3D Printers May Cause Huge Changes in the Food Industry

First Posted: Jul 13, 2015 07:55 PM EDT

3D printers may be poised for some huge changes in the food industry. It turns out that they could revolutionize the way that food is manufactured within the next 10 to 20 years, impacting everything from how military personnel get food on the battlefield to how long it takes to get a meal from the computer to your table.

The price of 3D printers has been steadily declining. They were around $500,000 in the 1980s and are now less than $1,000 today for a personal-sized device. This makes them increasingly available to both consumers and manufacturers.

"No matter what field you are in, this technology will worm its way in," said Hod Lipson, one of the researchers, in a news release. "The technology is getting faster, cheaper and better by the minute. Food printing could be the killer app for 3D printing."

3D printing could be a good fit for the food industry. It allows manufacturers to bring complexity and variety to consumers at a low cost. Traditional manufacturing is built on mass production of the same item. With a 3D printer, it takes much less money and time to produce a complex, customized product.

"Imagine warfighters in remote areas-one has muscle fatigue, one has been awake for a long period without rest, one lacks calories, one needs electrolytes, and one just wants a pizza," said Mary Scerra, one of the researchers. "Wouldn't it be interesting if they could just print and eat?"

There are currently several hurdles to overcome, such as the cost of bringing the technology to remote areas and the logistics of making it work in those locations. However, 3D printing could, in the long run, be huge.

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TagsFood, 3D-Printing