3D printed food

http://www.kafevendingmachines.co.uk/blog/2013-blog/october/3d-printed-food
3D printed food
I know I wouldn't qualify as a Star Trek aficionado, or Trekkie as the devoted fan is commonly known, but I certainly used to enjoy watching Next Era with an enthusiasm that I've never managed to conjure up for soap operas. Several aspects intrigued and enthralled, not minimum the food replicators. It seemed such a miraculous step away from supermarket queues and cooking. Now although we still haven't mastered warp pace or transporters, replicators have indeed crossed the divide between science fiction and reality in the form of 3D printers. 3D printers create products by building them up layer upon layer using a variety of materials devices, toys, device parts, even a working gun have all rather worryingly been achieved. However, these futuristic devices are already using some foodstuffs too, particularly sugar and chocolate. Intricate edible designs and sculptures seem limited only by creativeness.NASA are keen to take the food application a step further, as they seek ways to adequately feed astronauts on a potential Mars mission. A Texas based company was awarded an innovation research grant to look at the feasibility of using 3D printing to provide food in space, after presenting their ideas at the Humans 2 Mars summit last May. A mission to Mars would require sufficiently wholesome and varied food over a far longer period than has ever been the case before. The idea is to store the ingredients in powdered form within cartridges. These would later on be combined, according to the individual astronaut's chosen recipe, alongside with drinking water and oil and sprayed out layer by layer to provide the meal.This has got me wondering how long it might be until vending devices become 3D snack printers. You could design your very own biscuit to go with your cup of tea!