Temperature-Controlled Cryoprinting Vegetarian Food with Modified Macro- and Microstructures for Dysphagia

Abstract

This study developed a temperature-controlled cryoprinting (TCC) with coaxial nozzle printing technique to print food suitable for dysphagia patients. A vegetarian food formulation was prepared using pea protein, sodium alginate, and agar–agar. Both macro- and microtexture properties were analyzed to assess the impact including printing temperature and ink composition on food texture. The results demonstrated that TCC enables printing with superlow-viscosity materials while maintaining high printing accuracy for food printing purpose. By incorporating coaxial printing, a customized marbling texture was successfully created to mimic meat-like structural characteristics. Additionally, the project investigated the influence of the agar–agar concentration and printing temperature on the final food texture. Texture profile analysis (TPA) and electron microscopy revealed that by controlling the freezing temperature, it is possible to modify texture properties with the same composition, offering a new approach to tailoring food textures for individuals with swallowing difficulties.