3D printing method crafts customizable foods for people who have trouble swallowing

by Kyushu University

edited by Gaby Clark, reviewed by Robert Egan

Editors' notes

In rapidly aging societies like Japan, the simple act of swallowing meals can be challenging for many. This condition, known as dysphagia, affects millions of people worldwide and can significantly deteriorate a person's quality of life. While texture-modified foods like purées can make swallowing safer, it is difficult to tailor these foods to the wide spectrum of dysphagia, as some individuals can tolerate more solid meals while others require much softer textures.

Publishing in the journal Scientific Reports, research teams from Kyushu University and Cardiff University have developed a new 3D bioprinting method that can customize the texture, adhesiveness, and water retention of protein-based emulsion gels for dysphagia diets using controlled radiofrequency (RF) and microwave (MW) energy.

"For many people with dysphagia, meals are often limited to jelly-like materials, which can diminish the enjoyment of eating," explains Shuntaro Tsubaki, first author and Associate Professor at Kyushu University's Faculty of Agriculture. "Our goal is to create meals that are not only safe but also appealing."

Tsubaki saw an opportunity to apply his expertise in microwave engineering to solve this challenge. "Conventional heating methods heat everything inside indiscriminately—both the parts you want to react and the parts you don't," he elaborates. "Microwaves are different. They can be controlled to heat only specific materials selectively. This precision is the key."