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Extrusion cooking

Reference: Fellow, P.J., Food Processing Technology: Principles and Practice, 4th
Edition, Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Science, Technology and Nutrition, 1
2017
1. Please describe the extrusion cooking
Pasta manufacturing process : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H4PO4yVIsI

Describe the pasta manufacturing process:

High-quality durum wheat semolina is combined with water to form a dough.
The dough is kneaded to achieve the desired consistency and texture.
The kneaded dough is pushed through molds (dies) to create various pasta shapes.
Extruded pasta is cut to the required lengths.
The pasta is dried under controlled conditions to reduce moisture content, ensuring shelf
stability.
Once dried, the pasta is packaged for distribution.

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1. Please describe the extrusion cooking
Extrusion process : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skv4xILxm4E

Describe the extrusion proces:

Feeding: Raw materials are introduced into the hopper.
Mixing and Heating: As the screw rotates, it mixes and conveys the materials forward. The
friction and external heaters raise the temperature, causing the materials to melt and
gelatinize.
Shaping: The molten material is forced through the die, determining the product's shape.
Cooling and Cutting: Once extruded, the product is cooled and cut to desired lengths.

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1. Please describe the extrusion cooking

Forming process https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2544pagWnsY

Mix ingredients (flour, proteins, starches, additives) and add moisture to form a
homogeneous dough.
Load the prepared mixture into a hopper that feeds it into the extruder.
The rotating screw applies heat, pressure, and shear, cooking the mixture and
modifying its texture.
Force the cooked material through a shaped die, where the sudden pressure drop may
cause expansion
Use a rotating knife or cutter to trim the extrudate into specific shapes and sizes.
Dry and cool the product to remove excess moisture and stabilize its texture.

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 1. Please describe the extrusion cooking
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnPtrGwRT_4

Extrusion Cooking
Extrusion cooking is a high-temperature, high-pressure process where food ingredients (such as
flour, starches, and proteins) are mixed, heated, and forced through a die to shape the final
product. This method is widely used for:
Pasta
Breakfast cereals
Snack foods
Pet food
Meat substitutes (texturized vegetable protein - TVP)
Steps in Pasta Extrusion (Bronze Die)
Dough Preparation: Flour (typically semolina) is mixed with water to create a firm dough.
Extrusion through a Bronze Die: The dough is pushed through a bronze die, which creates
rough-textured pasta (ideal for holding sauces).
Cutting and Drying: The pasta is cut to the desired length and then dried to reduce moisture
content for storage.
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1. Please describe the extrusion cooking
Forming process https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRoQiG4rMBc

Mix and blend ingredients (flours, proteins, additives)

Load the prepared dough into a hopper, which feeds it steadily into the extruder.
The dough is pushed through a heated barrel by a rotating screw
The cooked material is forced through a die that gives it the desired shape.
A rotating knife or cutter slices the extruded material into uniform pieces or specific
shapes.
The product is cooled and dried to remove excess moisture, stabilizing its texture.
Additional steps such as seasoning, toasting, or further baking may be applied before
the final packaging.

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1. Please describe the equipment parts?
Single screw : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skv4xILxm4E

Feeding System: This section introduces raw materials into the extruder. It typically includes a hopper where
ingredients are loaded and a feeder mechanism that regulates the flow into the extrusion barrel.
Extrusion Barrel: A cylindrical chamber housing the screw, where the actual processing occurs. It's designed to
withstand high pressures and temperatures, ensuring efficient heat transfer and material flow.
Screw (Auger): The central component that moves and processes the material through the barrel. Its design—
length, pitch, and compression ratio—affects the mixing, shearing, and conveying efficiency.
Heating and Cooling Systems: These systems control the temperature within the barrel, crucial for achieving
desired material properties. Heaters raise the temperature as needed, while cooling jackets or fans dissipate
excess heat.
Die Assembly: Located at the end of the barrel, the die shapes the extruded material into specific forms (e.g.,
pellets, rods, or sheets). The die's design directly influences the product's final shape and texture.
Cutting Mechanism: For products requiring specific lengths, a cutting system—often comprising rotating
knives—is employed immediately after the die to segment the continuous extrudate.
Control Panel: An interface that allows operators to monitor and adjust parameters such as temperature,
screw speed, and feed rate, ensuring consistent product quality and accommodating different material
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requirements
 1. Please describe the equipment parts?
Twin screw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1QSToN7T_E

