Everything You Need to Know About Food-Safe 3D Printing

In recent years, 3D printing has been taking the food industry by storm. From the release of Cocoa Press’s highly-anticipated chocolate 3D printer to the continued industrialization of food 3D printing with companies like Revo Foods and Steakholder Foods, using 3D printing for the creation of meat, fish and desserts has never seemed so easy. But using 3D printers to create food is not the only way that additive manufacturing can be used in the food sector. It is also possible to use 3D printing for the creation of parts that come in contact with food, such as plates, cutlery or even packaging. But of course, if a part, even one made with 3D printing, will be used with food, it must be “food safe.”

But what exactly does food safe mean? What are the most important considerations when it comes to 3D printing? In the following guide, we answer these questions as well as take a closer look at how exactly a user can ensure that a 3D printed part is food safe. More specifically, we will be focusing on polymer additive manufacturing since, although ceramics and metals also can be considered food-safe, plastics are often more accessible, especially when it comes to non-industrial additive manufacturing.

3D printed tableware from Joe Doucet (photo credits: Joe Doucet)

What Does Food Safe Mean?

Before we get into food-safe 3D printing, it is important to first define what exactly food safe is. Well in general the term food safe for materials is a status that designates that the material is permitted to come into direct contact with food. Any material that is called food safe will meet certain requirements as determined by the intended use and will not constitute a food-safety hazard. Though these also change based on the country.