A brief review on 3D printing of chocolate

Abstract

The use of 3D printing (3DP) for food applications is gaining attention both as a research topic and for industrial applications. Chocolate is one of the most common food commodities used for 3DP, owing to its melt extrusion capability and popularity in the high-end food industry. However, chocolate remains a difficult substrate to work with, due to its complex composition as well as rheological properties. The quality of cocoa beans and the processing conditions of chocolate manufacture influence the quality of 3DP. This review briefly covers areas such as processing of chocolate, types of 3D printing of chocolate, rheology of chocolate inks, textural attributes and sensory evaluation of the 3D chocolate products.