Extrusion Cooking of Lentil Flour (<i>Lens Culinaris</i>–Red)–Corn Starch–Corn Oil Mixtures

Abstract

An expanded food product was obtained from lentil flour–corn starch–corn oil mixtures by extrusion cooking. Effects of protein, lipid, and moisture contents of the feed mixture; cooking temperature and screw speed on starch gelatinization; protein insolubility; and lipid complexation were investigated. Effects of these functional properties on expansion ratio, cell size distribution, and cutting strength were assessed. Optimum feed composition was 67% lentil flour, 30% corn starch, and 3% corn oil (db). This mixture was processed at 15% moisture content and 178°C temperature. Expansion ratio was 3.7 and degree of gelatinization was 0.70.