Vitamin retention in extrusion cooking

Abstract

Extrusion cooking (high-temperature short-time) represents a very efficient processing technology, which enables the manufacture of a wide variety of food and feed products on the basis of grain. Effects of extrusion cooking on nutritional quality are ambiguous. Positive influences can be seen in increasing digestibility or in the inactivation of undesirable substances. However, as far as vitamins are concerned, depending on production parameters, mainly destructive effects are reported. Depending on the particular vitamin, considerable degradation can occur, especially in products with high sensory appeal. This paper reviews the existing knowledge about vitamin stability in extrusion cooking and mentions options for the fortification of extruded products with vitamins.