New 3D Printed Gummies Combat Nutritional Deficiencies

Imagine having a gummy made just for you, with the right amount of iron, vitamin D or any other nutrient your body needs. A team of researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), in collaboration with the University of Foggia in Italy and Jiangnan University in China, has developed a 3D printing system for gummies enriched with customized micronutrients. Their study, published in the scientific journal Journal of Food Engineering, opens up new possibilities for nutrition.

Malnutrition due to a lack of micronutrients, such as iron, zinc and B vitamins, affects a third of the world’s population, according to the WHO. Some of the causes are deficient diets, absorption problems or limited access to a variety of foods. Faced with this problem, the possibility of manufacturing personalized foods according to the nutritional needs of each person is seen as a great answer.

Photographs of the 3D gummies showing their storage for 6 hours at room temperature (Credits: Adrián Matas-Gil et al.).

The Role of 3D Printing

The purpose of the gummies is to improve health. They are made from a starch gel called Ultratex, derived from tapioca and agar. The gummies have adaptable internal structures where nutrients can be introduced as necessary. The key to the development lies in the precision that 3D printing allows. Using software, users can define both the shape and the exact amount of nutrients they want to include in the gummies. The system translates this information into a digital design that is then printed with a nozzle as small as 0.4 mm in diameter, maintaining high fidelity between the model and the physical result. For the tests, the scientists used the Foodbot chocolate 3D printer.