A revolutionary new machine that can 3D print a variety of foods - from pasta to pizza - in different shapes has been developed by a Spanish start-up, the Telegraph reported.
The food printing appliance is loaded with any mixture such as dough or cheese and it builds up the food layer by layer.
According to the Telegraph, the device, called "Foodini" squirts out anything from pizza or pasta to cakes in a variety of shapes - from dinosaurs to spelling out names with letters. Combining "technology, food, art and design," the device can be used to make anything from chocolate fingers to ravioli.
Following selection of a design on the device's control panel, different ingredients are built up in layers. It's operated by a touch-screen mini tablet that functions as the user interface embedded on the front of the device. The machine is expected to go on sale next year and will be priced at 835 pounds ($1,364) in mid-2014, with capsules of fresh ingredients sold separately, the Telegraph reported.
The Barcelona-based company Natural Machines has suggested that parents could use the device to design meals in the shape of animals or cartoon characters - or surprise a loved one by customizing a message that could be printed on top of a cake, the Telegraph reported.
Lynette Kucsma, co-founder of the firm said they're aiming their product at families and restaurants, UK MailOnline reported.
"Choose your recipe from our online recipe site, or create your own. Then let Foodini do the hard part. You prepare and load the fresh ingredients, and Foodini will create the dish," Kucsma told UK MailOnline. "Depending on the recipe, the food is either ready to eat after Foodini is done, such as a chocolate dessert, or you'll need to finish cooking the dish prior to eating, like ravioli."
The technology, however, has some limitations. It cannot actually cook the food - you will have to transfer any 3D printed creations to the oven or the pan - and it only works with a single ingredient at a time, the Telegraph reported. It may also help large manufacturers to make instant meals in the printer capsules.
"Retail food stores have shown an interest," Kucsma said. "They can both print food in-store to sell to consumers as well as sell pre-filled food capsules for consumers to take home to use in their machines."
