Food extrusion

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/food-extrusion

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the key process variables?Screw speed, barrel temperature, die design, moisture content, and ingredient composition
2. What is the primary ingredient types?High-starch content ingredients are particularly well-suited for extrusion
3. How does the extruder work?The extruder has a screw that turns inside a barrel, pushing the food through. The screw and barrel heat the food, making it soft and ready to shape.
4. Why do snacks get fluffy or porous after extrusion?When the food comes out of the die, the pressure drops quickly. This makes the starches expand and create a light, airy texture.

Gelatinization: The process where starch granules absorb water and swell, becoming digestible and forming a viscous paste.
Denaturation: The structural change in proteins caused by heat or mechanical stress, affecting texture and functionality.
Expansion Ratio: The measure of how much a food product increases in volume as it exits the extruder die due to pressure drop.