Restaurant Serves Customized 3D-Printed Sushi Based on Customer's Urine and Stool Sample

Yes, you read the headline correctly. But don’t gross out too soon. I’ll grant you the right to be grossed out later if you like, but, first, allow me to introduce you to the concept of customized 3D-printed sushi based on the customer’s urine and stool sample, and then defend that concept as interesting and possibly tasty.

The website Design Boom breaks down the details. (For some reason, Design Boom takes their grammar cues from the poet e.e. cummings and ignores rules of capitalization. I’ve left it as they’ve written it.)

a japanese company is fusing science and sushi to create nutrient-rich foods based on individual requirements. open meals wants to create 3D-printed sushi by analyzing the saliva, urine and stool of diners so that every piece is tailored to their needs. the concept envisions a restaurant that employs a system of robotic arms and 3D printers that are fed with biodata to create the sushi.

Open Meals has been serving 3D-printed sushi for a little over a year, debuting it in Austin during 2018’s SXSW Interactive Festival. The company is now working on the technology that will allow them to build sushi based on the customer’s dietary needs. Open Meals plans on opening a restaurant called Sushi Singularity that will serve the customized 3D-printed sushi. Customers will be required to book well in advance because the health kit will need to be sent to them, returned, and then analyzed. After receiving the information, Sushi Singularity will then be able to create a sushi dinner that includes nutrients that the customer is deficient in.

Many of you think sushi is disgusting to begin with. You’re wrong, but that’s that wonderful thing about this country: you have the right to be wrong. Others of you, like me, love sushi. Within that category are those who are culinary adventurers. Assuming it’s not too expensive, I think people from all three of those categories should consider trying Open Meals’ customized 3D-printed sushi because it sounds like a potentially delicious way to enjoy a food adventure.

First and foremost, Open Meals is a culinary company. Taste is going to sit way up toward the top of the list of important variables they consider when working on their food innovations. If their food isn’t delicious, their customer base will shrink to almost non-existent. For that reason, I have little doubt that their 3D-printed sushi will be tasty.

Second, it shouldn’t be difficult to get past the “ick” factor of the words “urine” and “stool” sitting so close to the word “sushi.” Obviously, the chefs won’t be inserting the samples into the sushi. In fact, the samples won’t be anywhere near the sushi. The health kits will simply be used to determine what nutrients need to be included in the meal of delicious sushi that will be 3D-printed for the customer upon arrival at the restaurant.

Open Meals’ food innovations are part of the reward that comes with living in a mostly free economy. In fact, if you think of it that way, not only does the concept sound intriguing and tasty, but it may be your patriotic duty to send your urine and stool sample in and then enjoy some customized 3D-printed sushi.