Evaluation of rheology and 3D printability of thermo-reversible ink for plant-based cheese manufacturing
Nur Istianah1,2 and Young Hoon Jung1,*

1Kyungpook National University
2Universitas Brawijaya
*Corresponding author

Abstract

3D food printing is an emerging technology utilized for personalized nutrition including plant-based food. However, there are still limited studies overcoming the issues of the printability and texturing of non-dairy cheese. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of agar ratio to corn starch (AG/CS) on the rheological properties and printability of edible ink prepared from the isolated soy protein and Gelidium amansii-derived microfibrillated cellulose. As a result, higher AG/CS leads to higher viscosity and a stronger gel network of ink. However, the medium ratio (i.e. 1:1) shows the highest thermo-responsiveness, allowing the printing smoothness and printing accuracy at warm temperature. This ratio also provides a self-supporting gel with a softer texture compared to commercial dairy and plant-based cheddar cheese. This finding clarifies that AG/CS affects the thermo-responsiveness and printability of edible ink for plant-based cheese manufacturing purposes.

Keywords: 3D food printing, agar, cheese ink, microfibrillated cellulose, plant-based food

Topic: Food science and biotechnology