3D food printing is still one of those futuristic technologies that most people have yet to experience and many think sounds kinda weird, but with more investment dollars flowing into startups to help us print our food, there’s a good chance many of us might just eat ‘printed’ food in the next few years.
We decided to ask regular consumers if they would want to print their food using a 3D food printer. In a survey of over one thousand US households, we asked consumers to rate their interest in being able to ‘print simple foods like dessert using a home 3D food printer’.
So what did we find? While just a quarter (24.7%) of those surveyed said they were “very interested” or “interested”, nearly 4 in 10 those aged under 30 were intrigued by the concept. Those between 30 and 44 also showed higher than average interest (33%). Those 45 and older weren’t too enamored with the idea of food printing, with only 19% of those aged between 45 and 59 expressing interest and only 11% of those 60 or older willing to give printed food a try.
For those interested, they may have to wait a while. While professional applications of 3D food printing are starting to see traction in restaurants and pop up stores, the consumer 3D food printing market is still very much in its infancy. However, early experiments like the PancakeBot have shown strong interest, so maybe if someone builds a true consumer priced 3D food printer, they – meaning young people – will come.
