November 11/Food Weekly News -- According to recent research from India, "Ready-to-eat extruded snacks from a blend of rice, corn grits and legume malt in the proportions of 8: 1:1 and 7:2:1 were prepared by using single screw dry extruder. On the basis of extruded snacks quality, the optimum conditions for extrusion were 80, 100 and 120 degrees C in three zones of heating barrel, 6 turn of die opening, 60 seconds of retention time, 62 rpm of screw speed and 28kg/h of feed rate."

"The extruded snacks were evaluated for quality attributes such as chemical composition, physical properties and sensory qualities. Snacks contained 11-12% protein, 0.8-1% fat, 3.0-3.2% ash, 1.25-1.40 g/cm(3) bulk density and 1.72-1.77 expansion ratio. The product was fully expanded and well cooked and uniform in size and shape. The data on sensory quality evaluation showed better quality attributes of the extruded snacks with legume malt than without legume malt," wrote V.D. Pawar and colleagues, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth.

The researchers concluded, "The extruded snacks with green gram malt at a ratio of 7:2:1 was better than that with moth bean malt at the same ratio."

Pawar and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Food Science and Technology - Mysore ("Processing and Characteristics of Snacks Extruded from Rice and Corn Grits and Two Malted Legumes." Journal of Food Science and Technology - Mysore, 2009;46(5):494-496).

For additional information, contact V.D. Pawar, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Postgraduate Institute, Dept. of Food Science & Technology, Rahuri 413722, India.

From the November 23, 2009, Prepared Foods E-dition