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louis

Member

From: UK

Registered: 2008-03-24

Posts: 7,208

3d Printed snacks (all natural) and insect food

A rather intriguing method of producing an all natural snack...

Might have some relevance to providing the first colonists on Mars with nutritious and natural meals.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/ … lling.html

There's also this article about insect-based food - 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/technology … de-5112025

I expect the insects will probably be the first source of "animal" protein on Mars.

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SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 28,882

Re: 3d Printed snacks (all natural) and insect food

I think there was a 3D printed Pizza posts some where here....

Void

Member

Registered: 2011-12-29

Posts: 7,109

Re: 3d Printed snacks (all natural) and insect food

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daphnia

http://www.fishchannel.com/freshwater-a … phnia.aspx

http://www.discushatchery.com/raisingdaphnia.html

http://www.discushatchery.com/raisingdaphnia.html

http://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2012/03/13237.htm

The creatures appear to be flexible and reasonably durable.  It looks like the water has to be partially changed out periodically.  They don't need a lot of Oxygen?

http://www.discushatchery.com/daphnia.jpg

Could we add mushrooms to our soup?

The point being that you might bypass some of the phobia's and bad press which might involve insects.  Of course this is a wet process.  I wonder how fine you would have to grind your insects to not plug up your 3D printer?  All that bug juice too.

I might note that the detritus, might be recycled to grow mushrooms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detritus

Or your choice

I like your posted articles though.  If people go to Mars, they can eat what they want, if they have it.

Then again brine shrimp:
http://wildlife.utah.gov/gsl/brineshrimp/life_cycle.php

Brine shrimp
The life cycle

Courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey.

Whether baby brine shrimp hatch from a cyst or are born live, in its first free- swimming period it is called a nauplius (plural: nauplii). The rate at which it develops through the rest of the stages in its life cycle is affected by salinity, water temperature, and food availability. The algae on which brine shrimp feed is most abundant at the end of winter, and Artemia attempt to time cyst hatching with the highest food availability. This occurs when water temperatures reach 4 °C (48 °F), typically by February or March. The emerging nauplii feed on the abundant algae, providing energy for the 12-24 molting stages a brine shrimp goes through to reach maturity, a process that takes 2-3 weeks depending on food availability and temperature. The average adult will produce around 8 broods, generally a combination of both egg and cysts, and since 1995 the GSL population has produced around 2-4 generations per year.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources monitors the various age classes and finds that peak numbers of nauplii occur in mid-April to mid-May. Peak numbers of adults occur in late May, depleting the phytoplankton food source. The stress of a lack of food triggers cysts production in females, and as adults die off, there are fewer live young to replace them on the lake. Generally, December brings cold enough weather to decrease water temperatures to around 6 °C (42 °F) (UGS), and the last free-swimming shrimp are killed by the cold. Cyst densities increase throughout the fall, until thick mats of cysts occur on some portions of the lake, known as "streaks". Cysts also wash up on the shore.

I mention the brine shrimp, because humans in my culture do eat shrimp, so it might not be as big a stretch as eating bugs.  And their best growth rates seem to be compatible with lower temperatures.  This could suggest enclosures with lower air pressure, and greater content of Oxygen to compensate.  They eat algae of course.

But on to your 3D printer sub topic, many of these creatures might be terminated by methods not as cruel,  perhaps freezing temperatures, or degassing the enclosure.  But similar can be said of insects as well.

I would think that a mixture of algae could be added if you are going to 3D print, for a more balanced food.  But I bet if you are not careful intestinal upsets could also be produced.  You would have to be selective about your selection of materials.

These sources might be less labor intensive.

Last edited by Void (2015-03-08 13:37:28)

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Done.

Mars_B4_Moon

Member

Registered: 2006-03-23

Posts: 9,267

Re: 3d Printed snacks (all natural) and insect food

more Lab Grown Bug Meat?

No Pigs Were Harmed for These Pork Sausages, But They’re Real (Cultured) Meat
https://singularityhub.com/2022/07/29/n … ured-meat/

Edible insect products flying off shelves
https://www.fox4now.com/news/national/e … ff-shelves

Fera Sciences launches £1m insect laboratory
https://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Artic … laboratory

Alt Protein Watch: Sesame milk, insect protein, plant-based 'overengineering' and more feature in our round-up
https://www.foodnavigator-asia.com/Arti … g-and-more