Soybean waste yields 3D-printable material that could help repair skin

Transforming a soybean processing byproduct into a material for skin protection and repair is the prospect outlined by a study that used okara, a residue from the production of tofu and soy-based beverages, to obtain a bioactive. Transforming a soybean processing byproduct into a material for skin protection and repair is the prospect outlined by a study that used okara, a residue from the production of tofu and soy-based beverages, to obtain a bioactive, biodegradable, 3D-printable biomaterial.

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Credit: Politecnico di Milano Transforming a soybean processing byproduct into a material for skin protection and repair is the prospect outlined by a study that used okara, a residue from the production of tofu and soy-based beverages, to obtain a bioactive, biodegradable. The project integrates expertise in mechanical design, materials science and engineering, food and pharmaceutical sciences, product design and additive manufacturing.

The researchers then verified that, even after 3D printing, the blend retains its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and pro-regenerative features. The ability to produce structures with complex geometries also confirmed the versatility of the material and its potential for the design of customizable devices.

The research will continue with the 3D printing of a biomimetic phantom, an experimental model capable of reproducing some of the main characteristics of breast skin tissue. The possibility of using 3D printing to produce complex geometries with this bioactive material opens up new opportunities for the development of devices dedicated to women's health, with potential applications in other biomedical fields as well.

In the 3DBioPad project, the valorization of the okara is part of a design approach that considers, from the outset, product function and geometry, material properties and the manufacturing process as interdependent elements.

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