Wageningen University & Research started a consortium called ‘Imagine’ together with GEA Group, SOLIPHARMA B.V., Tate & Lyle, General Mills, Ministerie van Defensie and TNO to develop a flexible food production system using digital processes such as 3D printing.

The system will allow personalized food products to be made at any time, based on individual dietary recommendations. The project focuses on the use of 3D-printed food for performance enhancement in a military environment. It will also investigate the potential of personalized food within a rehabilitation program for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.

Both patient groups will be part of a field lab study, collecting real-world data over a full year to demonstrate the added value of personalized nutrition and provide valuable insights into how users interact with the system and how they value the resulting products.

“After many months of preparations, we can finally share with you the start of a new consortium project in the field of personalized nutrition. Together with a very ambitious group of companies, researchers and entrepreneurs we look forward to applying the results coming from this exciting journey to develop a flexible food production system using digital processes such as 3D printing. The consortium will analyze the impact of nutrition on people’s health, and the different ways in which people react to nutrients and foods,” Wageningen University representatives announced.