Figure - available from: Food Biophysics
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Example of 3D printed cookies before baking process at different printing conditions. LH: Layer height (mm) and FD: Filament diameter (mm) for Control sample, S0.5: Spirulina-enriched sample at 0.5% and CH0.5: Chlorella-enriched sample at 0.5%
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Rheological and textural characteristics of cookie doughs were measured to characterise the effect of two microalgae biomasses additions (Arthrospira platensis and Chlorella vulgaris) in 3D printed cookies. The rheological characteristics determined the addition of microalgae lead to a greater mechanical resistance and a predominance of the elastic...
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... In addition to plant proteins and polysaccharides, 3D food printing research is exploring various sustainable ingredients that could transform the food printing landscape. Microalgae are rich in proteins, lipids, and antioxidants, making them excellent candidates for sustainable and nutrient-dense food inks [196][197][198]. Legumes and grains provide essential nutrients with a lower environmental impact compared to animal-based proteins [199]. ...
As global awareness of resource scarcity and environmental concerns grows, sustainable manufacturing practices have become imperative. Additive manufacturing (AM), with its high material efficiency and design flexibility, presents a promising pathway toward sustainable industrial transformation. This review explores AM's role in sustainability across its lifecycle: design for AM, in AM, and after AM. In the design for AM phase, strategies such as topology optimisation, part consolidation, and cellular structures reduce material usage and enhance durability. During AM, in-situ process monitoring and closed-loop control improve process reliability, reducing energy consumption and failure rates. Meanwhile, the adoption of sustainable materials—metals, polymers, concretes, and biomaterials—further strengthens AM's potential to advance sustainability. After AM, applications such as repair, remanufacturing, and recycling extend product lifecycles and reduce environmental impact, aligning with circular economy principles. Future perspectives include the integration of artificial intelligence for in-process control and sustainable material development, along with regulatory and circular economy frameworks critical to sustainable AM deployment. Lastly, emerging research trends in advancing sustainability through AM are reviewed. Overall, this review provides a roadmap for academia and industry, offering strategies and insights to maximise AM's contribution to a more sustainable and responsible manufacturing future.
... 3D printing technology allows liquid or semi-solid materials to be extruded through nozzles and deposited layer by layer to produce a designed model structure (Lee, 2021;Zhao et al., 2021). Currently, in the field of food processing, 3D printing technology has been applied to the development of chocolate (Mantihal et al., 2019), biscuits (Uribe--Wandurraga et al., 2021), vegetables (Pant et al., 2021), and other products. Most minced meat is not suitable for 3D printing and appropriate ingredients should be added to improve its material properties (Voon et al., 2019). ...
... Recently, 3D printing technology has also been employed to produce microalgae-rich products. In 3D printed cookies, the addition of Arthrospira platensis and Chlorella vulgaris resulted in improved printability and higher mechanical resistance during printing [104]. The authors showed that microalgae biomass are promising ingredients for use as food inks. ...
... Extruded products have also been explored for the utilization of microalgae [100][101][102][103][104]. ...
Microalgae are receiving increased attention in the food sector as a sustainable ingredient due to their high protein content and nutritional value. They contain up to 70% proteins with the presence of all 20 essential amino acids, thus fulfilling human dietary requirements. Microalgae are considered sustainable and environmentally friendly compared to traditional protein sources as they require less land and a reduced amount of water for cultivation. Although microalgae’s potential in nutritional quality and functional properties is well documented, no reviews have considered an in-depth analysis of the pros and cons of their addition to foods. The present work discusses recent findings on microalgae with respect to their protein content and nutritional quality, placing a special focus on formulated food products containing microalgae proteins. Several challenges are encountered in the production, processing, and commercialization of foods containing microalgae proteins. Solutions presented in recent studies highlight the future research and directions necessary to provide solutions for consumer acceptability of microalgae proteins and derived products.
... Microalgae are an excellent source of a wide variety of compounds. They have the high protein content (Atrosphaera platensis) and low fiber content (Chlorella) [22,23]. Microalgae species such as Pyro- cystis lunula, Nannochloropsis gaditana, and Atrospera platensis have the potential for the production of commercial carbohydrates such as monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polyalcohols [24]. ...
