Sustainability Model for 3D Food Printing Adoption

Commercial 3D Food Printing applications are a reality in specific niche markets and small batch food production, such as restaurants, patisseries and so on. The latest trends of 3DFP also include novel food segments, such as plant-based meat, that not only target vegetarian, vegan and animal ethic concerned consumers, but takes also foundation from sustainable production considerations. At the same time also 3D printers production has its impact and the spread of 3DFP in the market will make it bigger and bigger. Nowadays there aren't specific tools designed to understand the sustainability impact of 3DFP and to assess it from several aspects and categories along the market development. This study presents a model focused on small batch food production market to assess the adoption of 3DFP in a sustainable way, according to the three dimensions of economic, environmental and social pillars. The 3DFP sustainability model also incorporate the concept of sustainable development and Sustainable Development Goals, in order to allow companies to develop strategies about the technology adoption and new business creations in line with the main global trends. Due to the niche and spotted 3DFP market status, the model has been developed at qualitative level and validated through a sustainability self-assessment and an expert on line survey. Both methods have reported a positive feedback about the 3DFP sustainability model consistency and reliability.