It sounds like something out of a good sci-fi flick, but this is no Hollywood screen play.  An Austin TX research company was recently awarded a $125,000  six-month grant from NASA, to develop a 3-D printer capable of "printing" real food.  According to company sources and publically released statements, NASA's interest in obtaining a food-specific 3D printer is to feed astronauts while on deep space missions. 

3D Printed Chocolate Video

3D Printed Food


3D Printed Food

It's no secret that NASA (whether officially or un-officially) is in the planning and design phases for a manned-mission to our neighboring planet Mars.  A 3-D food printer could be monumental in solving the food storage issues associated with longer journeys.  Instead of carrying massively heavy cargos of food, as well as their storage and prep equipment, powder nutrient cartridges from which the food would be created, cutting payload and fuel requirements drastically.

The owner of the company tasked with developing the world's first fully-functional 3-D food printer, stated that pizza is among the easiest of printed foods to manufacture.  Apparently foods that are flat can be easily printed in thin layers, by simply changing the ingredient cartridges, to coin a very unofficial name for them.  It's been suggested that the materials would have a shelf life of 15-30 years, making them extremely appealing to government agencies and many others.

This is not the first major breakthrough using a 3-D printer.  Recently, a British man was the world's first recipient of a face implant manufactured entirely using 3D printing technology.

Source I read about 3D Printed Food from here