Exploring puffed rice as a novel ink for 3D food printing: Rheological characterization and printability analysis
Bo-Ram Park, Junhee No, Hyeonbin Oh, Chan-Soon Park, Kwan‐Mo You, Legesse Shiferaw Chewaka
Abstract
This study introduces a novel approach by using puffed rice (PR) as a sustainable and innovative ink for 3D food printing. Due to gelatinization and dextrinization, PR saw notable water absorption and solubility gains, with a modest viscosity uptick from 39.2 to 49.9 RVU, sharply contrasting Native rice (NR)'s jump from 128.9 to 167.8 RVU, emphasizing PR's minimal retrogradation. Gelatinized rice (GR) demonstrates similar stability in viscosity changes as PR, yet it requires more water and extended processing times for gelatinization. Conversely, PR's puffing process, which eliminates the need for water, offers quicker preparation and notable environmental benefits. Rheological analysis at 25% PR concentration reveals an optimal balance of viscosity ( η , 897.4 Pa s), yield stress ( τ y , 2471.3 Pa), and flow stress ( τ f , 1509.2 Pa), demonstrating superior viscoelastic properties that facilitate enhanced printability and shape fidelity. Texture Profile Analysis outcomes reveals that PR significantly enhances key textural properties including hardness, adhesiveness, and springiness at this specific concentration. These findings highlight PR's potential as an eco-friendly and efficient ink choice for 3D-printed food products, providing enhanced performance and sustainability compared to GR and NR. • Puffed rice (PR) is explored as a novel, sustainable ink for 3D food printing. • Puffing enhances PR's water-binding capacity and rheological properties. • PR's suitability for 3D printing is analyzed through concentration variations. • The study explores PR’s potential for intricate, custom food designs in 3D printing. • Rheological characteristics of PR correlate with texture, influencing 3D food printing applications.