Printable food: the technology and its application in human health.

Millions of Americans suffer from diseases and conditions that require careful control of their diet as part of treatment. The current solution is to have each person customize their own food choices. Food production automation can enable consumer specific data to be easily integrated into the food as it is being prepared. This would improve the quality and utility of the food without a cognitive burden on the consumer. 3D Printing is an ideal family of technologies for enabling such mass customization of food. Current efforts in 3D printing food are focused on improving the artistic quality of food in the short term and consumer health in the long term.