Globally, there is an increasing incidence of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes mellitus, celiac disease, non-coeliac wheat sensitivity and irritable bowel syndrome, in which the consumption of cereal foods is restricted due to the high content of specific carbohydrates and/or gluten.

Keeping a lifelong diet is very demanding given the limited assortment, poor quality and high cost of food for specific dietary purposes. Due to the intensive development of digital technologies, especially 3D printing technology, there are new opportunities and challenges in food production. For making 3D-printed foods of balanced nutritional composition, it is possible to use different raw materials and their mixtures, considering their nutritive and physical properties, i.e. the printability, as well as the interactions of individual ingredients.

The aim of 3DSnacks4Health project is to explore the possibility of extrusion-based 3D printing in development of cereal snacks intended for consumers with diabetes, celiac disease, wheat sensitivity and irritable bowel syndrome. The results of this project will contribute to the understanding of the influence of pre-processing, 3D printing, and post-processing on the quality of cereal snacks considering nutritive value, microbiological safety and sensory properties.

Custom-made 3D printer for making food for consumers with specific dietary needs will be proposed and constructed. Our results will have an impact on technological development, especially in the food industry, but also on the quality of life of people with specific dietary needs.