The role of controlled voids shape on the flexural properties of 3D printed food: an approach for tailoring their mechanical properties

The study of the mechanical properties of 3D printed food is crucial for food personalisation. Texture impacts the sensory experience along the oral food consumption. This work aimed to investigate the mechanical properties of post-processed printed food samples with different porosity topologies (triangled-shape/squared-shape). Image analysis showed changes in the structure before and after post-processing. The mechanical properties characterised via 3-point bending tests revealed that triangle-shaped topologies presented lower strength (20% less) and higher flexural stiffness (≈20%) when compared to the square-shaped topologies. A qualitative comparison of the porosity topologies and their role in the stiffness of structures under tensile and bending loads was performed via finite element models. The flexural stiffness varied between the triangle-shaped designs (13–35%) but remained almost constant for square-shaped designs (40–43%). The results presented in this work showed that the mechanical properties of 3D-printed food could be modified by the selection of porosity topology.