Textural characteristics of ready-to-eat breakfast cereals produced from different types of cereal and with varying water addition during extrusion process

• Main Authors: Žaneta Ugarčić-Hardi, Daliborka Koceva-Komlenić, Zrinka Gorički, Anđa Kuleš, M. Jukić
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Food Technology Osijek 2010-01-01
• Series: Croatian Journal of Food Science and Technology
• Online Access: http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/97978

Textural characteristics of ready-to-eat breakfast cereals were evaluated in order to determine the influence of wheat, corn and rice flour, as well as a varying water addition during the extrusion process. Extruded breakfast cereal balls were made of wheat semolina in combination with wheat, corn or rice flour. Three different levels of water addition (21 %, 23 % and 27 %) were used during the extrusion process. Samples were prepared with and without surface sugar coating. Sensory and instrumental assessments (TA.XT Plus) were used to evaluate textural attributes of dry samples and samples during immersion in milk. Weibull equation was used for nonlinear estimation of experimental data obtained for milk absorption and crispiness as a function of time. Crispiness of dry extruded balls without coating was much higher than for samples with coating. The highest values for crispness were observed for wheat extruded balls and the lowest for samples with corn flour addition. Increasing water addition during the extrusion process significantly increased crispness of ready-to-eat breakfast cereals. The rate of milk absorption and loss of crispiness were significantly higher for samples without coating than for samples with coating.