Research Article

3D-Printed Crackers with Gluten-Free Ingredients: Influence of Cooking Methods on Quality Characteristics

Number: Advanced Online Publication Early Pub Date: September 22, 2026

3D-Printed Crackers with Gluten-Free Ingredients: Influence of Cooking Methods on Quality Characteristics

Abstract

Crackers are among the fastest-growing snack products worldwide due to their convenience, ease of portion control, wide variety, and desirable textural and sensory attributes. 3D printing offers promising opportunities for developing novel customized products such as functional snacks. Some consumers may have gluten intolerance, celiac disease, wheat allergy, or other dietary constraints; therefore, recent research on the development of innovative gluten-free products with enhanced nutritional value has gained increasing attention. The aims of this study were to develop a 3D-printable cracker formulation using gluten-free ingredients enriched with beef broth to enhance flavor and nutritional value and provide umami flavor as an alternative to monosodium glutamate, and to identify the most suitable cooking method for post-processing of this product. Cracker samples were manufactured by using a formulation consisting mainly of corn flour, buckwheat flour and beef broth. A smart Fused Deposition Modelling type 3D food printer was used to obtain pretzel-shaped printed crackers. 3D-printed crackers were cooked in an electrical oven, microwave oven, and air fryer. Chemical composition, instrumental CIE lightness (L*), redness (a*), and yellowness (b*) values, pH and cooking loss were determined for the 3D-printed gluten-free crackers before and after cooking while sensory evaluation was performed in the cooked samples in terms of color, odor, flavor, appearance, texture, and overall acceptability. As a post-processing technique, microwave cooking showed lower L* and b* values, and higher a* value as compared with oven cooking and air frying (p<0.05).  The lowest cooking loss was observed after microwave cooking (34.4%), followed by air frying (36.4%), while oven cooking resulted in the highest cooking loss (40.8%). 3D-printed crackers received acceptable scores for each attribute evaluated regardless of the cooking method with oven cooking resulting in the highest texture score. Results obtained from the current study indicate that 3D printing offers an innovative alternative in the development of crackers formulated with gluten-free ingredients with the three cooking methods providing acceptable products and oven-cooked samples showing more favorable texture characteristics in sensory evaluation.

Keywords

3D Food Printing, Gluten-Free Ingredients, 3D-Printed Crackers, Post-Processing

Ethical Statement

The sensory analysis protocols used in this study were approved by the Ankara University Ethical Committee (approval no. 56786525-050.04.04/97351, 15/24).

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APA
Hıdıroğlu, H. S., Aydemir, İ., Kadıoğlu Şentürk, P., & Candoğan, K. (2026). 3D-Printed Crackers with Gluten-Free Ingredients: Influence of Cooking Methods on Quality Characteristics. Food Science Insights, Advanced Online Publication, 63-73. https://izlik.org/JA86BN78AL
AMA
1.Hıdıroğlu HS, Aydemir İ, Kadıoğlu Şentürk P, Candoğan K. 3D-Printed Crackers with Gluten-Free Ingredients: Influence of Cooking Methods on Quality Characteristics. Food Science Insights. 2026;(Advanced Online Publication):63-73. https://izlik.org/JA86BN78AL
Chicago
Hıdıroğlu, Hilal Sena, İlayda Aydemir, Pınar Kadıoğlu Şentürk, and Kezban Candoğan. 2026. “3D-Printed Crackers With Gluten-Free Ingredients: Influence of Cooking Methods on Quality Characteristics”. Food Science Insights, no. Advanced Online Publication: 63-73. https://izlik.org/JA86BN78AL.
EndNote
Hıdıroğlu HS, Aydemir İ, Kadıoğlu Şentürk P, Candoğan K (September 1, 2026) 3D-Printed Crackers with Gluten-Free Ingredients: Influence of Cooking Methods on Quality Characteristics. Food Science Insights Advanced Online Publication 63–73.
IEEE
[1]H. S. Hıdıroğlu, İ. Aydemir, P. Kadıoğlu Şentürk, and K. Candoğan, “3D-Printed Crackers with Gluten-Free Ingredients: Influence of Cooking Methods on Quality Characteristics”, Food Science Insights, no. Advanced Online Publication, pp. 63–73, Sept. 2026, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA86BN78AL
ISNAD
Hıdıroğlu, Hilal Sena - Aydemir, İlayda - Kadıoğlu Şentürk, Pınar - Candoğan, Kezban. “3D-Printed Crackers With Gluten-Free Ingredients: Influence of Cooking Methods on Quality Characteristics”. Food Science Insights. Advanced Online Publication (September 1, 2026): 63-73. https://izlik.org/JA86BN78AL.
JAMA
1.Hıdıroğlu HS, Aydemir İ, Kadıoğlu Şentürk P, Candoğan K. 3D-Printed Crackers with Gluten-Free Ingredients: Influence of Cooking Methods on Quality Characteristics. Food Science Insights. 2026;:63–73.
MLA
Hıdıroğlu, Hilal Sena, et al. “3D-Printed Crackers With Gluten-Free Ingredients: Influence of Cooking Methods on Quality Characteristics”. Food Science Insights, no. Advanced Online Publication, Sept. 2026, pp. 63-73, https://izlik.org/JA86BN78AL.
Vancouver
1.Hilal Sena Hıdıroğlu, İlayda Aydemir, Pınar Kadıoğlu Şentürk, Kezban Candoğan. 3D-Printed Crackers with Gluten-Free Ingredients: Influence of Cooking Methods on Quality Characteristics. Food Science Insights [Internet]. 2026 Sep. 1;(Advanced Online Publication):63-7. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA86BN78AL