Planning an experimental technology of expanded snacks

Abstract

In this paper we analyse the state-of-the art production of extruded snack foods. We described the properties of the raw materials used for manufacture of snacks and suggested methods to study the chemical composition of raw materials and finished products. We retrofitted a single screw extruder by feeding carbon dioxide at a pressure of up to 4.0 MPa to the final part of the apparatus which allowed us to reduce the treatment time and to improve the quality of products. The obtained kinetic dependence values helped develop the optimal operating conditions for the modified extruder. The established kinetic dependence allowed us to find out the relationship between temperature and pressure in the pre-matrix zone of the single screw extruder and determine the expansion ratio of extruded product depending on the outlet area of the extruder die within 2.0-2.8·10−4 m2. The obtained optimal parameters of the technology of multicomponent blend extrusion with a blend moisture of 30%, a screw speed of 11 rps and a pressure of 4.5 MPa helped determine the required properties of expanded porous-textured snacks with an expansion ratio up to 300%. A method for production of a new kind of extruded nut-added snacks was developed which formula includes inexpensive by-products of high nutrition value.