Nutraceutical applications of agricultural by‐products in 3D food printing: potential in enhancing neurocognitive health

Three‐dimensional (3D) food printing represents an innovative additive manufacturing technology that addresses global concerns related to food waste, resource depletion, climate change, and food insecurity, while providing personalized nutrition and a sustainable food system. Agricultural by‐products are suitable food ingredients for 3D food printing as they are economical and rich in bioactive compounds. However, there is a research gap in utilizing agricultural by‐products and 3D food printing for nutraceutical applications. This comprehensive review aims to synthesize and critically analyze the various functional dynamics of 3D food printing, agricultural by‐products, their nutraceutical properties, and applications, with a focus on neurocognitive health. The methodology employed a novel approach by integrating the keyword co‐occurrence analysis and the PRISMA 2020 guidelines for literature selection. Initially, 864 reports were identified and, based on screening, 96 records were included in this study. The findings revealed that agricultural by‐products are valuable sources rich in total phenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, anthocyanins, and other bioactive compounds, making them a suitable low‐cost ingredient enhancing neurocognition. The review assessed the potential of 3D food printing technology to bridge the gap in utilizing the bioactive compounds present in agricultural by‐products. It is a potential strategy to provide customized nutrition for underexplored applications like neurodevelopmental disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, mood, psychiatric, functional, and structural disorders.