Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) printing technology offers great flexibility in the fabrication of objects with highly complex geometries, allowing intriguing functionalities previously inaccessible. Also referred to as additive manufacturing-(AM) or rapid prototyping, 3D printing is a developing digitized technology that has attracted great interest from researchers, industry, and consumers with its various ever-growing application areas, which include medicine, gastronomy, engineering, manufacturing, arts, and education. Although it has found use in different sectors, the area that has recently activated researchers in 3D printing technology is the "food sector". AM technology offers a ready-to-consume product that is tailored to the consumer, and complies with their taste, cost, and nutritional criteria. This review outlines the importance of 3D printing systems in the food industry, and it summarizes the first step of food printing, which comprises of 3D model building and slicing.