High-fiber snacks extruded from triticale and wheat formulations

High-fiber snack bars, containing either 20 or 40% oat bran, were created b y twin-screw extrusion cooking of products containing either wheat or triti cale flour. In addition to oat bran and wheat or triticle flour, the produc ts were formulated with whey proteins, sugar, and milk powder. The effects of extrusion temperature, fiber level, and flour type on textural propertie s were determined. The formulations were extruded at both low (120 degreesC ) and high (140 degreesC) temperatures, and water was added at a rate of 12 .8 mL/min during extrusion to bring the moisture content to approximately 2 0%. Extrusion temperature did not affect textural properties, triticale pro ducts were harder than wheat products, and extruded products with 40% added fiber were significantly (P < 0.05) harder than products with 20% added fi ber. The extruded snacks studied are comparable in texture to most snack ba rs currently on the market, but they provide significantly higher fiber.