EFFECT OF EXTRUSION-COOKING CONDITIONS ON THE NUTRITIONAL-VALUE, STORAGE STABILITY AND SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF A MAIZE-BASED SNACK FOOD

The effect of extrusion cooking on the nutritional value, storage stab ility and sensory characteristics of an indigenous maize-based snack f ood were examined. Samples were analysed for available lysine loss, pr otein dispersibility index (PDI), changes in total carbonyls (lipid ox idation) and sensory characteristics during storage (at 25, 30 and 40 degrees C). Extruded samples suffered low loss (10%) in available lysi ne but had an appreciable reduction in PDI. Storage at moisture conten ts above the monolayer region reduced greatly the total carbonyls in s amples. However, total carbonyls of products were found to increase wi th increase in storage temperature. In addition, storage at high tempe rature (40 degrees C) significantly reduced the sensory acceptance of the maize-based snack. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited