3D printers used seven ingredients to create cheesecakes
3D printers could be the bakers of the future, according to international experts who attempted to make cheesecakes out of seven ingredients
READING LEVEL: GREEN
The new “must-have” kitchen appliance* could soon be a 3D printer, with cheesecake first on the menu.
In a recent article for npj Science of Food, researchers demonstrated* the capabilities* of a digital cooking approach using edible food inks to create a variety of cheesecake designs.
The team of researchers, led by Jonathan Blutinger, experimented* with seven ingredients – graham cracker, peanut butter, Nutella, banana puree, strawberry jam, cherry drizzle, and frosting – to perfect their designs.
By using graham crackers as a foundation* and peanut butter and Nutella as supporting layers for the softer ingredients, such as banana and jam, they were able to achieve the best results.
While still in its early stages, 3D food printing has the potential to revolutionise* the way we prepare and enjoy food.
Beyond cheesecake, the possibilities for 3D food printing are endless. By using laser cooking and precision heating, chefs may soon be able to create food experiences that are customised* down to a millimetre scale.
This could open up a whole new world of culinary* possibilities.
In addition to offering exciting new ways to cook, 3D food printing also has the potential to improve food safety by reducing the need for human handling.
This is especially important in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, where there has been a greater emphasis on food safety and hygiene.
GLOSSARY
- appliance: a device or piece of equipment designed to perform a specific task
- demonstrated: clearly show the existence or truth of something by giving proof or evidence
- capabilities: the power or ability to do something
- experimented: perform a scientific procedure, especially in a laboratory, to determine something
- foundation: a body or ground upon which something is built up or overlaid
- revolutionise: make a big change or improvement to the way people do a particular activity
- customised: modify something to suit a particular individual or task
- culinary: of or for cooking
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QUICK QUIZ
- How many ingredients did the researchers experiment with to make 3D printed cheesecake?
- List three of the ingredients.
- What are some potential benefits of using 3D printers to create meals?
- How could 3D printing improve food safety?
- Where was the information about the research published?
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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. The Perfect Cake
What would be your perfect, most delicious, great looking cake? Write a description of this cake. Your description must help your reader see, smell, taste and feel how amazing and yummy your cake is!
Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English.
2. Extension
Can you think of a way that 3D printing could be used to make something at school better or easier? Write a description and create a plan for your idea.
Time: allow 30 minutes to complete this activity.
Curriculum Links: English, Design and Technologies.
VCOP ACTIVITY
Opener up-level it
Make a list of all the openers in the article. Pick three that repeat and see if you can replace them with another word, or shuffle the order of the sentence to bring a new opener to the front.
Don’t forget to re-read the sentence to make sure it still makes sense, and that it actually sounds better.