ECU Institute for Nutrition Research Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Dr Liezhou Zhong, said up to two thirds of older Australians suffer from malnutrition, a leading indicator for frailty and a variety of other health conditions.
Dr Zhong said older Australians who have problems chewing or swallowing often eat a texture modified diet, where food is pureed, and minimal time or money is put toward making it look or taste good. He believes if these meals were made to be more appealing, older Australians would be more likely to eat those meals and avoid the effects of malnutrition.
For the project, researchers are using produce rejected by retailers to be chopped, freeze dried and pureed to create ‘inks’ that are then printed into a range of enticing designs. 3D printing food also helps to reduce food waste by using produce deemed unsuitable by retailers due to blemishes or unusual shapes.
Dr Zhong said there was huge potential for using this kind of often rejected produce in the Institute’s research projects. “We can use these ‘ugly’ fruits and vegetables because the produce we’re using to create the inks for our printers is pureed, so it doesn’t matter what it looks like,” he said. “We’re working with innovative chefs, farmers and producers to ensure food that would normally go to waste can still find a use and, importantly, tastes and looks good.”
