3D Cryoprinting of Plant-Based Foods for Dysphagia Patients

Outcome/Accomplishment

Researchers at the NSF-funded Engineering Research Center (NSF ERC) for Advanced Technologies for the Preservation of Biological Systems (NSF ATP-Bio), co-led by the University of Minnesota and the Massachusetts General Hospital, have pioneered 3D Temperature-Controlled Cryoprinting (TCC), a novel approach that integrates freezing during the printing process to enable precise control over both micro- and macrostructures of biological constructs. 

Impact/Benefits

Unlike conventional bioprinting followed by post-process freezing, TCC simultaneously prints and cryopreserves. Originally developed for tissue engineering, the technology has now been applied—through collaboration with the USDA—to address dysphagia, a swallowing disorder affecting 1 in 6 U.S. adults, including elderly and neurologically impaired individuals.

Explanation/Background

Current dysphagia diets rely on purees that are visually unappealing and nutritionally limited. Using TCC, the team made significant progress in 2025 successfully printing texture-rich, modified meats, and extending formulations to plant-based ingredients. Coaxial cryoprinting enabled customized marbling, mimicking conventional meat textures. This approach offers a scalable, customizable solution to improve both nutrition and quality of life for patients with dysphagia, while opening new pathways for medical food innovation.

The Diagram Concept of TCC Food with modified Macro- and Microstructures
Credit:
Boris Rubinsky, UC-Berkeley

Location

Minneapolis, Minnesota

e-mail

atp-bio@umn.edu

website

https://www.atp-bio.org

Start Year

Biotechnology and Healthcare

Biotechnology and Health Care Icon
Biotechnology and Health Care Icon

Biotechnology and Healthcare

Lead Institution

University of Minnesota

Core Partners

Massachusetts General Hospital, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Riverside

Fact Sheet

ATP-Bio Fact Sheet.pdf
The Diagram Concept of TCC Food with modified Macro- and Microstructures
Credit:
Boris Rubinsky, UC-Berkeley

Outcome/Accomplishment

Researchers at the NSF-funded Engineering Research Center (NSF ERC) for Advanced Technologies for the Preservation of Biological Systems (NSF ATP-Bio), co-led by the University of Minnesota and the Massachusetts General Hospital, have pioneered 3D Temperature-Controlled Cryoprinting (TCC), a novel approach that integrates freezing during the printing process to enable precise control over both micro- and macrostructures of biological constructs. 

Location

Minneapolis, Minnesota

e-mail

atp-bio@umn.edu

website

https://www.atp-bio.org

Start Year

Biotechnology and Healthcare

Biotechnology and Health Care Icon
Biotechnology and Health Care Icon

Biotechnology and Healthcare

Lead Institution

University of Minnesota

Core Partners

Massachusetts General Hospital, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Riverside

Fact Sheet

ATP-Bio Fact Sheet.pdf

Impact/benefits

Unlike conventional bioprinting followed by post-process freezing, TCC simultaneously prints and cryopreserves. Originally developed for tissue engineering, the technology has now been applied—through collaboration with the USDA—to address dysphagia, a swallowing disorder affecting 1 in 6 U.S. adults, including elderly and neurologically impaired individuals.

Explanation/Background

Current dysphagia diets rely on purees that are visually unappealing and nutritionally limited. Using TCC, the team made significant progress in 2025 successfully printing texture-rich, modified meats, and extending formulations to plant-based ingredients. Coaxial cryoprinting enabled customized marbling, mimicking conventional meat textures. This approach offers a scalable, customizable solution to improve both nutrition and quality of life for patients with dysphagia, while opening new pathways for medical food innovation.