FABULOUS Sets Course for the USA with Certified, Food-Safe 3D-Printing Materials

It is no secret that 3D printing is becoming more and more popular and is expanding its field of application to diverse areas. Already established in the verticals of aerospace, the automotive sector and the medical field, additive manufacturing is now being used for the production of consumer and luxury goods, in the construction industry and also in the food industry. On the one hand, this primarily involves innovative, edible products from the 3D printer, such as those already marketed by Barilla, Revo Foods and Steakholder Foods. On the other hand, 3D printing is increasingly being used to produce objects that come into contact with food. These are, for example, food nozzles, grippers, scrappers, plates, cutlery, packaging etc. or machine parts.

All items that interact with food must adhere to strict regulations to ensure the safety of consumers. Such rules and safety standards are a must for end users, but a significant challenge for material manufacturers, as the regulations of the relevant authorities are stringent. In the EU, Directive 10/2011 regulates the criteria for polymer materials to be certified as “food-safe”. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the materials and procedures for food safety, specifically the Code of Federal Regulation Title 21 (CFR21). The rules are, therefore, slightly different in each country, and the approvals also vary depending on how a material is processed.

Food nozzles 3d printed in BLUECARE and DETECT materials. Some of them were post-processed by vapor smoothing.

PLA, for example, is considered a food-safe material by the FDA, but only if it is not colored; the same applies to PETG. As these materials are mainly processed using the FDM process, there is a further problem, as the materials could become contaminated through contact with nozzles and hoses. SLS 3D printing eliminates this fundamental problem, making the process more suitable for processing food-safe materials. However, if taking a closer look at the available materials – PA11 and PA12 – there is only a limited number of certified materials that are truly safe for the end user. One manufacturer trying to close this gap is FABULOUS. The French company has already made a name for itself in Europe with its technical 3D printing materials and is now looking to gain a foothold in the North American market, thanks to its international patent extension to the United States.