3D Food Printing: A Comprehensive Review And Critical Analysis On Technologies, Food Materials, Applications, Challenges, And Future Prospects

3D (three-dimensional) food printing has emerged as a transformative technology, offering exceptional adaptability and customization across various industries. This review explores its potential to enhance environmental sustainability by minimizing food waste, improving portion control, and promoting eco-friendly practices. Key technological foundations, such as rheological assessments for material flow optimization, colorimetric analysis for accurate color representation, and advanced material handling techniques for consistent texture and nutrition, are critically examined. Moreover, it highlights the synergy between mechanical precision, algorithmic control, and material science, illustrating how these elements collectively ensure adherence to high-quality and safety standards in food engineering. The study also reviews 3D food printing technologies, methods, materials, and applications, emphasizing the pivotal role of customization in addressing diverse dietary, cultural, medical, and aerospace needs. A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis evaluates the current capabilities and limitations of the technology, identifying challenges and future prospects. This comprehensive analysis underscores the potential of 3D food printing to revolutionize food production, offering valuable insights for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.