Emerging applications of 5D and 6D printing in the food industry

Abstract

3D and 4D printing are well-established additive manufacturing techniques in the food sector. However, there are several challenges associated with 3D/4D technique that needs to be addressed. 3D printing technique prints structures in a flat shape with less mechanical strength. It requires additional support material to print structures in most complex shaped geometry such as curved surfaces. The 4D printing method requires additional stimuli to change the morphology of the printed geometry. These challenges can be overcome by using the 5D printing technique where the product gets printed using three movements and two rotational axes without the use of additional support material. In this regard, this paper presents the perspective on using the 5D and 6D printing techniques in the food sector. 5D printing technique can be used for developing very complex-shaped confectionary items, and curved snack products. It could be advantageous if used in the printing of food packaging materials such as curved-shaped boxes and tableware items (cups, bowls). Furthermore, 6D printing can also be applied in the food sector, resulting in the development of stronger objects with higher responses to external stimuli.