This paper reviews the nutritional properties and consumer perceptions of microalgae foods through various recent studies on alternative protein sources. Food choices, including meat consumption, are a common concern for humanity. Thus, we focused on whether microalgae foods have a sufficient value as a protein source and what nutritional benefits they have. Based on existing papers, we conducted a systematic review using Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Scopus to comprehensively investigate and summarize the nutritional characteristics of microalgae, sustainable diets, and awareness of microalgae as an alternative protein source. Research has shown that microalgae have been consumed by humans as a protein source since ancient times, and contain enough protein to be used as an alternative protein source. They also have many other nutritional benefits, such as vitamins. We have found that consumers are increasingly interested in alternative protein sources, and the more they learn about microalgae, the more accepting they become. These results may suggest a need for further research to improve microalgae as an alternative protein source in the long run and develop them into a variety of foods.
... In recent years, there has been an increase in 3D printing publications, from 2099 publications between 2011 and 2015 to 19,248 from 2016 to 2020 [2]. In food science and technology, 3D printing has been applied to produce different products such as biscuits [3,4], mashed potatoes [5], fruits and vegetables [6], gels [7][8][9], cereal snacks [10,11], bread [12], chocolate [13], peanut butter, and cream cheese [7]. Three-dimensional printing has also been used a tool for by-products [3]. ...
Three-dimensional food printing is one of the modern techniques for food customization. The difficulty of this technique lies in the formulation of new matrices. These new formulations must have good extrusion characteristics and, at the same time, maintain the structure once printed. These qualities are related to textural and rheological properties. Printability studies are those whose objective is to know the above properties. Some authors have correlated printability with rheological and physicochemical parameters. The aim of this study was to characterize three gels to test prediction models and to determine the most important rheological and textural parameters (G′, G″, Tanδ, maxF, average) in printability. The formulations studied were bovine gelatin (4%) with kappa-carrageenan (0.5%) (Gb + K), porcine gelatin (5%) plus iota-carrageenan (2%) (Gp + I), and methylcellulose (4%) (MC). The samples were characterized by an oscillatory test for the rheological properties and an extrusion test for the textural properties. In addition, the density was obtained to apply the predictive models and correlate the rheological and textural parameters to determine their influence. Gp + I and Gb + K showed higher values of maximum force in the extrusion test than MC, but MC had less deviation in the mean force during the test. All the samples showed a predominantly elastic behavior and damping factor (Tanδ) between 0.14 (Gb + K) and 0.37 (MC). It was observed that the tangent of the phase angle (Tanδ) had a large positive influence on the maximum and average force studied in the extrusion tests. The sample results did not match 100% with the predictions made from the models. It was possible to print samples that were higher in height without obtaining deformations over time of more than 5%. Further work is needed to optimize models and parameters for more accurate prediction.
... This effect could be due to the yellow pigments, mainly carotenoids, which are produced in higher amounts by C. vulgaris spp. compared to Spirulina (Aruldass et al., 2018;Gouveia et al., 2006;Schüler et al., 2020;Uribe-Wandurraga et al., 2021). The total colour variation (ΔE) was always higher than 7.0 (i.e. ...
Energy bars are popular meal supplements due to their convenience and high nutritional content. Microalgae, such as Spirulina and Chlorella Vulgaris, are appealing food ingredients containing high-quality proteins and essential bioactive compounds. This study investigated the incorporation of these microalgae into a simple energy bar model at three levels of addition (0.0 %, 2.5% and 5.0%). Bars were characterized in terms of colour, water activity, moisture content, texture as well as nutritional and sensory profiles. Results showed that microalgae improved the protein and vitamin B12 content, and influenced color, flavor, and texture of the final product. Spirulina provided the most significant changes, increasing dark green colour, sea/fishy flavours and candies and grass tastes. Chlorella offered different colourways depending on the strain and brought to the sensory profile some umami/fishy notes that need to be taken into account in the formulation of commercial products.
... Three-dimensional food printing offers the possibility of introducing alternative protein sources from plant-based or cultured meat to algae and insects, which are not frequently consumed or well-accepted in many western societies, in desirable shapes and tastes. Using alternative protein sources may address nutritional aspects of the food security global challenge [17,28,60,61]. For example, edible insects are not only rich in nutrients, containing high-quality proteins, vitamins, and amino acids, but also have a lower carbon footprint [62]. ...
