While still in its infancy stages, experts predict 3D printing will become the next trillion-dollar industry, captivating the world in the same way computers and automobiles did in the 20th century.
While consumers shouldn’t expect to go to the grocery store and print their food anytime soon, the Cambridge, UK company Dovetailed has unveiled what they claim is the first 3D fruit printer.
The process used to create the fruit is called spherification, a molecular gastronomy technique that converts liquids (in this case fruit juice) into gelatinous globules. The mixture is dipped into a cold bath of calcium chloride, giving the faux fruit its skin and solidity. When completed, the fruit comes out looking like small tapioca pearls that taste like the real thing.
Dovetailed is quick to admit the finished print doesn’t texturally resemble fruit…yet. With further experimentation and enhanced technology, though, the company hopes to create flawless prints of juicy strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries. Yum.
"Our 3D fruit printer will open up new possibilities not only to professional chefs but also to our home kitchens -- allowing us to enhance and expand our dining experiences," said Dovetailed founder Vaiva Kalnikaite. "We have re-invented the concept of fresh fruit on demand."
