Precise Extrusion of Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) Starch Sol Filaments: Printability Analysis and Process...

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Materials Science
• Engineering

Background:

• Three-dimensional (3D) food printing is an emerging technology for creating novel food structures.
• Sweet potato starch (SPS) presents potential as a printable food ink due to its properties.
• Optimizing extrusion is crucial for successful 3D food printing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize the printing conditions for extruding sweet potato starch (SPS) filaments for 3D food printing.
• To determine the rheological and mechanical properties of SPS sol for extrudability and shape retention.
• To develop mathematical models for predicting filament dimensions based on printing parameters.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and a desirability function for optimization.
• Investigated filament extrusion using nozzle diameters of 1.5 mm and 4.0 mm.
• Analyzed the effects of moisture content, print temperature, and print speed on filament characteristics.

Main Results:

• Optimal printing conditions were determined for both nozzle sizes.
• For the 1.5 mm nozzle: 82% moisture, 57°C, 10 mm/s (desirability 0.842).
• For the 4.0 mm nozzle: 82.3% moisture, 50°C, 5 mm/s (desirability 0.911).

Conclusions:

• Successfully optimized printing parameters for SPS filaments.
• The optimized filaments are suitable for creating complex 3D food shapes.
• This research advances the application of 3D food printing with plant-based ingredients.