Ramen by HP? The Wild Possibilities Of Printing Food
Typically, 3-D printers are discussed in light of the
efficiencies they bring to industrial design and fabrication.
They will soon help chefs create foods that can’t be made by
hand if Cornell Creative Machines Lab, or their peers in the
industry, can make them accessible.  The newest 3-D food
printer, now being honed at CCML, can produce: tiny space
shuttle-shaped scallop nuggets (image above); and cakes or
cookies that, when you slice into them, reveal a special message
buried within, like a wedding date, initials (image below) or a
corporate logo. They can also make a solid hamburger patty, with
liquid layers of ketchup and mustard, or a hamburger substitute
that’s made from vegan or raw foods.  The CCML food printers
require edible inks and electronic blueprints called FabApps.
This machine prints food using multiple cartridges, going line
by line until the desired shape is extruded. "The electronic
blueprint specifies exactly which materials go where