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Article

Innovating Gastronomy through Information Technology: A Bibliometric Analysis of 3D Food Printing for Present and Future Research

by
Ibrahim A. Elshaer
1,2,*,
Alaa M. S. Azazz
3,4,
Mohamed A. Zayed
5,6,
Faleh A. Ameen
7,8,
Sameh Fayyad
2,9,
Amr Mohamed Fouad
10,
Noha Ibrahim Khalil
11 and
Eslam Ahmed Fathy
10
1
Department of Management, College of Business Administration, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 380, Hofuf 31982, Al-Ahsaa, Saudi Arabia
2
Hotel Studies Department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
3
Department of Tourism and Hospitality, Arts College, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 380, Hofuf 31982, Al-Ahsaa, Saudi Arabia
4
Tourism Studies Department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
5
Deanship of Student Affairs, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 380, Hofuf 31982, Al-Ahsaa, Saudi Arabia
6
Department of Fitness, Gymnastics and Sports Show, Faculty of Physical Education, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21625, Egypt
7
Agribusiness and Consumer Sciences Department, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 380, Hofuf 31982, Al-Ahsaa, Saudi Arabia
8
Agricultural Economic Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, Assiut 71625, Egypt
9
Hotel Management Department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, October 6 University, Giza 12573, Egypt
10
Hotel Management Department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management, Pharos University in Alexandria, Canal El mahmoudia Street, Beside Green Plaza Complex, Alexandria 21648, Egypt
11
Tourist Studies Department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Matrouh University, Mersa Matruh 51511, Egypt
 
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Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Information 2024, 15(8), 471; https://doi.org/10.3390/info15080471
Submission received: 4 July 2024 / Revised: 2 August 2024 / Accepted: 5 August 2024 / Published: 8 August 2024
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Information Technology)
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Abstract

:
Three-dimensional food printing (3DFP) has now emerged as the new paradigm shift in culinary arts and is leading to a dramatic transformation of traditional cuisine. This paper aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the literature associated with 3DFP research. In the Scopus database, an initial search provided 2188 documents. Applying the PRISMA criteria reduced these documents by narrowing the research to 545 articles. The bibliometric analysis confirmed the growth of research interest in the topic over the past ten years, demonstrating a substantial rise in publications between 2021 and 2023. We also investigated major journals and authors who play the most significant role in the field. The study also provides insight into how 3DFP is applied to deliver delicious, healthy, and visually appealing meals and mitigate food waste. It also highlights and strengthens the argument for design possibilities to manufacture such shapes and include other raw materials. This bibliometric analysis not only visualizes 3DFP’s research trend but also provides future research directions, focusing on its role in the food industry and gastronomy as well as its contribution to sustainable development.

1. Introduction

Culinary art has developed significantly in recent years due to the integration of 3D food printing (3DFP) technology as a modern trend. Undoubtedly, 3DFP has played a pivotal role in transforming it drastically from conventional cuisine into digital gastronomy [1]. Thus, it is able to reshape the food flavor, color, texture; to convert into jovial shapes, a tailored food diet, help elderly society who have difficulties with swallowing and chewing, and making healthy meals by employing healthy ingredients [2], crafting exceptional gastronomic encounters. It mitigates food waste and attempts to foster a sustainable environment by employing the ingredients more easily in transportation, storage, and reusing [3,4,5]. Furthermore, 3DFP technology has been used to create a variety of food items, confectionery items, and confectionery items, including pasta, pizza, meat, chocolate, and decorative cake toppings [6].
Traditional 3D printing used to be a method of additive manufacturing where ingredients were added to different layers while sculpting the desired shape. Unlike the more conventional culinary method of using a mold, 3D printing does not merely confine itself to the more rapid prototyping but goes beyond to other applications like full-scale production and customized food creation [7]. The 3D CAD drawing will be sliced into various thin cross-sectional slices using software; since the 1980s, it has been utilized in the food industry [8]; 3DFP provides design flexibility [9,10] and allows for combining nutritional content [11], food customization to fit precisely the users’ preferences and needs [12]. The benefit of 3DFP includes its ability to craft complex shapes well, heuristic, creative, healthy, and sustainable [13,14]. Three-dimensional printers allow designers to produce creative food alternatives by consuming sustainable resources and controlling the nutritional composition like edible insects and algae [15]. Nova Meat and Biozoon research groups have developed green bean steaks and chicken dishes that blend ingredients and nutritious components to provide high-quality meals [16]. This novel methodology promotes both creativity [6,7,16] and sustainability [15].
In 2011, 3DFP technology emerged, with the UK’s prototype 3D chocolate printer followed by Spain’s food printer “Foodini”, which developed complex shapes [17]. The food and catering industries have experienced a revolution due to the rapid growth in 3DFP for food technology [18]. Ultimately, it began the 3DFP era, revolutionizing the culinary art business [6]. The Y generation is more enthusiastic about using 3DFP in culinary art [19]. There are two main categories [20]. Firstly, fused deposition modeling (FDM) substitutes traditional molding processes [21]. Second is ink-jet, which can create 3D shapes [22]. Both strategies rely on the utilization of computer-generated design [23].
It is known that 3DFP has special characteristics that set it apart from conventional food production methods. The main characteristic is the ability to customize and personalize food products, in that it offers the ability to tailor shape, texture, and nutrient content, even flavor profiles, according to needs [2,6,23]. It gives ultimate design freedom in the creation of complex food designs and structures unreachable by traditional means and is poised to revolutionize food presentation and sensory experience [6]. Under development at the very center of its functionality is creating suitable “food inks” with appropriate rheology properties to render them printable, an area of ongoing research and improvement [22]. Moreover, temperature, pressure, and speed are among the numerous printing parameters that can be modified to achieve the final product’s optimal quality and characteristics [23]. Furthermore, this technology has a huge potential to reduce food waste by valorizing these green products and reducing waste generation from manufacturing processes [3]. All of these characteristics position 3DFP as potentially one of the transformative technologies for the food industry that will forever transform cooking and the consumer experience.
The current study aims to delve into 3D printing application in the food industry realm to scrutinize its evolution, contemporary trends, prospects, and recommendations for restaurant and food industry entrepreneurs, utilizing the bibliometric analysis method of 3DFP publications. Also, the current study illustrates the recent trends in 3D food printing in numerous areas of study. Scopus and WoS are two of the most widely used bibliographic databases for bibliometric research; nevertheless, our study relies on Scopus because to its more comprehensive indexing and broader coverage [24]. The authors utilized the Scopus database to extract data required to answer the forthcoming study questions:
  • What is the distribution of scientific journal articles about 3DFP by years for the last decade?
  • What are the most relevant journals and authors in 3DFP research?
  • What are the most productive countries in 3DFP research area?
  • What are the primary research keywords for the last decade of 3DFP?
  • What is the most important subject area involving 3DFP?
Although 3DFP has been notably examined by the scientific community in recent years, an overview of the research landscape and where it meets gastronomy and culinary arts is still lacking [4]. Most reviews, until now, have addressed the technical features of 3DFP, discussing proper techniques for printing, material properties, and possible food applications [2,6]. However, it has not really explored the wider implications that this has upon the culinary world in general, consumer acceptance, or the future of food experiences [13].
The research fills this gap by carrying out the bibliometric analysis of 3DFP publications to discover trends in gastronomy innovation and culinary applications. Contrasted with other analyses focusing more on technical aspects, we concentrate on certain research questions vital to understand how far 3DFP would unlock future potential related to providing new culinary experiences to consumers.
Understanding the trends in publication over time (Question 1) is very instrumental in ascertaining the growth trajectory and maturity of 3DFP research, an indicator of the level of interest and investment in this developing field. The identification of influential journals and authors has been instrumental (Question 2) in providing a roadmap for researchers and practitioners to have access to the key sources of knowledge and key monitoring of state-of-the-art advancements in 3DFP. Mapping the geographic distribution of research can help to identify potential centers of excellence and international collaboration opportunities for advancing 3DFP technology and applications. Such an analysis of prevalent keywords will outline the main themes and changing focuses of research in the domain of 3DFP, pointing towards important knowledge gaps that future research should target. Finally, identification of the dominant subject areas—Question 5—is indicative of the interdisciplinary nature of 3DFPN research and directive collaboration from food science, engineering, design, and culinary arts. In light of these five key questions, the bibliometric study is of great interest for researchers and industry partners working in the food sector and culinary experts seeking inspiration for future creative innovation and for the wider application of 3DFPN to create new food experiences.

2. Materials and Methods

The current study conducted a bibliometric analysis. The current research used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement template. Page et al. [25] stated that comprehensive reporting utilizing the PRISMA template permits readers to determine the methodologies’ relevance and the reliability of the study’s results. Using the PRISMA template entails four phases: identification, screening, eligibility, and finally determining what studies were incorporated into the review [26]. The processes’ details are elucidated deeper in Figure 1. Finally, after refinement, the current manuscript reviewed the 545 articles in 3DFP research area.
The chosen topic that was used in this study was 3D food printing. The identification of records in the Scopus database using the keywords “3D Printing, 3-D Printing, 3D-printing, Three Dimensional Printing, 3D Food Printing, 3d Food Printing, Three-dimensional (3D) Printing” was step one of the identification phase using the PRISMA statement template. A total number of 2188 documents were found. Phase two screening involves a limited period and subject areas. Firstly, the results were limited to the previous 10 years (2014–2023) and decreased to 1842 documents. Secondly, the number of documents decreased again to 1223 when irrelevant fields such as engineering, immunology and microbiology, physics and astronomy, nursing, pharmacology, toxicology, and pharmaceutics were excluded.
In the third stage, known as eligibility, proceedings, reviews, editorial documents, and conference papers were excluded from the search, resulting in the selection of only high-quality articles. After the eligibility stage, the number of documents was 738. After excluding 53 articles not written in English, 552 articles remained for the analysis. Finally, the fourth stage is included, which is selecting the final documents for review after excluding 12 articles not published in scientific journals, providing only 445 articles for review. Table 1 show the set criteria of excluding and inclusion.
The VOSviewer software version 1.6.20 is widely used and crucial tool of data analysis and visualize and bibliometric data analysis [27]. R’s Biblioshiny version 4.1, VOSviewer version 1.6.20, Bibliometrix version 4.1, and Microsoft Excel version 20 were used for a statistical study of the publications.

3. Results

Exclusively, we intended to answer the following research questions.
  • Question 1:
To answer the first research question, the current study conducted an analysis of the distribution of the number of 3DFP publications over the previous decade between 2014 and 2023. Figure 2 illustrates the rate of increase and decrease in the publication numbers across the previous decade. Also, it proved that research interest and publishing increased in the last three years of 2021, 2022, and 2023 (97, 124, and 178 documents, respectively). There was a single document for 2014. The number of articles published in 2021 increased by almost 70% compared to the 2020, 28% to 2021, and 66% to 2022. The increase is expected to continue in the future due to increased interest in sustainability, healthy meals, and consumers’ desire for visually appealing meals.
  • Question 2:
The second question aimed to identify the most relevant journals and authors in the 3DFP field. Table 2 depicts the ten most productive journals of 3DFP publications and the most important details about it as analysis criteria, such as the total publications (TC), total citation (TC), cite score, the most cited article, times cited, and publisher. Also, it reveals the journal of “Food Hydrocolloids” as the most productive journal of the 3DFP field, with a total publication number of 3071, total citations of 59,132, and a total of 79 relevant documents. In the second rank, “Journal of Food Engineering” has a total publication of 1247, total citations of 14,682, and 76 relevant documents. In addition, the “Food Research International” journal has the third rank, with a total publication of 1247, a total citation of 14,682, and 38 relevant documents. Additionally, Table 2 displays the ranking of the most productive journals about 3DFP. The Table 2 depicts that Elsevier had the largest share, occupying the first six ranks and ninth ranks among all publishers.
In Figure 3, regarding Bradford’s Law, some of the identified significant journals include Food Hydrocolloids, Journal of Food Engineering, and Food Research International, among others within the field of 3DFP. As identified in Figure 3, these journals are the primary source of the new literature and innovation in gastronomy that merges technology and cuisine. Therefore, the study provides the most extensive coverage of relevant and productive publications, crucial for identifying current and developing future trends. Such a focus not only improves the quality and persuasiveness of the research findings but also helps reveal new opportunities and break foreseen milestones in the sphere of 3DFP.
Figure 4 exhibits the number of articles published in “Journal of Food Engineering”, “Food Chemistry”, “Food Hydrocolloids”, “Food Research International”, and “Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies” over the years 2014 to 2023, which also corroborates the fact of growing interest and research activity towards 3DFP. The analysis confirms that the volume increased in 2017 and is dominated by “Journal of Food Engineering” based on cumulative frequencies. This trend shows that the awareness of 3DFP as the disruption in the field is increasing due to the developments in food science and technology. The tremendous increase in these important journals supports the centrality of these key journals in reporting cutting-edge research, thus substantiating their categorization as essential sources in our bibliometric assessment. This insight is important for determining the direction of innovation and informing future research topics on technology and food.
The second question also sought to identify the 15 most productive authors in the field of 3DFP in the Scopus database, as shown in Table 3. Furthermore, Table 3 utilizes the analysis criteria that includes all the authors’ data such as the author’s name, year of first publication, total publication, H-index, total citations, current affiliation, and country. Moreover, the most productive authors in current field are arranged according to their H-index in Table 3. Thus, “Zhang, M.” was the most prolific author, with a 101 H-index, 1996 was the first author publication, with a total publication of 867, at Jiangnan University, and from China. The second most prolific author was “Bhandari, B.” with a 92 H-index. The first author publication was 1995, with a total publication of 556, at The University of Queensland, and from Australia. The third most prolific author was “Park, H.J.”, with a 19 H-index, 2018 was the first author publication, with a total publication of 48, at the Korea University, and from South Korea. According to the country criteria, the authors from China have the largest share, occupying six ranks: 1, 6,10, 12, 13, and 14. They are followed by three countries with the same share of productive authors: Australia, South Korea, and Italy. According to H-index criteria, the first author “Zhang, M.” from China, and the second author “Bhandari, B.” from Australia retained their ranks, while “Park, H.J.” from South Korea ascended to third rank. Furthermore, Table 3 presents the other most prolific authors, arranged descending from the highest to lowest in the 3DFP field.
Figure 5 represents the research output of various authors in the domain of 3D food printing from the years 2017 to 2023. Zhang M., in blue, starts from a low output of 1 research paper in the year 2017, shows considerable improvement, peaking in 2021 with 10, and then a rebound in 2023 to 11. Bhandari B. is in orange. The publications increased consistently from 2017 with two, hitting the top in 2019 with nine and in 2021 with nine, then dropped in 2022 to one and in 2023 to four. Kim H.W. is shown in gray. The activity is pretty regular, hitting a peak in 2022 with seven, dropping in 2023 to five, with a medium rise in 2021 to six. Park H.J. is shown in yellow. There is growth from 2017 with one, peaking in 2022 with seven, declining in 2023 to four. Prakash S. in light blue peaked in 2019 with six, declined in 2021 to one with a moderate output and slight increase in 2023 to five. Liu Z. in green has been gradually increasing, with five in 2021, with an increase in 2023 to six. These trends underline considerable activity in the period around 2020–2021, likely correlating with developments in the field of 3D food printing technology.
  • Question 3:
The question sought to unveil the 10 most significant countries and academic institutions producing research in the 3DFP field. Table 4 and Figure 6 demonstrate the country, the most productive academic institution, and total publication as analysis criteria to answer this question. It shows that China had the largest share of scientific production in 3DFP research and Xi’an Jiaotong University’s (220 documents) is the most productive institution in the country, followed by Australia with the University of Queensland, and then the United States of America with Cornell University, which had a similar number of publications, with 62 publications and 61 publications, respectively. After presenting the three most productive countries, Table 4 shows the remaining seven countries that are most productive for 3DFP research.
According to Figure 6, research conducted by different countries is quite unequal. Figure 6 demonstrates that China is remarkable as the leading nation, with more than 220 publications. This dominant position also reflects China’s significant investment and keen interest in the development of this innovative technology. The next two most productive countries are Australia and the United States, which produce a similar but significantly lower volume of research than China. Thus, the given pattern suggests that, while the adoption of 3DFP technologies remains limited in these regions, it is still escalating. Other countries like the Republic of Korea, United Kingdom, and India also contribute significant value, demonstrating the increasing worldwide awareness for the future possibilities of this technology in the food industry. Actually, the number of studies originating from other countries like Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, and Spain also strengthens the cross-nationality and cooperation for conducting research in this emerging area.
Using VOSviewer software, this study then looked at co-authorship relationships with countries involved in 3DFP technology research. According to Figure 7 and Figure 8, China displayed the maximum number of co-authorship and country link strengths, with 108 linkages involving 220 papers and 9221 TC. Australia, with 48 links with other nations comprising 62 documents and 4295 TC, had the second-highest link strength among the countries displayed. The co-authorship relationships of other nations are also displayed on the map. China has the highest centrality, which means it is considered the most important country and interacts with many countries. Large sizes of Chinese node suggest significant publication collaborations involving Chinese scholars. A vast number of documents are also observed regarding cooperation with the US, Australia, and the UK, revealing that Asia, including China, has produced many joint papers along with other countries. It also reveals regional specialized clusters, like green for the USA, and several European countries, blue for Australia, India, and some neighboring countries; and red for Netherland, Spain, and Japan. Other countries that had only a few registered papers include Turkey, Egypt, and several European countries like Finland, Ireland, and Denmark, which indicate emerging collaborations in this area of research.
  • Question 4:
The fourth question, aimed to identify primary research keywords for the last decade of 3DFP.
Figure 8 and Figure 9 is a network map that shows the interconnectedness between various related keywords of the 3D printing domain. This map visually represents how various keywords are related to one another based on their co-occurrence in article. The node’s size depends on the number of times a particular keyword is used and the line’s thickness determines the link’s strength between two specific keywords. This study investigated the co-occurrence of all keywords in the data associated with 3DFP. Figure 5 is a map based on the co-occurrence relationships of all keywords in the Scopus database. According to Table 5, keywords in the literature of the articles that have the highest co-occurrence used are “3D printing” (Occurrences “Occ” = 335; link strength (Tls) = 3439), followed by “3-d printing” (Occ = 280; Tls = 3530). Other keywords with high co-occurrence included “3d printers” (Occ = 248; Tls = 3061), “3d-printing” (Occ = 224; Tls = 2854), “three dimensional printing” (Occ = 140; Tls = 2329), and “printing, three-dimensional” (Occ = 100; Tls = 1652).
Furthermore, Figure 10 shows the analysis of the co-occurrence of author keywords: “3D printing” scored the highest (Occ = 266; Tls = 254), followed by “3D food printing” (Occ = 109; Tls = 109). Further keywords include “rheological property” (Occ = 47; Tls = 85), “rheological property” (Occ = 47; Tls = 73), “rheology” (Occ = 34; Tls = 65), and “Texture” (Occ = 27; Tls = 58), as shown in the map (Figure 11).
The thematic map in Figure 12 visualizes the current state of 3DFP and identifies themes by their density, degree of development and centrality degree of relevance.
As can be seen on the map, “three-dimensional printing”, “printing”, and “three-dimensional article” are fully developed and core topics, which are located in the motor themes sector, which highlights their importance and the fact that they are an essential part of the subject. Against that, the themes of “3-d printing”, “3d printers”, and “3D printing” are in the emerging or declining quadrant. This means that they are relevant but still emerging themes. Moreover, it indicates that these are ongoing themes that need more exploration for their applications.
Figure 13 shows a conceptual structure map obtained through multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and visualizes the main thematic 3D food printing research landscape clusters. The two big research clusters identified on the map appear to be those in a purple and red shade. Terms comprising the purple cluster are “extrusion”, “additives”, “textures”, “X3d printing”, and “rheology”—these term make one think that analysis is more focused on the technical issues related to 3D food printing. Terms in the red cluster include “humans”, “procedures”, “animals”, “three dimensional printing”, and “chemistry”, indicating that an emergent trend relates to an interest in first applications and consequences of using the technology, including personalized nutrition and medical treatments. The separate existence of this cluster of “flow.kinetics” indicates that an incipient research line has started that tries already to consider the dynamic properties of the material in food printing. Words that belong to the smaller green cluster are “oils and fats”, “emulsification”, and “emulsions”, and they represent challenges and opportunities within printed complex food structures.
  • Question 5:
The fifth question aimed to identify the most important subject area encompassing 3DFP. The most relevant academic fields containing articles on 3DFP are agricultural and biological science (33%, representing 401 publications), chemistry (20%, representing 252 publications), and chemical engineering (11%, representing 134 publications), as shown in Figure 14. The arts and humanities and psychology fields published the fewest publications for each both (three publications), and neuroscience published two publications. The remaining data of other fields publications related to 3DFP are shown in Figure 14.

4. Discussion

Analyzes of Scopus database documents were used to answer the research questions systematically. It is known that 3DFP is a modern concept that brings together theoretical and practical applications. This study reveals an intriguing upward trend in this field of research. This is more than just a statistic; it is also a milestone in changing the global perception of how food printing is a solution for the future of the food industry. The results’ trends indicate a significant rise in the number of articles related to 3DFP in 2021–2023. This growth may indicate an increasing appreciation for this technology’s capabilities, which can provide solutions to existing issues in the food business [23,28,29]. The availability of articles indicates an increasing interest in technology in larger settings relating to food processing and consumption [30,31]. Several factors contributed to accelerating interest in 3DFP research. Firstly, concerns about sustainability have raised awareness of environmental problems, including climate change, global warming, and resource depletion [32,33,34]. Progress in this area has enabled the discovery of other techniques in the production of foods that will help avoid wastage, preserve the environment, and boost the sustainability of agriculture. Furthermore, due to increased health consciousness, consumers are shifting their focus and, thus, there is portion of this market focusing more on eating healthier and specific foods [35,36]. It is known that 3DFP offers an engineering solution for tailored food design and nutrition management, a tool for food product prototyping to aid in creating new food products, and is a possible machine to reorganize a tailored food supply chain [37,38]. Finally, consumers are also placing more emphasis on new dining and novel experiences [39]. Thus, the 3DFP can produce well-crafted design, distinctive food presentations, and visually appealing meals.
Additionally, the most cited article dealt with the attributes of ink, printer design, printing parameters, and slicing techniques utilized by 3D printers [40]. Nassar and Fouad [23] assure readers that 3DFP is an emerging technology that food businesses harness to create distinctive shapes to meet various customers’ needs. Along the same line, the 3DFP Pyramid of Gastronomy is a complete framework for 3DFP, as described by Meijers and Han [41]. Three tiers were displayed: level 1: 3DFP advances food technology; level 2: customized diets and gastronomy; and level 3: 3DFP promotes sustainable culinary experiences. Thus, food businesses can design and fabricate food by controlling the printing material and nutrition content to meet individual needs. Furthermore, 3DFP offers solutions that provide an opportunity to design customized food and control personalized nutrition [42].
The most prolific authors found in the current analysis are Zhang, M. from Jiangnan University in China, and Bhandari, B from the University of Queensland in Australia. They analyze the potential of using multiple materials in food printing by focusing on the advantages of applying coaxial nozzles and dual-nozzle extruders compared to single-nozzle ones. They outline the new developments, uses, advantages, issues, and potential of multi-material 3D printing in traditional stuffed foods, food that is essentially filled with some kind of ingredient, like dumplings, pastry, or any food that has an outer covering or shell and inner material, especially its ability to generate nutrient-rich and high-value products. There is still significant potential for double-nozzle printing, although it is challenging, since raw material preparation and processing should be meticulous compared to single-nozzle printing [40].
Based on the bibliometric analysis, a more prominent and dynamic network of 3DFP research is observed globally, with more than double the number of publications and investments from China. Jiangnan University is the dominant academic institute for 3DFP research. One study from China showed that peanut protein led to accurate, stable print inks for fruits and vegetables using high-performance 3D printing [22]. It also proved that gaining high consumer sensory evaluation scores results in good consumer acceptance. Another recent study was conducted to explore printing compounds and ink characteristics. Hence, it focuses on protein and protein–polysaccharide materials in 3DFP while considering nutritional and sensory characteristics [43]. Also, it discusses basic characteristics like extrudability and rheological profile and stresses, its uses in space food, dysphagia food, kids’ food, and meat substitutes. The most cited study from China shows that 3DFP has been studied extensively in the food industry in recent years because of its significant benefits, including individualized food customization, personalized nutrition, and expansion of the range of food material types [44]. However, the analysis reveals the presence of consequently powerful countries such as Australia and the USA behind them, as well as a significant increase in the number of countries contributing to the result, including South Korea, the UK, and India, which points to the increasing awareness of the technology’s capabilities on a global level. Also, the large-scale co-authorship map of China proves that it occupies a central position in the international research network. In the map visualization of these relations, the regional clusters are visible where the US, Europe, Australia, and the adjacent countries are participating in common research topics and could have good opportunities and chances for regional cooperation. Hence, new players like Turkey, Egypt, Finland, Ireland, and Denmark show more interest in this field globally. This study thus provides a global perspective on growing research on 3DFP, which opens up future research on more nuanced aspects of the trends, barriers, and opportunities for development in this emerging field.
The analysis depicts a correlative relation of the keywords searched in 3DFP in the last ten years. It is apparent that technology was the most prioritized theme of the period, which is displayed the high occurrences of terms like “3-d printing”, “3d printing”, and “3d printers”. Those keywords also were highly connected with all the other keywords, and it was an added emphasis on this challenge that the industry should define precisely and specific terminology in addition to a technical approach. However, the results also show that there is a growing interest in the area of applications and material science. The keywords related to the extrusion cooking method including “article”, “textures”, “rheology”, and “proteins” were observed. The use of “3d food printing” as a single keyword commences the initial study stage in this area, as it is gaining more of a distinct field of research. The inclusion of keywords such as “emulsification” and “starch” shows that 3DFP has expanded into the food science field, which already exists.
The current analysis reveals the dominance of scientific disciplines such as agricultural and biological sciences [6], chemistry [45], and chemical engineering [2] as being actively engaged in 3DFP. It also proposes a strong focus on the technical aspects of 3DFP, including materials science [46], food processing [11,47], and bioengineering [48]. The exuberance of agricultural and biological sciences researches reveal a crucial role in developing technology for 3D-printed food [49]. It investigates various topics, involving the properties of raw materials for printed foods (bio-ink), edible raw materials (controlling food risks), food production to meet specific nutritional needs, and supporting environmental stewardship [16]. Chemistry plays a vital role in enhancing quality attributes by adjusting materials characteristics of food printing inks in terms of the texture, taste, protecting flavors, and improving nutritional values [50,51]. As for the development of the design of printers, thermal treatments and the possibility of applying this technology for mass production was achieved with the contribution of chemical engineering [2]. The lack of publications in the humanities, psychology, and neuroscience fields indicates a loss of opportunities to explore the degree of consumer acceptance, transforming future consumption patterns, and the ethical implications of synthetic ingredients used [3]. Collaboration between different fields helps to bridge the research gap and provides a more comprehensive view of how to shape the future of printed food research.
Knowing the distribution of 3D printing techniques applied in the published literature may help put into perspective the technological landscape for this burgeoning field. Our analysis of 545 articles shows that the clear dominance of extrusion-based printing (FDM) aligns with the existing literature [52].
Several aspects contribute to the wide acceptance of FDM in food printing. Firstly, its flexibility when handling a wide range of food materials—from viscous pastes to solid-like compositions—makes it appropriate for a wide range of culinary uses [52]. Secondly, though competitive with methods like SLS or bioprinting, FDM printers are generally relatively inexpensive compared to other alternatives, giving better access to people who would like to use them for research and development [2]. Finally, it has already been established in other industries, making adapting and modifying FDM technology into food easier [2,52].
Although the current research landscape is dominated by FDM, the other techniques that have remained less explored are inkjet printing and bioprinting [6]. This may be due to higher costs associated with equipment and raw materials, greater technical complexity, or unresolved food safety concerns that require more research time and effort. These less common techniques, however, hold huge potential for making future strides in 3DFP related to complex design, nutrition, and novel food structures with living cells.
Although FDM is currently dominant in research, the nature of food materials brings challenges that are different from those in the 3D printing of rigid materials in most conventional applications—inert metals, plastics, and ceramics. This is because food materials are generally of relatively fragile structures and sensitive to various processing parameters compared to other 3D printing ingredients, which resist such tough process conditions [6]. For instance, high temperatures or laser sintering processes used under normal non-food 3D printing are normally unsuitable to preserve edible materials’ sensory qualities and safety [44].
One primary challenge lies in controlling the rheological properties of food inks. To be smoothly extruded with precision layering, the inks have to retain shapes after printing and achieve a good balance in their viscosity, flow behavior, and shear-thinning or thickening attributes [22]. In fact, the printability of the selected material depends greatly on achieving desirable textural attributes in the final printed product [43]. This will include extrudability, layer stability—avoiding collapse—and the ability to bind with previous layers for cohesive structures [40].
Furthermore, consumer acceptance is based on maintaining the desired sensory attributes of texture, taste, flavor, and appearance. Accordingly, the printing process should not affect these attributes. Refs. [45,47] have made efforts in this direction. Furthermore, food safety considerations for thermal stability during printing and microbial safety and possible interactions among the ingredients must be adequately probed. This has been approached in [6,50]. For the realization of 3D food printing in both an appealing appearance and palatability, along with safety, research in the development of new bio-inks, together with food-optimized printing parameters, is a necessity in the future.
Consumer acceptance is one of the major factors that determines the success of 3DFP [6,16,23]. Some studies reported that consumers do not find much difference in their preference for 3DFP over traditionally prepared foods. Hence, products like purees, cookies, and chocolates can stand on par in terms of consumer acceptance potential [6]. Nevertheless, the imitation of the complex textures and tastes of some foods—like meat or complex pastries—is still a challenge, and further research in this direction should be conducted to narrow the gap between technological possibility and consumer demand [13].
One area in which 3DFP obviously offers added advantages is increased visual appeal [16]. According to studies, what makes 3D printing able to positively affect consumer perception is the novelty value and customized designs that this technology is capable of delivering, particularly for consumers who look for unique dining experiences or customized nutrition [29,36]. The ability to create complex shapes and personalized patterns means that 3DFP could be useful in specialized markets or occasions as consumers demand new and customized food experiences [19].
However, it is still difficult to replicate the exact textural properties of the conventionally prepared counterpart, a significant barrier to wider acceptance, especially in foods where texture dominates enjoyment [37]. For example, in studies about 3D printed meat analogs, lower acceptance levels compared with conventional meat products are found, where the main reason for this was attributed to differences in texture [1,39]. This calls for more research in food ink development and printing parameters to better convey the textural subtleties of real food preparation.
Although limited in its extent, some research does indicate that the printing technique could affect consumer acceptance. As an example, inkjet printing produces smoother surface finishes; so, in using that technique, consumers may have a higher acceptance level for some types of food items compared to FDM, where apparent layering is more observable [45,47]. However, further research is required to assess how exactly different techniques impact consumer perception [36]. In particular, further research should be conducted on cross-cultural differences in acceptance, the role framing information takes in perception, and consumer attitude studies related to 3DFP products in the long run. If this new technology is to be more accepted and widely adopted, a better understanding of those factors will be critically required in product development, marketing strategies, and communication.
The study declares some limitations. As the data have been sourced solely from Scopus, some relevant publications might have been missing, probably found in Web of Science or Google Scholar. Second, the narrowed subject areas may not include interdisciplinary work in engineering and physics, limiting the full understanding of 3DFP’s cross-disciplinary potential. Third, restricting our research to only English articles may have left out important research studies in other languages. Last but not least, a study that considers only published articles misses conference proceedings, reviews, and reports, which are likely to give preliminary approaches and different views into how this field might have been developing.

5. Theoretical Implications

The bibliometric analysis shows the advances of this study in enhancing a broad understanding of the growing paradigm of 3DFP technology [2,4,15,18], suggesting several theoretical contributions. Firstly, it enlightens the innovative transformation that has taken place in the food industry resulting from futuristic technology and advancements along with synergistic studies from different branches of science; therefore, it has played a great role in the revolutionized transformation and marvelous accomplishments in fields related to the food industry, including culinary art. This has enabled chefs to produce innovative, novel, and aesthetically spectacular dishes from edible materials with textures and previously difficult characteristics [1], thus opening trendy horizons for digital culinary art [4,6]. Secondly, it demonstrated the integration and collaboration of knowledge between various sciences [1,3,42]—including agricultural and biological sciences, chemistry, chemical engineering, and materials sciences—to unleash the enormous capabilities of 3DFP technology, exploit its merits, and overcome the obstacles and difficulties facing the application of 3DFP technology for food. Third, bibliometric analysis has authenticated the escalating interest in multi-material printing, innovative bio-inks, and customized nutrition uses as emerging dietary trajectories in 3DFP technology [52], thereby highlighting the rapid evolution of this technology and its potential. This underscores the need to persist in conducting further exploration to elevate the capabilities of 3DFP technology, fabricate raw materials for sustainable printing, and examine inventive utilizations that satisfy societal needs and push innovation’s wheel in the food industry. Fourthly, this analysis also highlights the urgent need to conduct more research to understand more deeply the possibilities of printed food technology and its effects on the future of the food industry and societies in a comprehensive manner.

6. Practical Implications for Food Industry and Gastronomy

The current study also presented practical implications for all interested parties in the food industry and gastronomy, especially the culinary arts field, another field relevant to food manufacturing. Firstly, the published research on 3DFP has escalated in the last decade in an attempt to uncover solutions to myriad challenges in the food industry, such as food waste reduction and fabricating sustainable ingredients to satisfy numerous customized nutritional needs. Secondly, in food manufacturing, the prevailing need to improve the quality and functionality of printed foods leads to the creation of new food products with sensory attributes that consumers appreciate. Thirdly, the use of 3DFP sparked a third revolution in contemporary culinary arts, elevating chefs’ ideas, inspiration, and imagination to produce truly remarkable items in terms of appearance, texture, and consistency. It supports the creation of exciting gastronomic experiences and an incredible dramatic shift in customers’ dining experiences; their delight in novel foods increases their loyalty. Thus, it meets the business’s vision to deliver products and services that meet evolving customer needs and desires.
While the potential of 3DFP is great, there are limitations to its widespread use in routine production. Of course, scalability and cost are major concerns. Currently, using existing technology in 3DFP does not match conventional manufacturing techniques with regard to speed and cost for mass-produced foods by a long shot [17]. The relatively slow printing [2] and limited capabilities of today’s printers [5], in addition to the requirement for specialized ingredients like food inks [6], reduce its competitiveness in large-scale operations. These are added to research, development, and maintenance costs for 3D printing equipment [15]. However, it does have some unique advantages that justify application in some niche areas. One such avenue is that of personalized nutrition, where customized food design and tailored nutrient composition are in great demand [37]. The complexity of food structures and designs that can be achieved, which is hardly or not possible by traditional means, creates opportunities at the high end of gastronomy and the culinary arts [41]. Although cost and speed limitations will clearly impede mass adoption, the ability of 3DFP to cater to specialized needs and provide better value propositions for products will make it relevant in certain sectors of the food industry.

7. Conclusions and Future Direction

This bibliometric analysis provided a useful snapshot of the fast-changing landscape of 3D food printing research. The results of this study show that the exponential growth of publications, growing interdisciplinary, and rising interest in the technological and practical promise of 3DFP are some of the ways in which this field has manifested. While FDM seems to be the most used technique so far, much is yet to be expected from the investigation into other printing methods and progress in food inks. The potential of 3DFP is evident, but a lot more needs to be researched regarding how this capability is transferred into the broader culinary practice, especially high-end gastronomy. Indeed, as both of these limitations and gaps have been identified with a view to culinary innovation and consumer acceptance, their solution should actually enable the potentials of 3DFP to move beyond technological infancy and realize its transformative potential for revolutionizing food production and consumption.
This review has pointed out some of the potential future research opportunities related to 3D food printing. Future analyses have to transcend what this study can do: releases of publications from multiple databases, such as Web of Science and Google Scholar, to obtain a better scope of research into 3DFP. Moreover, linguistic diversity will be required beyond English alone to present progress concerning 3DFP from around the world. The next research study would need to embrace categories of publications that include conference proceedings, book chapters, and industry reports for a comprehensive understanding of the trajectory of development in the field, which, more often than not, manifest earlier innovations and practical challenges.
In an important sense, this review highlights the gap between 3DFP and its application to gastronomy and culinary arts. It then becomes very critical that future research focuses on bridging this gap by finding ways in which 3DFP technology could be effectively integrated into high-end culinary practice. That would involve researching the ability of such technology to innovate traditional cooking techniques and develop new gastronomic experiences for the elevation of flavor, texture, and presentation in food. Closer cooperation among technological engineers, food scientists, and professionals from the culinary arts will be required to stimulate innovation and unleash the full potential of 3DFP to change the world of cuisine.

Author Contributions

Methodology, I.A.E.; Software, M.A.Z.; Validation, F.A.A.; Formal analysis, E.A.F.; Investigation, A.M.S.A.; Writing—original draft, I.A.E., S.F., A.M.F. and N.I.K.; Writing—review & editing, I.A.E. and A.M.S.A. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research, Vice Presidency for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia, grant number KFU241500.

Institutional Review Board Statement

This study was conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Deanship of the Scientific Research Ethical Committee, King Faisal University (project number: KFU241500).

Informed Consent Statement

Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.

Data Availability Statement

The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Figure 1. PRISMA flow chart for selecting documents for this study.
Figure 1. PRISMA flow chart for selecting documents for this study.
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Figure 2. The distribution of 3DFP publications 2014–2023 (by Microsoft Excel).
Figure 2. The distribution of 3DFP publications 2014–2023 (by Microsoft Excel).
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Figure 3. Core Sources (by Microsoft Excel).
Figure 3. Core Sources (by Microsoft Excel).
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Figure 4. Number of articles regarding 3DFP published in each journal over the period “2014 to 2023” (by Microsoft Excel).
Figure 4. Number of articles regarding 3DFP published in each journal over the period “2014 to 2023” (by Microsoft Excel).
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Figure 5. Authors’ production over time (by biblioshiny and Microsoft Excel).
Figure 5. Authors’ production over time (by biblioshiny and Microsoft Excel).
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Figure 6. Country and research field base publication (by Microsoft Excel).
Figure 6. Country and research field base publication (by Microsoft Excel).
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Figure 7. A map based on the countries’ relationships with co-authors. The relationship between co-authorship and other countries is represented by the line that connects each nation. The number of publications is indicated by the circle’s size. (by VOSviewer).
Figure 7. A map based on the countries’ relationships with co-authors. The relationship between co-authorship and other countries is represented by the line that connects each nation. The number of publications is indicated by the circle’s size. (by VOSviewer).
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Figure 8. Country scientific production.
Figure 8. Country scientific production.
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Figure 9. A map based on the relationship of co-occurrence with all keywords in each article. The line linking each keyword represents their co-occurrence with others (by VOSviewer).
Figure 9. A map based on the relationship of co-occurrence with all keywords in each article. The line linking each keyword represents their co-occurrence with others (by VOSviewer).
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Figure 10. A map based on the relationship of co-occurrence with author keywords. The line linking each keyword represents the relationship between their co-occurrence with other author keywords. The size of the node shows a number of occurrences. (by VOSviewer).
Figure 10. A map based on the relationship of co-occurrence with author keywords. The line linking each keyword represents the relationship between their co-occurrence with other author keywords. The size of the node shows a number of occurrences. (by VOSviewer).
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Figure 11. Word map for keywords (by biblioshiny).
Figure 11. Word map for keywords (by biblioshiny).
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Figure 12. Thematic map (by biblioshiny).
Figure 12. Thematic map (by biblioshiny).
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Figure 13. Conceptual structure map analysis (by biblioshiny).
Figure 13. Conceptual structure map analysis (by biblioshiny).
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Figure 14. Summary of the most important field relevant to 3DFP.
Figure 14. Summary of the most important field relevant to 3DFP.
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Table 1. Lists the criteria for being included or excluded in data screening.
Table 1. Lists the criteria for being included or excluded in data screening.
CriteriaDetailsType
Title, Abstract, KeywordsArticles must include “3d food printing” in their title, abstract, or keywords.Inclusion
Publication YearArticles must be published from 2014 to 2023.Inclusion
Subject AreaLimited to (SUBJAREA, “AGRI”) OR limited to (SUBJAREA, “CHEM”) OR limited to (SUBJAREA, “SOCI”) OR limited to (SUBJAREA, “HEAL”) OR limited to (SUBJAREA, “BUSI”) OR LIMIT-TO (SUBJAREA, “PSYC”) OR limited to (SUBJAREA, “COMP”)Inclusion
Document TypeArticles must be classified as “ar” (articles).Inclusion
LanguageArticles must be written in English.Inclusion
Exact KeywordsArticles must have one or more of the following exact keywords: “3D Printing” OR “3-D Printing” OR “3D-printing” OR “Three Dimensional Printing” OR “3D Food Printing” OR “3d Food Printing” OR “Three-dimensional (3D) Printing”Inclusion
Exclusion CriteriaArticles not meeting any of the above inclusion criteria should be excluded. This includes those:—Not published between 2014–2023—Not within (SUBJAREA, “AGRI”) OR limited to (SUBJAREA, “CHEM”) OR limited to (SUBJAREA, “SOCI”) OR limited to (SUBJAREA, “HEAL”) OR limited to (SUBJAREA, “BUSI”) OR limited to (SUBJAREA, “PSYC”) OR limited to (SUBJAREA, “COMP”) —Not classified as articles—Not written in English—Lacking relevant exact keywordsExclusion
Table 2. Summary of the most relevant journals in 3DFP field.
Table 2. Summary of the most relevant journals in 3DFP field.
JournalTPTP **TCCite ScoreThe Most Cited ArticleTimes CitedPublisher
Food Hydrocolloids30717959,13219.3Hydrocolloids at interfaces and the influence on the properties of dispersed systems
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0268-005X(01)00120-5 (accessed on 9 July 2024)		1576Elsevier
Journal Of Food Engineering12477614,68211.8Techniques for extraction of bioactive compounds from plant materials: A review
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2013.01.014 (accessed on 9 July 2024)		1784Elsevier
Food Research International39303647,21412.0Applications of spray-drying in microencapsulation of food ingredients: An overview
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2007.07.004 (accessed on 9 July 2024)		1818Elsevier
Innovative Food Science And Emerging Technologies9212810,18511.1Review of antimicrobial food packaging
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1466-8564(02)00012-7 (accessed on 9 July 2024)		1352Elsevier
Food Chemistry962026143,51714.9The determination of flavonoid contents in mulberry and their scavenging effects on superoxide radicals
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0308-8146(98)00102-2 (accessed on 9 July 2024)		6470Elsevier
Lwt62322260,4239.6Use of a free radical method to evaluate antioxidant activity
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0023-6438(95)80008-5 (accessed on 9 July 2024)		18,446Elsevier
Foods96692056,3525.8Curcumin: A review of its effects on human health
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods6100092
(accessed on 9 July 2024)		1513Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
Food And Bioprocess Technology6891562459.1Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Antimicrobial Activity and Food Packaging Applications
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-012-0797-6 (accessed on 9 July 2024)		1384Springer Nature
Carbohydrate Polymers532310100,82318.9Biofibres and biocomposites
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2007.05.040 (accessed on 9 July 2024)		1868Elsevier
Polymers15,05710100,0966.6Poly Lactic-co-Glycolic Acid (PLGA) as biodegradable controlled drug delivery carrier
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/polym3031377 (accessed on 9 July 2024)		3264Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
TP = Total publications, TC = total citations, TP ** = total publications in the 3DFP field.
Table 3. List of the 15 most prolific authors in the 3DFP field.
Table 3. List of the 15 most prolific authors in the 3DFP field.
AuthorYear of 1st
Publication		TPh-IndexTCCurrent AffiliationCountry
1.Zhang, M.199686710133,964Jiangnan UniversityChina
2.Bhandari, B.19955569231,914The University of QueenslandAustralia
3.Kim, H.W.201846191163Korea UniversitySouth Korea
4.Park, H.J.19953397721,282Korea UniversitySouth Korea
5.Prakash, S.1995176426805The University of QueenslandAustralia
6.Liu, Z.201784232935Shaanxi University of Science and TechnologyChina
7.Anandharamakrishnan, C.20022795410,231Ministry of Science And Technology,India
8.Moses, J.A.2014218385069National Institute of Food TechnologyIndia
9.Derossi, A.200495292916Università degli Studi di FoggiaItaly
10.Ma, L.2009193333491Southwest UniversityChina
11.Severini, C.1995112293107Università degli Studi di FoggiaItaly
12.Wang, H.201685252303Southwest UniversityChina
13.Zhang, Y.2008277405298Southwest UniversityChina
14.Dong, X.2007245353996Dalian Polytechnic UniversityChina
15.Huang, Q.19964027217,447Department of Food Science,
New Brunswick,		United States
TP = Total publications, TC = total citations.
Table 4. List of the 10 most productive countries in the 3DFP field.
Table 4. List of the 10 most productive countries in the 3DFP field.
RankCountryMost Productive Academic InstitutionTP
ChinaXi’an Jiaotong University220
AustraliaUniversity of Queensland62
United StatesCornell University61
South KoreaYonsei University41
United KingdomUniversity of Warwick30
IndiaIndian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT)27
CanadaSimon Fraser University24
NetherlandsWageningen University22
ItalyUniversity of Foggia21
SpainUniversitat Politècnica de Catalunya21
TP = Total publications.
Table 5. Summary of the first 15 keywords with co-occurrence with all keywords.
Table 5. Summary of the first 15 keywords with co-occurrence with all keywords.
KeywordOccurrences (Occ)Total Link Strength
(Tls)
3-d printing2803530
3d printing3353439
3d printers2483061
3d-printing2242854
three-dimensional printing1402329
printing, three-dimensional1001652
article731365
textures1061326
rheology911218
proteins821167
rheological property801092
chemistry601087
3d food printing109869
emulsification55866
starch68859
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Elshaer, I.A.; Azazz, A.M.S.; Zayed, M.A.; Ameen, F.A.; Fayyad, S.; Fouad, A.M.; Khalil, N.I.; Fathy, E.A. Innovating Gastronomy through Information Technology: A Bibliometric Analysis of 3D Food Printing for Present and Future Research. Information 2024, 15, 471. https://doi.org/10.3390/info15080471

AMA Style

Elshaer IA, Azazz AMS, Zayed MA, Ameen FA, Fayyad S, Fouad AM, Khalil NI, Fathy EA. Innovating Gastronomy through Information Technology: A Bibliometric Analysis of 3D Food Printing for Present and Future Research. Information. 2024; 15(8):471. https://doi.org/10.3390/info15080471

Chicago/Turabian Style

Elshaer, Ibrahim A., Alaa M. S. Azazz, Mohamed A. Zayed, Faleh A. Ameen, Sameh Fayyad, Amr Mohamed Fouad, Noha Ibrahim Khalil, and Eslam Ahmed Fathy. 2024. "Innovating Gastronomy through Information Technology: A Bibliometric Analysis of 3D Food Printing for Present and Future Research" Information 15, no. 8: 471. https://doi.org/10.3390/info15080471

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