|
 When food and tech collide, it typically results in a happy union. See online ordering. Burritos by drone. Grocery delivery, like with Amazon Fresh.
Yet, something about the next collision of food and tech, I just cannot support. It’s pure blasphemy.
Of course, I’m talking about the pizza 3-D printer. Look, I live in a Mecca of pizza, and too often I take it for granted. But sometimes, I’m reminded that the quintessential pizza shop is almost exclusively a northeastern U.S. institution. Each time I travel to the American south or Canada, I’m empathetic to those who must suffer at the taste of fast food pizza (Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Boston Pizza, etc.).
The pizza 3-D printer came about from the pit fires of Hell research done by Systems and Materials Research Consultancy of Austin from a $125,000 NASA contract awarded in 2013. However, funding was pulled from the project, and SMRC engineers formed their own startup, Beehex, to innovate 3-D printed foods.
As NASA plans to extend humanity’s space exploration range to Mars and possibly farther, many life support systems on current spacecraft won’t be suitable. Refrigeration won’t be feasible and supplies must be as modular as possible to optimize storage space. Another variable is the fickle taste of astronauts. Currently, all food supplies are planned months in advance and it can be tough for astronauts to modify meals to meet their preferences.
In late February, Beehex completed initial funding of its Chef 3-D printer, which can be adapted for space but is currently better suited for Earth. The printer features three nozzles to layer dough, pizza sauce and cheese. Other ingredients will still need to be manually added. The printer can build a pizza in any shape, and from first jettison of dough to a baked pie will take about six minutes.
Apparently the Chef 3-D is set for introduction into amusement parks, sports stadiums and other niche applications later this year.
 It’s true, that a customizable 3-D printer would be a morale boost for astronauts facing a multi-year absence from Earth. Italian coffee company Lavazza delivered an espresso machine (dubbed ISSpresso) for ISS astronauts in 2015, and besides being the first extraterrestrial fresh-brewed coffee, it also offered a chance to experiment with fluid dynamics in microgravity.
But I think that ultimately 3-D printed pizza is little more than a novelty. Printed foods might be a real solution one day, but, right now, the Chef 3-D’s pizzas look quite unappetizing.
I’ll just call one of the dozens of Gino’s around me instead. Pizza is something that doesn’t need improving.
| 
Re: 3D Printed Pizza? Now We've Gone Too Far
