Investigation of Rheological and Flow Properties of Buckwheat Dough with and Without Xanthan and Guar Gums for Optimized 3D Food Printing Across Temperature Variations

Buckwheat (<i>Fagopyrum esculentum</i>) is a gluten-free crop valued for its protein, fiber, and essential minerals. This study investigates the rheological properties of buckwheat (BW) dough, both with and without the addition of gums (no gum, guar (GG), xanthan (XG)), at varying barrel temperatures (25, 55, and 85 °C) of the rheometer and at different water content levels (45, 50, and 55% <i>w</i>/<i>w</i>) to optimize dough formulations for 3D food printing. Using high shear stress capillary tests, the consistency coefficient (K) and flow behavior index (n) were measured. The results indicated that GG significantly increases the apparent viscosity of buckwheat dough across shear rates ranging from 200 to 2000 s^-1, under all temperature and water content conditions. XG also enhanced viscosity but to a lesser extent at moderate temperatures (55 °C, 85 °C). All BW dough formulations exhibited a non-Newtonian shear-thinning behavior, crucial for 3D printing applications. In addition, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted to analyze the extrusion process of BW dough formulations (50% W, 50% W + XG, and 50% W + GG), focusing on shear rate, viscosity, and pressure distribution. The simulations demonstrated that shear rates increased as the dough moved through the nozzle, while viscosity decreased, facilitating extrusion. However, gum-added formulations required higher pressures for extrusion, indicating an increased difficulty in dough flow. The study highlights the complex interactions between temperature, water content, and additive type on the rheological properties of buckwheat dough, while also incorporating CFD simulations to analyze the extrusion process. These insights provide a foundation for developing nutrient-dense, gluten-free 3D-printed foods tailored to specific dietary needs.