Laser Cooked Food Is Just As Precise As 3D-Printed Food

Oct, 2021 - By WMR

Researchers invented robotic lasers controlled by software to cook food with supreme accuracy.

A team of researchers at Columbia University used lasers for cooking and 3D printing technology for assembling food. The laser-cooked food shrank 50% less, it maintained double moisture content, and had same food flavour as traditionally cooked food. 3D-printed food is not a new concept, the printers can create ingredients with high accuracy, yet there is no such method to heat food with the same precision. The research team at Columbia University tried to develop a method to cook food with lasers maintaining the natural attributes of food.

The research published in the journal npj Science of Food on September 01, 2021 explains, the team 3D-printed chicken samples 3mm thick by about one square inch in area. They heated this meat with blue light at 445m wavelength and an infrared light at 980nm wavelength. The laser lights moved over the meat in different spiral patterns for 5 to 14 minutes to cook the meat. The surface temperature and internal temperature of the meat was monitored using an infrared camera and thermistors throughout the process. The team further analysed variables, such as cooking depth, color development, moisture holding and flavour differences in laser-cooked meat and conventionally cooked meat and they found that compared to conventionally cooked meat, the laser-cooked meat shortens 50% less, and it holds double moisture and develops same flavour.

The researchers look forward to explore the potentials of this new innovation that has low-tech hardware and software. However, there no supportable environment for the technology. The team envisions to have a high level software for the technology so that it would be easy for everyone to use.