Corn-Based Gluten-Free Snacks Supplemented with Various Dried Fruits: Characteristics of Physical Properties and Effect of Variables

Abstract

Featured Application: Extrusion-cooked corn-based crisps with apple, white mulberry, goji berry, elderberry or/and blackberry addition may be attractive and natural products popular in the snack food market. The results presented in the paper reveal the effects of fruit type and amount and processing screw speed on expansion, bulk density, textural characteristics and color profiles of ready-to-eat snack products. The recommended levels of fruit additives allow selecting appropriate recipes suitable for being scaled up to industrial levels. The market of extruded products is constantly growing and the incorporation of fruit items into their recipe, can made a crisp snack product a healthy one of acceptable flavor. The subject of this work is the evaluation of the effects of production screw speed, fruit type and amount on selected physical properties (expansion index, bulk density, water absorption and solubility, texture profile and color balance) of corn-based gluten-free crisps supplemented with various amounts (0–20%) of dried fruits (apple, white mulberry, goji berry, elderberry, blackberry) processed at variable screw speeds (80, 100 and 120 rpm). This work demonstrates that it is possible to obtain marketable extruded snacks with natural color coming from the incorporated dried fruits and with adequate expansion and texture if addition was up to 10% of all the tested fruits. Moreover, very good aeration, crispy texture and acceptable natural color was found if dried elderberry and blackberry were added to snacks even at 15 and 20%. Application of 15 or 20% of apple, white mulberry and goji berries showed similar color profiles and caused decrease in texture and expansion of snacks. The rotational screw speed effect differs significantly only in hardness and cutting force of the supplemented corn crisps.