发3D食品打印。毫无疑问，食品印刷可以具有许多优势，但是市场是否已为如此大的变化做好准备，并且技术将足够快地发展是一个问题。同样，这似乎是满足当今消费者需求的正确解决方案，他们的时间越来越少，尤其是在小型或单人家庭中，他们很少有时间自己准备饭菜。将来，将根据回家的需要量身定制适合他们自己需要的即食健康餐。3D打印凝胶可有助于开发具有特定营养特征的个性化食品。例如，这种凝胶可用于制造吞咽困难的老年人的软食。