3D food printing is transforming the food industry by enabling the production of customized, on-demand foods with intricate designs. However, achieving high shape fidelity remains a challenge for optimized food ink formulations. This study investigates 3D-printed foods with overhang designs using extrusion-based 3D printing. Mashed potato and pea protein were selected as base ingredients with varied water content to assess their differences in moisture content (70–87%), pH (5.66–7.06), firmness (0.52–8.12 N), and adhesiveness (0.29–2.73 N·s). Shape fidelity was evaluated by printing geometries with overhang angles of 0° and 60°. Results showed the best printability at a 1:4 ratio (81% moisture) for mashed potato and 1:3.5 ratio (78% moisture) for pea protein. These insights provide guidelines for engineering high-fidelity food inks, that advances additive manufacturing in food design.
