Food extrusion: Effects on micronutrients

Abstract

Extrusion technique is a process in food processing technology which combines several unit operations including mixing, cooking, kneading, shearing, shaping and forming. Food extrusion is a form of extrusion used in food processing. It is a process by which a set of mixed ingredients are forced through an opening in a perforated plate or die with a design specific to the food, and is then cut to a specified size by blades. The machine which forces the mix through the die is an extruder, and the mix is known as the extrudate. The extruder consists of a large, rotating screw tightly fitting within a stationary barrel, at the end of which is the die. Which results in huge changes in nutritional quality of extruded foods macro and micronutrient levels.