Use of a coaxial nozzle-assisted 3D printing and ionic crosslinking to control the texture of a mycoprotein-based food product

Abstract

This work innovatively merges engineered food structures with additive manufacturing technology to tailor food for different dysphagia levels using filamentous Fungus Aspergillus oryzae biomass through a co-axial 3D food printing process. In order to 3D print samples with different textures, calcium chloride (CaCl₂) and calcium gluconolactate (Gluco) were tested at different concentrations alongside three alginate concentrations. The structural and morphological analysis of the printed samples was conducted before cooking, followed by texture analysis and the measurement of cutting strength on cooked samples. Dysphagia food level classification was measured following the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) guidelines. Results revealed that Gluco minimally altered texture but affected appearance, resulting in soft samples (hardness ≈ 1.3 N) with fibrous structures, while CaCl₂ increased hardness (from ≈ 1 N to 4.68 N) through alginate-ion Ca²⁺ interaction. All samples passed the IDDSI test, confirming suitability for dysphagic individuals. This successfully engineered personalised food with tailored texture meeting nutritional requirements.