Australians could soon be 3D printing entire meals in what could be the biggest cooking advance since microwave ovens.
Researchers want to bring the taste of popular foods to life through 3D printers-and even help people tailor their diets to improve their health at the same time.
Mums and dads with fond memories of watching cartoon space family The Jetsons might soon be making space-age dishes for real, with the developers suggesting ready-to-eat meals and individual ingredients could be available in households shops and restaurants in as little as four years.
Our cars still don't fly, but The Jetsons cartoon that was around when some parents were kids had creators who imagined all sorts of crazy possibilities for food in the future-concepts that do not seem so crazy now that 3D-printed food is here.
Hearty Adventures in Food and Play research lab director Dr Rohit Ashok Khot said the technology needed to make printing food would revolutionize shopping and eating habits in a way not seen since the microwave oven became a common household appliance.
“Food printing, I think, has lots of potential for our future mainly because of the way it can connect digital with physical," Dr Khot said. "The last major invention that happened around cooking was microwaves, which was around the 1970s, so after that there hasn't been anything that has actually caught the mainstream attention. Printing can change that, because it can allow us to then make and design food digitally."
The new machine could even low ingredients to be mixed, printed and baked in the one machine, according to Monash Food Innovation design manager Adam Norris. “Businesses are looking at new ways to provide a unique experience and product, " Mr. Norris said. “We've realized everybody's needs are different. Why not create the food to fit you?"
Dr Khot said painting foods could also help by giving restaurants and cafes a new service to offer customers while reducing the amount of packaging used to sell meals and ingredients.
7. What will be a reality soon for mum and dads?
A.Driving flying cars. | B.Meeting the Jetsons. |
C.Cooking space-age foods. | D.Watching cartoon in space. |
8. Which word best describes the producers of The Jetsons?
A.Creative. | B.Energetic. | C.Intelligent. | D.Adventurous. |
9. What do we learn about the future printing foods?
A.They will lack ingredients | B.They will increase diversity. |
C.They will be much cheaper. | D.They will be much healthier. |
10. What did Dr Khot and Mr Norris have in common about the printing foods?
A.They voiced their concern. | B.They expressed their doubt. |
C.They showed their curiosity. | D.They expressed their support. |