Date of Graduation
5-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science in Biological Engineering
Degree Level
Undergraduate
Department
Biological and Agricultural Engineering
Advisor/Mentor
Ali Ubeyitogullari
Committee Member
Ali Ubeyitogullari
Second Committee Member
Dongyi Wang
Third Committee Member
Sun Ferreira
Abstract
Despite global increases in food demand driven by population growth, food waste remains a significant issue, especially when nutrient-rich byproducts are thrown out during food manufacturing. Grape pomace, the winemaking byproduct containing seeds, skin, and stems, still contains valuable nutrients like polyphenols and antioxidants, when it gets discarded. While it’s not suitable for consumption on its own, there is potential to upcycle grape pomace into a new product using 3D food printing technology. 3D food printing is emerging as an alternative pathway for turning unconventional ingredients into more personalized, appealing food products. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of incorporating grape pomace into a dough suitable for use as ink for extrusion-based 3D food printing. Four dough formulations with grape pomace concentrations between 0% - 20% were developed as food inks for the 3D printer. These doughs were evaluated for their printability, rheological behavior, color, and textural properties. Results from the rheological analysis showed that all samples exhibited shear-thinning behavior, which was also confirmed by power-law modeling. Printability assessments indicated that the 3D-printed shapes had higher printing resolution as the grape pomace concentration increased. These findings demonstrate that grape pomace can be successfully incorporated into dough for use as a food ink, and at higher concentrations than typically studied. While there still needs to be further investigation into the consumer palatability of products, the results highlight the potential for using 3D food printing as a tool for upcycling food waste.
Keywords
3D food printing; Upcycling; Grape pomace; Food engineering; Food waste
Citation
Salonen, A. (2026). Evaluating the Use of Upcycled Grape Pomace in Extrusion-Based 3D Food Printing. Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/baeguht/108
