What is this project about?
Smart Food aims to develop novel edible smart origami for programmed drug/nutrient release and treatment of the gastrointestinal system and consequently improve the lives of patients suffering from intestinal diseases, malnutrition/obesity. The project combines advanced methodologies such as 3/4D food printing, soft robotics, and drug delivery to make smart systems that can be actuated inside the body to release a drug/nutrient when triggered by a stimulus at the site of action.
We bring together expertise from different fields of science, including physics, food and nutrition, pharmaceutics, additive manufacturing, gastroenterology, consumer behaviour and economy, in order to address societal challenges concerning health and nutrition.
The Smart Food team recently received a UCo grant for 2024 and 2025 to continue their unusual teamwork!
Read more about the project in an in-depth interview with Mehdi Habibi.
Research team:
Mehdi Habibi (WUR), Guido Camps (WUR), Tina Vermonden (UU), Riccardo Levato (UU), Caroline Lindemans (UMCU), Betina Piqueras Fiszman (WUR), Yann de Mey (WUR)
Check out a project overview video below
Preliminary Consumer Survey Results
A preliminary survey on the consumer acceptance and risk perception of smart foods was undertaken in 2024. Based on about 120 valid responses, we have some first insights into how consumers perceive smart technologies in medical and food contexts. A summer of findings can be found below. A more detailed presentation is available by clicking here.
We Organised a Symposium on November 8th 2024
Get into contact
If you want to know more about this project or come into contact with the researchers working on this, you can e-mail Dr. Mehdi Habibi.
Contact info
Mail: mehdi.habibi@wur.nl