101: Assessment of Multigrain Dough Properties and Their Parametric Analysis in 3D Printing for the Production of Gluten-Free Functional Foods

Introduction

The current research focuses on the formulation of multigrain flour blends using black rice flour (BRF), amaranth seed flour (ASF), and little millet flour (LMF) in varying proportions, as well as refining 3D printing parameters to improve printability and analyze the interactions among rheological, techno-functional, and printability factors.

Methods

Multigrain flour blends were formulated using BRF, ASF, and LMF in varying proportions of 50-80%, 10-30%, and 10-30%, respectively. The composites were characterized using rheological analysis and techno-functional properties. A statistical design was used to determine the optimal 3D printing parameters, including nozzle diameter (ND), extrusion rate (ER), print speed (PS), and layer height (LH). The printed samples were analyzed for print fidelity (PF), volumetric deformation (VD), slant angle deviation (SAD), adjacent angle deviation (AAD), print weight (PW), print duration (PD), and print resolution (PR). Pearson correlation analysis and K-means clustering were conducted to study the interaction among printability factors and printing parameters.

Results

Rheological studies of multigrain flours displayed a linear viscoelastic region of 0.1% to 1% shear strain, suggesting carbohydrate-induced dilution of the gluten protein. The composite of 70:10:20 (BRF:ASF:LMF) exhibited more solid-like and enhanced elastic behavior, making it less susceptible to breakage and more extrudable. The 3D printing parameters significantly affected print fidelity (51.64%-99.68%), geometric deviations (0.79%-111.15%), and print weight (4.26 g-19.68 g). The best-suited print was achieved at 1.6 mm ND, 118 pulses/µl ER, 8 mm/s PS, and 1.2 mm LH, with corresponding responses of 95.72% PF, 13.11% VD, 5.86% SAD, 24.28% AAD, 9.20 g PW, 8 min PD, and 8 PR. The final sample was found to fall under the center values of Cluster 3, which was designated as "Excellent" in terms of printability factors.

Significance

The study highlights the potential of 3D printing technology in developing novel, functional foods using gluten-free flour. It emphasizes the importance of rheological properties and printability parameters in achieving high-quality prints, offering insights for designing personalized, nutrient-rich foods with enhanced structural fidelity and tailored functional properties for food innovation.

Authors: Abhishek Pradhan and Punyadarshini Punam Tripathy