Long gone are the days of preparing and cooking food (or ordering it from JustEat). Now, a Barcelona startup called Natural Machines have developed a device called Foodini, capable of printing food. It’s an open capsule, and still involves a bit of food preparation, but what it allows the user to do is sit back and chill while it prepares more difficult or precise food items.
We eat with our eyes as much as with our mouths, so developing a machine that makes beautiful food and reduces food waste is always going to be a winner in our books. The major selling point is that you will be able to make snack foods, like pretzels, crackers and breadsticks, without all the chemicals that are added in. You just add the ingredients and set it to make, and it does the rest!
The machine will be beneficial to both professional kitchens and home kitchens, and will encourage the use of fresh produce and ingredients, rather than over-packaged, long shelf-life, full of preservative products. Encouraging the use of natural produce means that any food waste that is created is likely compostable, and also has the benefit that you can purchase things like fruit and vegetables loose, and without waste packaging.
The machine works by connecting to the internet and allowing the user to choose what they want to make. The user must then place the ingredients in the designated capsules, and let the Foodini do the work. Where Foodini beats its competitors is by the sheer amount of things that can be made using it. No other 3D food printer is as versatile, and because it’s connected to the internet, it can be updated with more recipes!
Sadly though, it’s not out yet, but when it is (later 2015), it will be brilliant for the food waste reduction industry. Imagine being able to make a meal precisely the right size, this would be great for businesses and people dieting, or perhaps people who just like to monitor their consumption. For people with dietary restrictions too, by home printing food, they won’t have the years of added expense from buying specialist foods.
Kompakt also offers a machine that can reduce food waste, by turning it into compost and flushing away the liquid. It’s hugely effective, check it out here.