Describe the equipment parts:

Hopper: The entry point where raw materials (including dry ingredients, fresh meat, or
meat slurries) are fed into the extruder.
Feeder: A controlled feeding system ensures a consistent supply of ingredients into the
extruder, preventing clogging or irregular flow.
Co-Rotating Screws: The extruder has two intermeshing screws that rotate together to mix,
knead, shear, and cook the materials.
Screw Segments: Different sections of the screws have specific designs to handle feeding,
mixing, cooking, and conveying.

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Barrel: The screws are housed inside a cylindrical metal barrel that contains various heating
and cooling zones to maintain precise process conditions.
Electric Heaters or Steam Jackets: These help maintain the required temperature for cooking
and gelatinization.
Cooling System: Water or air-cooling zones control heat in different sections to prevent
overheating.
Die Plate: Shapes the extruded product by forcing the cooked mixture through holes of
specific shapes and sizes.
Rotary Cutter: A high-speed rotating blade cuts the extruded material into uniform pieces.
A digital touchscreen or PLC system monitors and adjusts parameters like screw speed,
temperature, pressure, and feeding rate.
Dryer: Ensures the extruded pet food reaches the desired moisture level.
Cooling Conveyor: Prevents product clumping and ensures proper texture before packaging.
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 1. Please describe the theory part

Extrusion cooking involves the simultaneous mixing, kneading and heating of ingredients,
and results in a large number of complex changes to foods. These include hydration,
gelation and shearing of starches, melting of fats, denaturation or reorientation of proteins,
plasticisation of the material to form a fluid melt, formation of glassy states, and expansion
and solidification of food structures when they emerge from the die.

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 1. Please describe the applications?
Applications of Extrusion Cooking:
Snack Foods: Production of puffed snacks, chips, and crackers.
Breakfast Cereals: Manufacturing of ready-to-eat cereals with various shapes and textures.
Crispbread: extrusion cooking can be used to produce modern, high-fiber, and expanded
crispbreads with a lighter texture.
Weaning foods: Extruded weaning foods are made from a combination of cereals and
legumes to produce the correct protein and energy content for growing children.
Meat and fish products: The use of extruders in meat and fish processing is mostly focused
on production of the following products: frankfurter-type sausages made from meat or
meat-free

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1. Please describe the effects on food and microorganisms
Effects on Food:
1. Nutritional Value:
Proteins: Mild extrusion enhances protein digestibility by denaturing proteins
and inactivating enzyme inhibitors. However, excessive heat can lead to Maillard
reactions, reducing amino acid availability, particularly lysine​.
Starch and Carbohydrates: Starch is gelatinized, making it more digestible.
However, it also increases the glycemic index of foods​.
Lipids: Minimal lipid oxidation occurs during extrusion, but oxidation can happen
during storage​.
Vitamins & Minerals: Most vitamins are retained, though heat-sensitive ones like
vitamin A and ascorbic acid may suffer losses up to 50%.

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 1. Please describe the effects on food and microorganisms
+ Sensory Changes:
Texture: Extrusion produces characteristic textures through changes in starch and protein structure​.
Flavor: Maillard reactions contribute to flavor, but some flavors volatilize and require post-extrusion
application​.
Color: High temperatures favor caramelization and Maillard reactions, altering color​.
+ Effects on Microorganisms:
Microbial Safety: Most extruded foods are microbiologically safe due to:
High-temperature short-time (HTST) processing that destroys vegetative cells.
Low water activity, preventing microbial growth​.
Spore Destruction: The effect of extrusion on bacterial spores is less understood, but studies suggest
that a combination of heat and mechanical stress can effectively reduce spore counts​.
Pathogen Reduction: Bacteria such as Microbacterium lacticum and Bacillus subtilis show significant
reduction under extrusion conditions​.
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Thanks

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