Stability of vitamins during extrusion

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Nutritional Biochemistry

Background:

• Vitamins are essential micronutrients for human and animal metabolism.
• Food processing, particularly thermal methods like extrusion, can lead to significant vitamin degradation.
• Understanding vitamin stability during extrusion is crucial for maintaining nutritional quality in processed foods and feeds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify vitamins most susceptible to degradation during food extrusion.
• To examine the impact of extrusion parameters on vitamin retention.
• To assess the stability of various vitamins during processing and subsequent storage.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of vitamin retention in extruded food and feed products.
• Investigation of extrusion parameters (barrel temperature, screw rpm, moisture, die diameter, throughput) influencing vitamin loss.
• Evaluation of the stability of specific fat-soluble (A, E) and water-soluble (C, B(1), folic acid) vitamins.

Main Results:

• Vitamins A, E, C, B(1), and folic acid showed significant losses during extrusion.
• Vitamins B(2), B(6), B(12), niacin, Ca-pantothenate, and biotin demonstrated stability under extrusion conditions.
• Vitamin E and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) exhibited particular instability during processing and storage, exacerbated by oxidation.

Conclusions:

• Extrusion processing significantly impacts the nutritional value of food and feed by reducing levels of sensitive vitamins.
• Specific vitamins, including A, E, C, B(1), and folic acid, require careful consideration during extrusion to minimize losses.
• Further strategies may be needed to enhance the retention and stability of critical vitamins in extruded products, especially during storage.