Similar to the ubiquitous food replicators in the fictional but inspiring universe of "Star Trek," the idea of creating food with a 3D printer is just on the horizon — or starting to heat up on the burner, as it were.
Anjan Contractor, a mechanical engineer employed by Systems & Materials Research Corporation, has the plans for a prototype of a 3D printing machine that works with basic nutrients instead of inedible materials to create meals for human consumption.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration found the idea so exciting, it gave Systems & Materials Research a six-month, $125,000 grant to create the high-tech meal maker, according to report by Quartz.com.
The space agency is interested in the project, not surprisingly, because 3D food printing could provide a way of feeding astronauts on lengthy missions in space or those selected to set up house on other worlds like, oh, Mars.
Of course, as the population back on Earth continues to grow and the task of feeding everyone becomes ever more difficult with today's farming methods, the 3D technology could prove key in feeding the hungry planet, said Contractor, who "sees a day when every kitchen has a 3D printer, and the Earth's 12 billion people feed themselves customized, nutritionally appropriate meals synthesized one layer at a time, from cartridges of powder and oils they buy at the corner grocery store," according to the Quartz.com report.
Contractor is working through a way to develop powder cartridges for his 3D food printer that contain basic nutrients including sugars, complex carbohydrates, proteins and other fundamental components of food.
The food cartridges would be able to keeps their contents fresh for decades, so it would be more than likely all the nutrients inside would be used up before they expired, Contracter said, adding the technology could drastically reduce the waste of food.
NASA and other parties have in recent years advanced plans for long-distance crewed missions to Mars and near-Earth asteroids - voyages during which a device such as Contracter's 3D printer would seemingly be ideal.
"Long-distance space travel requires 15-plus years of shelf life. The way we are working on it is, all the carbs, proteins, and macro and micro nutrients are in powder form. We take moisture out, and in that form it will last maybe 30 years," said Contractor, who added that pizza is one of the simplest dishes to prepare "because it can be printed in distinct layers, so it only requires the print head to extrude one substance at a time."
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