Rutgers professor uses 3D printer to make chocolate

Rutgers food science professors and researchers recently used 3D printing technology to produce a nutritious substitute for chocolate, according to a press release.

Qingrong Huang, a professor in the Department of Food Science, said this creation signals the continuous development of "functional foods."

While chocolate was the main focus of the study, he said other foods his research team considered were protein bars, chewing gum, gelatin and more.

"Everybody likes to eat chocolate, but we are also concerned with our health," he said. "To address this, we have created a chocolate that is not only low-fat, but that can also be printed with a 3D printer. It’s our first 'functional' chocolate."

His study explains how the researchers replaced the original contents of the chocolate to create a low-fat snack by replacing cocoa butter with water-in-oil emulsions, according to the press release.

The researchers used gum arabic, an acacia tree extract that is typically used to substitute cocoa butter to emulsify the 3D-printed chocolate.

"The mixture of oil and water will be broken down into small droplets through homogenization and stabilized by ingredients known as emulsifiers (e.g., egg yolk is an emulsifier)," Huang said.

The researchers found the study successful in reducing fat and creating a new method of producing foods. Huang said he anticipates greater use of this technology when the prices of 3D printers reduce and more variations of foods are composed.

"I hope that people will support innovation in food research. I believe that 3D food printing technology will enable the development of customized edible products with tailored taste, shape and texture as well as optimal nutrition based on consumer needs," he said.