(294g) Binder Jet 3D Printing of Pea-Based Snacks with Tunable Texture and Precision Nutrition

To-date, material extrusion (MEX) is the most studied and published method for 3D printing food structures. In this presentation, we will share our latest findings in 3D printing snacks using the binder jetting (BJT) method, where a liquid binder is repeatedly deposited onto thin layers of food powder. Unlike MEX, this approach does not require the formulation of an extrudable paste which is more susceptible to shrinkage and cracking as the sample dries. Also, as only a small amount of water is needed, BJT is well suited for producing low-moisture food products. Using pea flour and an aqueous binder as feedstocks, we will elucidate the underlying binding mechanism and the effects of sugar inclusion and baking on the mechanical properties of the printed samples. The printed and then baked samples will be further compared with commercial snack bars that are not 3D printed. The mechanical properties of 3D printed samples are highly tunable through digitally programming the print head waveforms. In the second part of this presentation, we will present two different methods for precisely controlling the dosing of a micronutrient in the 3D printed snacks. All these results demonstrate the exciting potential of 3D printing for mass customization of snacks with tunable texture and precision nutrition. This work is supported by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, AFRI project 2019–06721 (under Grant No. 2020- 67017-31273).