Jelena Panak Balentić

Optimization of extrusion variables for the production of corn snack products enriched with defatted hemp cake

The effects of defatted hemp cake added to corn grits (in ratios of 0, 5 and 10% d.m.), the moisture content of the mixtures (15, 20, 25%) and the temperature in the extruder ejection zone (150, 165, 180 °C) on the physical properties of extruded products have been investigated. Statistical optimization of investigated extrusion conditions using the response surface methodology was performed. The hemp cake was completely defatted by means of a supercritical CO2 extraction. The extrusion was performed on a laboratory single screw extruder and regulated by the following parameters: temperature in the dosing and compression zone (120 and 150 °C), screw compression ratio (4:1), round die (4 mm). The change of extrusion process conditions has significantly affected the physical properties of produced snacks. The expansion ratio ranged between 1.38 and 3.11, the bulk density between 0.14 and 0.49 g/cm3, the hardness between 18.15 and 70.62 N, the fracturability between 3.65 and 10.38 mm, and the total color change between 3.25 and 24.73.

Cocoa Shell: A By-Product with Great Potential for Wide Application

Solving the problem of large quantities of organic waste, which represents an enormous ecological and financial burden for all aspects of the process industry, is a necessity. Therefore, there is an emerged need to find specific solutions to utilize raw materials as efficiently as possible in the production process. The cocoa shell is a valuable by-product obtained from the chocolate industry. It is rich in protein, dietary fiber, and ash, as well as in some other valuable bioactive compounds, such as methylxanthines and phenolics. This paper gives an overview of published results related to the cocoa shell, mostly on important bioactive compounds and possible applications of the cocoa shell in different areas. The cocoa shell, due to its nutritional value and high-value bioactive compounds, could become a desirable raw material in a large spectrum of functional, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic products, as well as in the production of energy or biofuels in the near future.

Application of supercritical carbon dioxide extrusion in food processing technology

Extrusion process is one of the most important innovations of the 20th century applied in many industries. Extrusion is a technology that is increasingly used for the production of various food products, especially snacks and breakfast cereals. Supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) as a non-toxic, non-flammable and inexpensive, is applied in many processes, including the extrusion technology. Supercritical CO2 extrusion process (SCFX) found its application primarily in the processing and manufacturing plastic, but recently more and more begins to be applied in food production and processing. Scientific researches in this area are based in production of extrudates with improved properties compared to conventional extrusion process without the addition of CO2. A number of applications of SCFX in food processing technology will be reviewed and numerous advantages over the conventional process will be described in this paper.