The way food looks can have as much of an impact on how it tastes as the ingredients it contains, but the five human senses actually play a role in how we perceive and enjoy what we eat. Chocolate is a great example, as its shine and crackle are difficult to perfect when baking, but are a big part of its appeal. This led researchers at the University of Amsterdam to experience 3D printing of chocolate with unique structures that focus on the characteristics we already associate with high-quality chocolates, hoping to discover ways to change the way materials fracture and improve the way people physically interact with materials. all kinds.
Improving our ability to make and manipulate materials at the microscopic level has opened the door to a world of research around what are called metamaterials. Humans have long learned to mix different materials to produce new ones with very specific properties; it is the basis of the science of metallurgy, for example. But metamaterials strive to do the same by modifying the structure of a given material to produce improved properties or characteristics. One of the most interesting areas of study with metamaterials is that of camera lenses that appear completely flat to the human eyebut are actually covered in microscopic structures that bend light as effectively as curved lenses, further improving smartphone photography while potentially one day eliminating camera bumps.
Camera lenses and candy bars don’t seem to have much in common, but metamaterials could be just as useful to chocolate lovers as they are to photographers. There are a few factors that distinguish high-quality chocolate from the cheap products used to make it. giant rabbits you probably enjoyed last weekend. The good stuff has a shiny, shiny finish and tends to crack when bitten, with a distinct snap, instead of just crumbling in the mouth. This unique texture comes from tempering, a long but important process in which chocolate is repeatedly melted and cooled to specific temperatures to reach a specific phase (there are six in total, and phase five is ideal). ) where the desired crystal structure is formed.
Researchers at the University of Amsterdam realized that the metamaterials approach could be used to further improve the texture and tasting experience of high-quality chocolate. This happens by creating even more breaks and fractures through a more complex structure than that created by simply pouring melted chocolate into molds. The idea doesn’t replace the tempering process, however, which actually posed unique challenges when researchers turned to 3D printers to make their chocolate treats.
Molten chocolate that had been tempered to reach the stage of forming Phase V crystals was loaded into syringes that had to be held at 90 degrees Fahrenheit while the printer built structures layer by layer. But maintaining that temperature proved to be a challenge, requiring constant recalibration to account for the thickening of the chocolate over time. Using 3D printers with a plastic extruder is fickle enough, but swapping it for tempered chocolate sounds like a nightmare.
The results were shared in a recently published article, “Edible mechanical metamaterials with engineered fracture for mouthfeel control“, in the newspaper Soft material. They confirmed what the researchers speculated: the perceived quality and pleasure of eating chocolate could be improved by increasing the number of cracks felt when biting into a piece through S-shaped structures of increasing complexity. The researchers also found that the experience could be enhanced by creating chocolate with anisotropic structures that change the resistance felt when biting through shapes and patterns that shear and break under force. applied in specific directions.
Will we soon see companies like Lindt or Cadbury offering metamaterial-inspired treats? Probably not, but the research has other interesting applications when it comes to food. Using similar manufacturing processes, the texture of artificial meat could be enhanced to make it feel like biting into real meat, or altered to give something completely different for those put off by traditional meat texture . It could also be used to prepare foods that still taste delicious (or at least trick the brain into thinking they are), but are easier to consume for those who have chewing or eating problems. swallowing.
