Session: General Poster:

Organogelators are structuring molecules forming a three-dimensional (3D) network within the body of oils to improve the functionality of liquid oils in foods. The use of the organogelation concept in 3D food printing studies is underexplored, especially in investigating the post-processing capacity of 3D-printed food structures. Moreover, the use of edible liquid oils in cookies is problematic, and liquid oils may interfere with the stability of food inks. Therefore, structuring liquid oils can be an alternative route to obtain printable and structurally stable cookies. This study explores the use of oil structuring agents in 3D-printed cookie formulas and their contribution to structural stability. In this context, carnauba wax in various concentrations (0, 2, and 4 % (w/w)) in either sunflower oil or corn oil were prepared. The polymorphism, crystallinity, and microstructure were evaluated using polarized light microscopy, while rheological studies disclosed the viscoelastic and thixotropic nature of the organogel-based cookies. The printability and shape stability were examined based on dimensional properties of printed and baked structures, respectively. All samples exhibited gel-like behavior with the varying modulus values where the differences of up to three-fold were noted depending on the formulation. The viscosity and the stability of the cookies increased significantly when the wax concentration was increased. Oil type had proven to exert a significant effect on the mechanical properties and microstructural properties of cookies. Oils without organogelator failed to create self-sustained 3D-printed structures, whereas oils reinforced with organogelator (2 and 4 % w/w) produced self-supporting structures stable over baking. Increased storage, loss, and complex modulus that led to reinforced structures can be associated with the strong network formed between the crystalline gelator structure and the oil phase. Considering the outcomes, organogelation is a promising approach to overcome the printability and post-processing related issues in 3D food printing studies.

Mengshi Lin

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