Modeling and Optimization of Extruded Corn Product Fortification.

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Nutritional Science
• Extrusion Processing

Background:

• Corn-based extruded snacks often lack complete nutritional profiles.
• Quinoa flour is a nutrient-dense ingredient with potential for food fortification.
• Optimizing extrusion processing is key to maintaining snack quality during fortification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To model and optimize the fortification of corn-based extruded flips using quinoa flour.
• To improve the nutritional, functional, and sensory qualities of extruded snacks.
• To maintain desirable technological properties during the extrusion process.

Main Methods:

• Partial replacement of corn flour with quinoa flour (0-30%).
• Twin-screw extrusion processing at varying screw speeds (350, 500, 650 rpm).
• Comprehensive quality analysis (physical, chemical, nutritional, sensory) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with Z-score optimization.

Main Results:

• Quinoa fortification significantly impacted physical, chemical, nutritional, and sensory attributes.
• Formulations with 20-30% quinoa flour processed at 500-650 rpm yielded balanced products.
• Optimal conditions identified: 20% quinoa flour extruded at 650 rpm for enhanced nutrition and preserved quality.

Conclusions:

• Quinoa flour is an effective fortificant for corn-based extruded snacks.
• Extrusion parameters significantly influence the quality of fortified products.
• The study provides optimal conditions for producing nutritionally enhanced and sensorially acceptable extruded snacks.