EXTRUDED SNACK FOODS

There are many types of extruders; the simplest type is the ram or piston extruder. There are screws or worms rotating within a sleeve or barrel. These screws push the food product forward, creating a pressure from behind the discharge die, therefore allowing it to extrude through the opening. Another type of extrusion is cooking extrusion, this allows the food product to be heated and extruded at the same time.

The following is a list of the advantages for using the extrusion process.
   
             1. Versatility - Numerous types of food can be produced using the same type of extruder, simply by altering the processing
                                 conditions and ingredients.

            2.  High productivity - This system provides a continuos process, unlike most other cooking/forming systems.

            3.  Low cost - The labor and floor space required is smaller than for other cooking/forming systems

            4.   Product shapes - The extruder is able to produce shapes, which other equipment may not.

            5. High product quality - The degradation of food nutrients is improved by the use of HTST heating process.

6. Energy efficient - Heat required for cooking and re-drying the product after cooking is reduced because the extrusion process operates at low moisture levels.

7. Production of new foods - New food products may be produced due to the modification of starches, vegetable proteins, and other food materials.

            8. No effluents - Pollutants will not be released into the environment.

REFERENCE: 1.) Harper, M. Judson, Extrusion of Foods, CRC press, Inc., Boca Raton, Florida, 1981.  CALL NUMBER : TP370.5 H37 V.1