TastePrint: A 3D Food Printing System for Layer-wise Taste Distribution via Airbrushed Liquid Seasoning

Abstract

3D food printing enables the customization of food shapes and textures, but typically produces uniform taste profiles due to the limited diversity of printable materials. We present TastePrint, a 3D food printing system that achieves layer-wise spatial taste distribution by dynamically applying liquid seasonings with a programmable airbrush during fabrication. The system integrates (1) a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows users to import 3D models, slice them into layers, and specify spray positions and intensities for each layer, and (2) a customized 3D food printer equipped with a multi-nozzle spray mechanism. We evaluated the system through technical experiments quantifying spray resolution and deposition accuracy, together with an exploratory usability study involving three home cooks designing personalized taste patterns. The spray-resolution model achieved R2 = 0.86, the spray-amount model achieved R2 = 0.99, and participants completed the design task in approximately 15 min on average. These results indicate that TastePrint can control seasoning placement and quantity with good repeatability while supporting exploratory taste-design workflows. This work establishes a technical foundation for decoupling food geometry from taste design and motivates future sensory studies on personalized, multisensory food fabrication.

Figures (7)

• Figure 1: Overview of the TastePrint system. Users first create a customized g-code file using the GUI, where they can import a 3D model, slice it into layers, and assign taste distributions for each layer. The TastePrint system creates 3D-printed food with spatially controlled taste distributions by dynamically spraying liquid seasonings during the printing process. The printed food can be consumed directly or further processed (e.g., baking, frying).
• Figure 2: System overview of the spray-integrated 3D food printer: (a) Schematic diagram of the customized 3D food printer integrating air-based spraying and extrusion. The system consists of solenoid valves driven by a DC power supply and controlled via OctoPrint through customized G-code commands. The air compressor provides pressurized airflow to the solenoids, which regulate spray activation in synchronization with the 3D printer controller. (b) Photograph of the actual setup showing the key components, including the extruder, spray units, solenoids, air compressor, DC supply, and micro-controller modules that coordinate printing and spraying.
• Figure 3: Printer head design: (a) Schematic design showing one material extruder and six spray holders for seasoning. (b) Fabricated printer head integrated into the 3D food printer.
• Figure 4: Interface of the spray-position editing tool: The interface enables users to specify where to spray flavors within each layer of a 3D food model. The left panel provides settings for model loading, layer height, spray parameters, and output generation. The central viewer displays the 3D model and its cross-section at the selected layer, allowing users to click and register desired taste positions. The registered positions are shown as colored markers on the cross-section and listed on the right side of the interface.
• Figure 5: Sequential fabrication process of TastePrint system.