Eleventh International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

Humans can be regarded as a kind of visual animal to understand the world by eyes. Based on visual cues, the food quality, flavour, texture and size can be perceived before actual tasting, and these perceptions to some extent determine food selection and eating intake. Ample research explores the impact and application of vision on dietary health. Taking advantage of the ability to easily customize visual features and ingredients of food by personal preferences and needs, 3D printing technology is well emphasized. While most of them are focused on food production and technical progress, less attention to food-related visual cues or eating experience. However, the influential visual elements on perception are not only limited to the food appearance but even the entire eating scene. To enrich research in this field, this study redesigned plateware and prototyped it through 3D printing, aiming at exploring the impact of these food-related visual cues on the eating experience and the potential influence of dietary health. This work firstly reviewed the applications of 3D printing technology in a healthy eating promotion. By critically analyzing its characteristics and advantages, it discussed ethical issues and feasible limitations in daily eating. We then proposed a new perspective of using 3D printing into all eating-related visual elements, not only the look of the food itself but also the visual characteristics of plateware and viewing. This user-centred and experience-driven approach can expand the application of 3D printing technology in food-related research and contribute to the exploration of promoting healthy eating.