Intelligent monitoring of post-processing characteristics in 3D-printed food products: A focus on fermentation process of starch-gluten mixture using NIR and multivariate analysis

The production of three-dimensional (3D)-printed food products requires not only optimal 3D-printing adaptability but also appropriate post-processing characteristics. This study aimed to use near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to predict the rheological properties of 3D-printed dough, enabling intelligent monitoring of the dough's fermentation process. Utilizing support vector machine (SVM) classification model, the fermentation stages can be classified as under-fermentation, complete fermentation, and over-fermentation. Employing preprocessing methods with Synergy Interval Partial Least Square-Competitive Adaptive Reweighted Sampling (SIPLS-CARS) algorithm, 27, 39, 23, and 27 key wavelengths were filtered from the raw NIR spectral data, corresponding to the prediction of storage modulus (G′), loss modulus (G″), complex viscosity (η∗), and loss factor (tan δ), respectively. Quantitatively, SVM (Support Vector Machine) regression outperformed Partial Least Squares (PLS) with Rc² values (0.95, 0.94, 0.94) and Rp² values (0.93, 0.93, 0.94) for G′, G″, and η∗. NIR spectra-based predictive models demonstrated superior performance compared to rheo-fermentation properties models. In summary, these findings show the potential of NIR spectroscopy as a rapid tool for predicting the fermentation progress of 3D-printed doughs.