Morphogenesis and characterization of wheat xerogel structure and insights into its 4D transformation

Recent insights on advancements and substantial transformations in food printing technology from 3 to 7D

Food printing using 3D, 4D, and 5D printing processes has received a lot of interest as a result of rising living standards and increased customer desire for new foods. In the food industry, 3D as well as 4D printing are extremely effective methods for additive manufacturing. The 3D printing technology produces flat objects with a variety of mechanical strengths. The strength of the object depends on the type of material used and the printing process. Printing structures with the most complex geometric, such as curved surfaces, necessitates the usage of supplementary material. The 4D printing procedure necessitates additional stimuli in order to adjust the aspect of the generated geometry. These obstacles can be addressed by employing 5D printing techniques, which prints the product in three motions and two rotational axes without the use of additional support material. These emerging innovations are likely to result in substantial advancements in all industries, including the manufacturing of high-quality food products. Food printing technology can be used to create long shelf-life products by printing food with protective coatings that prevent oxidation and degradation. Foods can also be printed in specific shapes or sizes to reduce surface area exposed to air. 6D printed objects can be created as a result of 5D printing because it is regarded as a by-product of 5D printing technology. 6D printing can save time and money by using the right processing parameters to create strong materials that are more sensitive to stimuli. 7D printing can enable more efficient production processes, reduce costs, and enable the development of products that are more complex and intricate than what is achievable with traditional manufacturing methods. The revolutionary change brought by food printing technologies in the field of applications, research and development, processing, advantages in food industry have been discussed in this paper.

Curcumin-infused xerogel-based nutraceutical development and its 4D shape-shifting behavior

Cereal-based functional foods with shape-changing (four-dimensional [4D]) properties is a novel approach in the current scenario. The main objective of the research is to develop a bioactive compound incorporated in flat two-dimensional xerogel and its hydromorphic three-dimensional shape transformation. The spray-dried curcumin at three different concentrations was incorporated with hydrogel (wheat-barley flour 8%), and flat xerogel was formed by sessile drop drying at 30°C and 78% relative humidity. The top smooth and rough bottom surface of xerogel provided anisotropic swelling properties during the shape transformation. The antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of xerogel were examined, and the retention of curcumin during the shape transformation was also examined during the research. The porous structure of barley-wheat xerogel has enhanced the incorporation of water-insoluble bioactive components like curcumin. The diffusion properties of curcumin xerogel provided an antimicrobial effect against gram-negative pathogenic bacteria. The optimum temperature (70°C) during the shape-shifting provides the retention of bioavailability and functional properties of curcumin. The work describes the opportunities for developing xerogel incorporated with more bioactive and functional components and study its stability and hydromorphic 4D shape-changing behavior. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Xerogel is a good carrier for different bioactive components. The development of curcumin-infused biodegrade, non-toxic, and cereal-based xerogel provide an excellent opportunity for the delivery of curcumin in a cost-effective way. The shape-changing easily consumable forms of xerogel will attract more consumers, and it retains the bioavailability of infused compounds during processing.

Progress in 4D/5D/6D printing of foods: applications and R&D opportunities

4D printing is a result of 3D printing of smart materials which respond to diverse stimuli to produce novel products. 4D printing has been applied successfully to many fields, e.g., engineering, medical devices, computer components, food processing, etc. The last two years have seen a significant increase in studies on 4D as well as 5D and 6D food printing. This paper reviews and summarizes current applications, benefits, limitations, and challenges of 4D food printing. In addition, the principles, current, and potential applications of the latest additive manufacturing technologies (5D and 6D printing) are reviewed and discussed. Presently, 4D food printing applications have mainly focused on achieving desirable color, shape, flavor, and nutritional properties of 3D printed materials. Moreover, it is noted that 5D and 6D printing can in principle print very complex structures with improved strength and less material than do 3D and 4D printing. In future, these new technologies are expected to result in significant innovations in all fields, including the production of high quality food products which cannot be produced with current processing technologies. The objective of this review is to identify industrial potential of 4D printing and for further innovation utilizing 5D and 6D printing.