A certainly a futuristic idea! Does a 3D PRINTED FRUIT sound exciting?
Perhaps not to all!
A 3D printed chocolate or a 3D printed cake sounds enticing but not a 3D printed steak or a 3D printed pear? Isn’t it?
The Cambridge, UK-based company Dovetailed has invented and unveiled what it is calling the 3D Fruit Printer, a machine that “prints” three-dimensional “fruit”. It is not, however, actual fruit: instead, it’s a sort of reconstituted version that can be any flavour.
The printer uses molecular gastronomy technique in which liquids are shaped into tiny spheres, in one of two different ways. The process was originally discovered by Unilever in the 50′s, however it wasn’t until this last decade that the process began to be used within modern cuisine. One method can be used for shaping liquids which have a high calcium content like milk, while the other is perfect for liquids like fruit juice or puree, which contain little to no calcium. Although the exact process used by Dovetailed has not been revealed yet, it can be assumed that they are using the latter process. In this process, the liquid or puree from the fruit is mixed with a very small amount of a substance called sodium alginate, then quickly placed into a bowl of soluble calcium salt. At this point the liquid or puree forms tiny spheres, almost like caviar, in which a thin skin holds the shape of the liquid inside.
That said, would you consider eating 3D printed fruits?
Source: 3DPrint.com