Three-dimensional printing is one of the most precise manufacturing technologies with a wide variety of applications. Three-dimensional food printing offers potential benefits for food production in terms of modifying texture, personalized nutrition, and adaptation to specific consumers’ needs, among others. It could enable innovative and complex foods to be presented attractively, create uniquely textured foods tailored to patients with dysphagia, and support sustainability by reducing waste, utilizing by-products, and incorporating eco-friendly ingredients. Notable applications to date include, but are not limited to, printing novel shapes and complex geometries from candy, chocolate, or pasta, and bio-printed meats. The main challenges of 3D printing include nutritional quality and manufacturing issues. Currently, little research has explored the impact of 3D food printing on nutrient density, bioaccessibility/bioavailability, and the impact of matrix integrity loss on diet quality. The technology also faces challenges such as consumer acceptability, food safety and regulatory concerns. Possible adverse health effects due to overconsumption or the ultra-processed nature of 3D printed foods are major potential pitfalls. This review describes the state-of-the-art of 3D food printing technology from a nutritional perspective, highlighting potential applications and current limitations of this technology, and discusses the potential nutritional risks and benefits of 3D food printing.
... Moving away from the focus of this work, another category of application combining microalgae and 3D printing is food 3D printing (Uribe-Wandurraga et al., 2020;Uribe-Wandurraga et al., 2021). Authors have investigated the feasibility and relevance of such a combination using robocasting technology, where a slurry is deposed layer by layer to create the object using a syringe as the extruder of the system. ...
... Even the rheology of the new food products is influenced by microalgal biomass: Arthrospira platensis and Chlorella Vulgaris were tested in 3D-printed cookies, resulting in stable structures and baking resistance 9 . The bread had microalgae added to it, but other textural qualities like chewability and hardness were unaltered. ...
Novel compounds can be found in marine creatures, many of which have amazing biotechnological capabilities. Microalgae, in particular, have a drawn interest as a potential basis for new industrial creation routes. Many biologically active compounds, such as antioxidants, immunostimulants, antivirals, antibiotics, hem agglutinates, polyunsaturated fatty acids, peptides, proteins, biofuels, and pigments, are derived from these species. Recently, there has been a rise in interest in microalgal biotechnology to create beneficial, sustainable, and ecologically friendly bioproducts. Microalgae biomass is in high demand for a wide range of potential uses, most of which are now the subject of ongoing research. Microalgae are important groups of photosynthetic organisms that use light and carbon dioxide more efficiently than terrestrial plants to produce biomass and use it for biotechnological purposes such as environmental protection, biofuel production, pharmaceutical production, human food supplements, animal feed components, coronavirus treatments, and so on. This paper presents an overview of current advancements in the application of microalgal biotechnology in several industries.
... Even the rheology of the new food products is influenced by microalgal biomass: Arthrospira platensis and Chlorella Vulgaris were tested in 3D-printed cookies, resulting in stable structures and baking resistance 9 . The bread had microalgae added to it, but other textural qualities like chewability and hardness were unaltered. ...
Novel compounds can be found in marine creatures, many of which have amazing
biotechnological capabilities. Microalgae, in particular, have a drawn interest as a potential
basis for new industrial creation routes. Many biologically active compounds, such as
antioxidants, immunostimulants, antivirals, antibiotics, hem agglutinates, polyunsaturated
fatty acids, peptides, proteins, biofuels, and pigments, are derived from these species. Recently,
there has been a rise in interest in microalgal biotechnology to create beneficial, sustainable,
and ecologically friendly bioproducts. Microalgae biomass is in high demand for a wide
range of potential uses, most of which are now the subject of ongoing research. Microalgae
are important groups of photosynthetic organisms that use light and carbon dioxide more
efficiently than terrestrial plants to produce biomass and use it for biotechnological purposes
such as environmental protection, biofuel production, pharmaceutical production, human food
supplements, animal feed components, coronavirus treatments, and so on. This paper presents
an overview of current advancements in the application of microalgal biotechnology in several
industries.
Keywords: Biomass; Microalgae; Microalgae biotechnology; Unicellular photosynthetic.
