Optimization of the temperature profile of cake batter in an ohmic heating – assisted printing nozzle for 3D food printing applications

Abstract

3D printing of food has great potential for applications such as the design of customised food or the creation of innovative textures. However, printed products often do not retain their structure due to the composition of the material, especially in the case of cereal products. Cooking such products with a nozzle could be an alternative to meet this challenge. The objective of this work was to develop, with the help of a numerical model, a 3D cake batter printing nozzle in which ohmic heating is used for baking. The use of a temperature and shear rate dependent viscosity allowed the solidification of the batter during baking due to starch gelatinization. The numerical model made it possible to predict heterogeneity in temperature distribution. Optimization procedures were used to reach desired temperature profiles at the outlet of the nozzle, reducing by 17 % the electrical power used for heating and by 78 % the energy evacuated during cooling.