Extrusion Technology in Food Processing
An opportunity to convert industrial by-product to value added ready-to-eat snack

Dr Angam Raleng *

Introduction

Food extrusion or Extrusion cooking is a process in which a food material is forced to flow, under one or more varieties of conditions of mixing, heating, and shear, through a die which is designed to form and/or puff-dry the ingredients. Die which is the final assembly at the end of the extruder which is responsible for giving the final shape of the product, it may be in the shape of balls, stars, rings, crescent, cylindrical etc.

Extrusion processing has been applied widely by the food industry for manufacturing numerous products such as pasta, ready-to-eat cereals, cheese balls, Kurkure, colored chewing gums, confectionary products, flat bread pepperoni, and pet food etc.

Extrusion is a highly versatile unit operation that can be applied to a variety of food processes. Extrusion can be used to cook, form, mix, tenderize, and shape food products under conditions that favour quality retention, high productivity, and low cost.

In Manipur also, this sector is steadily taking up the pace owing to the products which is locally made and sold in the general stores and in the local market apart from the products imported from other states and nearby countries.

Manipur known for the sweet pineapple variety which is particularly cultivated in the Imphal east, Thoubal, and Churachandpur districts of the state, Tamenglong Orange which is particularly the asset of the hilly regions of the Tamenglong district and the Kachai lemon which is particularly grown in the hills of the Kachai of the Ukhrul district has the potential of converting the waste after the juice extraction of the fruit particularly the pomace/pulp which is rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals.

This pomace after the juice extraction can be dried and ground into powder which can further be used in the fortification/enrichmentalong with the basic ingredients like corn, rice etc., for developing various food products such as the extruded snack foods like the puff snacks e.g., Kurkure, cheese balls, etc., which is produced with hot extrusion (where the barrel temperature is above 100ºC)or the cold extrusion (where the barrel temperature is less than 100ºC) products like the pasta, noodles etc.

Fruit pomace powder can also be used to fortify certain other bakery products such as bread, cookies, cakes, muffins etc. and the high dietary fiber content of the co-product can also be used to change the physico-chemical characteristics of diets.

Potential use of fruits and vegetables by-products in food extrusion technology

Through processing berries, vegetables and fruits, the fruits and vegetable sector produce a high number of residual by-products. They are high in fibres, vitamins, minerals, and other phytochemicals and include pomace, cores, skins, roots, and seeds of berries and fruits.

Using these by-products after drying and making it into powder and formulating it with other basic ingredients of extrusion cooking such as corn, rice, millets etc, which are rich in fibres, vitamins, minerals, and other phytochemicals, to complement various other food items and to produce fibre-rich food snacks, may be creative and a good idea towards safe, affordable, and nutritious food.

The need to use fruits and vegetable by-products as a raw material for food extrusion technology.

Extruded snacks sold in India are usually developed from cereal flours & contain high protein, carbohydrate, and fat components. Healthy and therapeutic foods are in high demand among consumers is on the rise these days, so snacks made from fruits and vegetable by-products might cater to that demand.

Furthermore, the transformation of this waste into fiber-rich extruded snacks using a novel and flexible extrusion technique can be very beneficial both economically and in terms of health aspects.Extrusion processing is a viable method for using vegetable and fruit by-products due to its energy efficiency, flexibility, deficient in effluents, low cost, and high productivity. Furthermore, since it will be made from food industry by-products, it can be produced at a competitive cost, far lower than what is currently available in the market.

Conclusion

Many reusable substances with high nutritional value can be included in the waste from fruits and vegetables. These cannery wastes have a high exploitation potential and a bright future. Producers are often searching for more quality, high-value materials, and processing from fruit and vegetable by-products may be a good fit.

Dietary fibre is commonly recognised as an essential ingredient in the human diet. Fruit and vegetable by-products have been shown to be a good source of dietary fibre in studies. Furthermore, people’s health consciousness is increasing, so supplementing food with the necessary nutrients from low-cost sources may be a good choice to meet the rising demand.

This technology explores options for repurposing by-products from fruit and vegetable processing into extruded snacks in a sustainable manner. As a result, extrusion technology is being used to turn waste from fruit and vegetable by-products manufacturing plants into a low-cost nutritious dietary supplement for low-income communities.

The processes could be further optimised for large-scale production of a variety of foods, ranging from ready-to-eat snacks to breakfast cereals. Overall, the sustainable use of this by-products from different fruit and vegetable production can be used to satisfy the increasing demand for healthier ready-to-eat foods.


For further details contact: -
Public Relations& Media Management Cell,
CAU, Imphal.
Email: [email protected]