3D printers have long since moved beyond producing plastic parts. Increasingly, they are also being used to print food: instead of plastic filament, the machines extrude soft ingredients such as chocolate, cheese or plant-based meat alternatives through a nozzle, building them up layer by layer. The desired shape must first be designed on a computer.
Several manufacturers are already established in the market, including the Ukrainian-Bulgarian company Chocola3D, the Spanish provider Natural Machines and the German firm Print2Taste. So far, the technology has mainly been used in niche applications, from patisseries to hospitals, while a breakthrough into everyday life has yet to materialise.
