EFFECTS OF EMULSIFIER AND SOY FIBER ADDITION ON SENSORY PROPERTIES OFCORN MEAL EXTRUDATE

Yellow dent corn meal was extruded in a twin-screw extruder with a mon oacylglycerol (MAG) and soybean fiber. A ten member descriptive analys is panel was employed to study the effects of four extrusion treatment variables on the textural properties and microstructure of extruded c orn meal products. The treatment variables studied included MAG and so ybean fiber contents in the feed, extruder screw speed, and feed rate. The microstructure of extruded samples was also studied to support th e sensory texture evaluations. MAG addition was found to be the most s ignificant factor affecting texture. Low levels of MAG (0.375%) and so ybean fiber additions (5%) resulted in improved overall texture qualit y. Higher screw speeds were associated with higher cohesiveness and ad hesiveness, and feed rate had the least influence. Most of these effec ts could be attributed to the microstructural property changes under t he treatments.