Development and 3D printing of fortified gummies as a food supplement to meet specific health conditions

• Grant number: 23/10387-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Support Program for Fixating Young Doctors
• Start date: September 01, 2023
• End date: August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Engineering
• Agreement: CNPq
• Principal Investigator: Carmen Cecilia Tadini
• Grantee: Fernanda Thaís Vieira Rubio
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 23/01174-4 - Development and 3D printing of fortified gummies as a food supplement to meet specific health conditions, AP.R

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a great change in the behavior of consumers, who are increasingly looking for more natural products that bring some health benefits. In addition, thousands of people suffer from specific diseases and conditions such as allergies, intolerances, digestion problems, limitations in the ability to chew or swallow foods, and, as part of the treatment, they need to change their diets. As a result, the food industry has sought to diversify its products and adapt foods and diets based on specific health conditions. 3D food printing has gained increasing attention for its unique potential to customize products that would not be easily produced by conventional processing methods. Although the advances in this technology are significant, the development of pseudoplastic formulations suitable for printing still represents a challenge and provides a broader exploration of the rheological and textural characteristics of food "inks". In this context, chewable candy formulations represent promising models for this study. Chewable candies can be carriers of medicines, vitamins, and bioactive compounds. Their main advantages are their attractive appearance, ease of chewing, swallowing, transporting, and the possibility of adding different colors and flavors. The main objective of this project is to develop a chewable candy formulation, with relatively low-cost materials, that is suitable for 3D printing and serves as a food model for the incorporation of encapsulated bioactive compounds. Therefore, we seek to produce personalized food supplements focused on specific health conditions.