Rachael Enfield, a doctoral candidate within the College of Natural Sciences’s Department of Food Science, recently received a predoctoral fellowship from the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), a program housed within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

Image

This fellowship, which funds three full years of Enfield’s doctoral studies, recognizes Enfield’s work aimed at transforming the U.S. food industry by introducing a biocompatible resin for stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing that is safe for food contact. The goal of the research is to yield the first biocompatible SLA resin specifically for food-contact applications, ensuring that 3D-printed, food-contact materials meet safety standards.

“I am so honored to have been chosen for this fellowship, which will fund the next three years of my research,” Enfield says. “My goal is to innovate and find creative ways to use 3D printing for food manufacturing and processing. I want to help people use tools like 3D printing to customize their life and do it safely. I am honored to represent UMass, the College of Natural Sciences, and the Department of Food Science as a USDA Predoctoral Fellow.” 

Enfield explains that some food companies are utilizing 3D printing for prototyping but are limited in what can be used on production lines because of the potential safety risks of the resins used, which have not been the subject of much investigation. She anticipates that this novel SLA resin will have an impact not only in the U.S. food industry, but in American society, as well, by promoting sustainability among consumers and industries. As awareness of food-safety issues grows the research could empower consumers with safer food options, fostering trust in food production and encouraging innovation in sustainable materials.

More information about Enfield’s research can be found in this CNS news story, and more information about AFRI can be found on the NIFA website.